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 manuscript containing an 'encomion by Apa Severianos on Iohannes of Constantinople', probably *John Chrysostom (bishop of Constantinople, ob. 407, S00779); list datable to the 7th/8th century.
E01738
Documentary texts - List
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 89–90 is the entry:
ⲟⲩⲉⲅⲕⲱⲙⲓⲟⲛ ⲛⲧⲉ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲥⲉⲩⲏⲣⲓⲁⲛⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲱϩⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥ ⲛⲕⲱⲥⲧⲁⲛⲧⲓⲛⲟⲩⲡⲟⲗⲉⲓⲥ ⲭⲁⲣ(ⲧⲏⲥ) ⲅⲉⲛⲟⲩⲣ(ⲅⲓⲟⲥ)
'An Encomion by Apa Severianos on Iohannes of Constantinople, papyrus (χάρτης), new (καινούργιος).’
Text: M. Hasitzka, KSB I.12
Translation: G. Schenke
Transmission, 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
'Iohannes of Constantinople' is most likely to be John Chrysostom; there is however a puzzle over the identity of the author of this encomion. The best known 'Severianos' would be Severianus of Gabala, a contemporary of Chrysostom; but he was a strong opponent of the latter.Bibliography
Text:Hasitzka, M.R.M., Koptisches Sammelbuch (KSB), vol. 1 (Vienna, 1993), 9–12.
Gesa Schenke
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00217 | Elijah/Elias, Old Testament prophet | ⲁⲡⲁ ϩⲏⲗⲓⲁⲥ | Uncertain | S00779 | John/Ioannes Chrysostom, bishop of Constantinople, ob. 407 | ⲱϩⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥ ⲛⲕⲱⲥⲧⲁⲛⲧⲓⲛⲟⲩⲡⲟⲗⲉⲓⲥ | Uncertain |
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Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Gesa Schenke, Cult of Saints, E01738 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E01738