A Coptic list of holy books belonging to the monastery of Apa *Elijah/Elias (probably the Old Testament prophet, S00217) 'on the mountain', presumably at Aphroditopolis/Atfih (Middle Egypt), lists a papyrus manuscripts containing the Lives of *Epiphanios (probably the bishop of Salamis, ob. 403, S00093) and *Petros (possibly Peter II, patriarch of Alexandria, ob. 381, S02927), as well as Encomia by Athanasius of Alexandria and others; list datable to the 7th/8th century.
E01733
Documentary texts - List
Late antique original manuscripts - Ostracon/Pot-sherd
KSB 1.12
A large limestone ostracon preserves one hundred and fifteen lines written in two columns, listing all the books belonging to the monastery of Elijah on the mountain. The list begins with books from the Old Testament followed by the gospels, and various other manuscripts, including Encomia (E01733, E01737, E01738, E01740), Lives (E01732, E01733, E01734, E01736, E01741), and Martyrdoms (E01731, E01735, E01739, E01742, E01743). The material of the books is listed either as papyrus (ⲭⲁⲣⲧⲏⲥ) or as parchment (ⲙⲉⲃⲣⲁⲛⲟⲛ), specifying whether these manuscripts are old or new.
[ⲡⲗ]ⲟ̣ⲅⲟⲥ ⲛⲛϫⲱⲱⲙⲉ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲙⲡⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲛⲁⲡⲁ ϩⲏⲗⲓⲁⲥ ⲛⲧⲡ̣ⲉ̣[ⲧⲣⲁ]
‘[The] list of holy books at the monastery (topos) of Apa Elias on the mountain.’
In lines 50–52 is the entry:
⟨ⲡⲃⲓⲟⲥ ⲛ⟩ⲁⲡⲁ ⲉⲡⲓⲫⲁⲛⲓⲟⲥ ⲭⲁⲣ(ⲧⲏⲥ) : ⟨ⲡⲃⲓⲟⲥ ⲛ⟩ⲁⲡⲁ ⲡⲉⲧⲣⲟⲥ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉⲅⲕⲱⲙⲓⲟⲛ ⲛⲁⲡⲁ ⲁⲑⲁⲛⲁⲥⲓⲟⲥ ⲙⲛ ϩⲉⲛⲕⲟⲟⲩⲉ ⲭⲁⲣ(ⲧⲏⲥ)
ⲅⲉⲛⲟⲩⲣ(ⲅⲓⲟⲥ)
‘⟨The Life of⟩ Apa Epiphanios, papyrus (χάρτης), ⟨The Life of⟩ Apa Petros, and the Encomia by Apa Athanasios and others, papyrus (χάρτης), new (καινούργιος).’
Text: M. Hasitzka, KSB 1.12
Translation: G. Schenke
Cult building - monastic
Non Liturgical ActivityTransmission, copying and reading saint-related texts
Source
The limestone ostracon belongs to the IFAO in Cairo, Inv. 13315, and is datable by its script to the 7th/8th century.Discussion
Since the manuscripts mentioned may well be the Lives of Epiphanios of Salamis and Peter II of Alexandria, both anti-Arian wonder-working bishops of the 4th century, the encomia mentioned as being by Athanasios and others most likely concern similar anti-Arian figures.Bibliography
Edition:Hasitzka, M.R.M., Koptisches Sammelbuch (KSB), vol. 1 (Vienna, 1993), 9–12.
Gesa Schenke
15/7/2016
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | 002153 | ⲁⲡⲁ ⲉⲡⲓⲫⲁⲛⲓⲟⲥ | Uncertain | S00217 | Elijah/Elias, Old Testament prophet | ⲁⲡⲁ ϩⲏⲗⲓⲁⲥ | Uncertain | S02927 | Petros II, patriarch of Alexandria, ob. 381 | ⲁⲡⲁ ⲡⲉⲧⲣⲟⲥ | Uncertain |
|---|
Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Gesa Schenke, Cult of Saints, E01733 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E01733