Site logo

The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity


from its origins to circa AD 700, across the entire Christian world


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 the Life of *Makrina ('the Younger', ascetic of Pontus, S00899), presumably the Life written by Gregory of Nyssa; datable to the 7th/8th century.

Evidence ID

E01741

Type of Evidence

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 ⲛⲛϫⲱⲱⲙⲉ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲙⲡⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲛⲁⲡⲁ ϩⲏⲗⲓⲁⲥ ⲛⲧⲡ̣ⲉ̣[ⲧⲣⲁ]

‘[The] list of holy books at the monastery (
topos) of Apa Elias on the mountain.’


In line 100 is the entry:

ⲡⲃⲓⲟⲥ ⲙⲙⲁⲕⲣⲓⲛⲁ ⲧⲥⲱⲛⲉ ⲛⲃⲁⲥⲓⲗⲉⲓⲟⲥ ⲙⲛ ⲅⲣⲏⲅⲟ[ⲣ(ⲓⲟⲥ)] ⲭⲁⲣ(ⲧⲏⲥ)

'The Life of Makrina, the sister of Basileios and Gregor(ios), papyrus (
χάρτης).’      [Basil of Caesarea and Gregory of Nyssa were indeed the brothers of Makrina the Younger]


Text: M. Hasitzka,
KSB I.12
Translation: G. Schenke



Record Created By

Gesa Schenke

Date of Entry

Related Saint Records
IDNameName in SourceIdentity
S00217Elijah/Elias, Old Testament prophetⲁⲡⲁ ϩⲏⲗⲓⲁⲥUncertain
S00899Makrina the Younger, ascetic of Pontus, ob. 379ⲙⲁⲕⲣⲓⲛⲁCertain


Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Gesa Schenke, Cult of Saints, E01741 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E01741