Fragment of Coptic Miracles of *Merkourios (soldier and martyr of Caesarea of Cappadocia, S00225), effected at his martyr shrine, punishing a thief and showing mercy on him, resulting in a large donation to the shrine, as well as healing a crippled man; composed probably in the 5th/7th c., preserved in a manuscript of the 9th/11th.
E01848
Literary - Hagiographical - Collections of miracles
Late antique original manuscripts - Parchment codex
K 09456
The saint seems to have punished a thief with blindness who then prays at his shrine for forgiveness. The supplicant’s eyesight is eventually restored, the former thief returns the stolen money and makes a large offering at the martyr’s shrine.
ⲙ]ⲛⲛⲥⲁ ⲥⲁϣϥ ⲇⲉ ⲛϩⲟⲟⲩ · ⲁⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲙⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲙⲉⲣⲕⲟⲩⲣⲓⲟⲥ ϣⲛϩⲧⲏϥ ⲉϫⲱϥ · ⲁϥⲭⲁⲣⲍⲉ ⲛⲁϥ ⲙⲡⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓⲛ ⲛⲛⲉϥⲃⲁⲗ ⲛⲑⲉ ⲛϣⲟⲣⲡ · ⲁϥⲃⲱⲕ ⲉⲡⲉϥⲏⲓ ⲉϥϯ ⲉⲟⲟⲩ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ · [ⲁ]ϥⲉⲓⲛⲉ ⲛⲛⲛⲟⲩⲃ · ⲛⲧⲁϥϥⲓⲧⲟⲩ ⲛϫⲟⲩⲉ · ⲙⲛ ⲧⲕⲉⲙⲏⲧⲉ ⲛⲗⲓⲧⲣⲁ ⲛⲛⲟⲩⲃ ⲛⲧⲁϥⲉⲣⲏⲧ ⲙⲙⲟⲟⲩ · ⲁϥⲧⲁⲁⲩ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲡⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲙⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲙⲉⲣⲕⲟⲩⲣⲟⲥ ·ⲉⲩⲉⲟⲟⲩ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲙⲛ ⲡⲉϥⲙⲁⲣⲧⲏⲣⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ·
‘After seven days, the God of saint Merkourios had mercy on him. He granted him the light of his eyes just as it was before. He (the supplicant) went back home, praising God. He brought the gold which he had stolen and gave another ten pounds of gold which he had vowed (to give) to the shrine (topos) of saint Merkourios as an honour to God and his holy martyr.’
A crippled beggar is brought into the shrine and asks for healing. He remains for a very long time at the topos waiting at the shrine and witnessing many healing miracles, save for his own. Discouraged, he finally has a vision of the saint who tells him how to obtain healing. Joyfully, the man follows the saint’s advice which will bring about his recovery.
ⲛⲉⲩⲛ ⲟⲩⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲇⲉ ⲟⲛ ⲛϭⲁⲗⲉ ⲉⲛⲉϥⲟⲩⲉⲣⲏⲧⲉ · ϣⲟⲟⲡ [one line missing] ϥ̣ϩⲙⲟⲟⲥ ϩⲁϩⲧⲛ ⲧⲡⲩⲗⲏ · ⲉϥϫ[ⲓ]
ⲙⲛⲧⲛⲁ ⲛⲛⲁⲩ ⲛⲓⲙ
ⲛⲧⲟⲟⲧⲟⲩ ⲛⲛⲉⲧⲃⲏ[ⲕ] ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉ[ⲡⲙⲁ] ⲁⲩⲱ ⲡⲉⲓⲣⲱ[ⲙⲉ] ⲛⲧⲉⲓⲙⲛⲉ ⲛⲉϥⲥⲱⲧⲙ ⲙⲙⲏⲏⲛⲉ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲟⲟⲧⲟⲩ
ⲛⲛⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲛϭⲟⲙ
ⲉⲧϣⲟⲟⲡ ϩⲙ ⲡⲙⲁⲣⲧⲏⲣⲓⲟⲛ ⲙⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲙⲉⲣⲕⲟⲩⲣⲟⲥ · ⲁϥϫⲓ ϣⲟϫⲛⲉ ⲙⲛ ⲧⲉϥⲥϩⲙⲉ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉϥϣⲏⲣⲉ · ϫⲉ ⲁⲣ
ⲧⲁⲅⲁⲡⲏ ⲛⲧⲉⲧⲛⲧⲁⲗⲟⲓ
ⲛⲧⲉⲧⲛϫⲓⲧ ⲉⲡⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲙⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲙⲉⲣⲕⲟⲩⲣⲟⲥ ⲙⲉϣⲁⲕ ⲛⲧⲉ ⲡⲉϥⲛⲁ ⲧⲁϩⲟ · ⲁⲓⲥⲱⲧⲙ ⲅⲁⲣ [one line missing]
ϭ=ⲟⲙ ⲉⲧϥⲉⲓⲣⲉ [ⲙ]ⲙⲟⲟⲩ ⲙ=ⲙ=ⲏ̣ⲏ̣ⲛⲉ · ⲗⲟⲓⲡⲟⲛ ⲁⲩⲧⲁⲗ̣[ⲟϥ] ⲁ̣ⲩ>ⲛ=ⲧϥ [ⲉⲡⲧⲟⲡⲟ]ⲥ̣ ⲙ[ⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲙⲉ]ⲣ>ⲕ̣[ⲟⲩⲣⲟ]ⲥ̣ ·
ⲁϥϭ=ⲱ ϩⲙ ⲡⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲙ=ⲡⲙⲁ̣ ⲉⲧⲙⲙⲁⲩ ⲉϥϫⲓ ⲙⲛⲧⲛⲁ · ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁϥⲱⲥⲕ ⲙⲡⲉⲗⲁⲁⲩ ⲙⲡⲁⲣⲁⲙⲏⲑⲁ · ϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛⲁϥ ⲁⲩⲱ
ⲛⲧⲉⲓϩⲉ ⲁϥⲣ ⲕⲟⲩ ⲛϩⲏⲧ · ⲉϥϫⲱ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲙⲉϣⲁⲕ ⲙⲡⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ
ⲁⲛ ⲡⲉ · ⲉⲧⲣⲁⲙⲁⲧⲉ ⲙⲡⲧⲁⲗϭⲟ · ⲙⲁⲣⲉⲓⲧⲱⲟⲩⲛ ⲧⲁⲃⲱⲕ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲉⲡⲁⲏ · ⲙⲙⲟⲛ ⲛϯⲛⲁⲗⲟ ⲁⲛ · [ⲛ]ⲁ̣ⲓ ⲇⲉ ⲙⲛ
ⲛ[ⲕⲟ]ⲟ=ⲩⲉ ⲛⲉⲣⲉ ⲡϭⲁ̣ⲗ̣ⲉ
ⲙⲟⲕⲙⲉⲕ ⲉⲣⲟⲟⲩ ϩⲛ ⲧⲉϥⲙⲛⲧⲁⲧⲛⲁϩⲧⲉ · ⲉⲓⲥ ⲡϩⲁⲅⲟⲥ ⲙⲉⲣⲕⲟⲩⲣⲓⲟⲥ ⲁϥⲟⲩⲱⲛϩ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩϩⲟⲣⲟⲙⲁ · ⲉϥϫⲱ
ⲙⲙⲟⲥ ⲛⲁϥ ϫⲉ ⲉϣϫⲉ
ⲕ[ⲟ]ⲩⲱϣ ⲉⲙⲁⲧⲉ ⲙⲡⲧⲁⲗϭⲟ : - ⲧⲱⲟⲩⲛ ⲛⲅⲥⲩⲣⲁ ⲛⲅⲃⲱⲕ · ⲛⲅⲁⲗⲉ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉϫⲙ ⲡⲙⲁ ⲛⲛⲕⲟⲧⲕ ⲛⲧⲉⲥϩⲓⲙⲉ ⲉⲧⲟ
ⲛⲙⲡⲟ · ⲁⲩⲱ ⲕⲛⲁⲙⲧⲟⲛ · ⲡⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲇⲉ ⲁϥⲛⲉϩⲥⲉ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ϩⲙ ⲡϩⲟⲣⲟⲙⲁ · ⲉϥⲥⲧⲱⲧ · ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ϫⲉ ⲁⲗⲏⲑⲱⲥ ⲉⲣⲉ
ⲙⲉⲣⲕⲟⲩⲣⲓⲟⲥ ϫ ϩⲟ · ⲁϥⲧⲁⲗ[ⲟϥ . . .]
‘There was then also a man crippled with respect to his legs, [probably his hometown is mentioned here], sitting by the gate receiving alms all the time from those who went inside [the place]. In this way, this man heard daily from the people about the miracles that took place in the martyr shrine (martyrion) of saint Merkourios.
He took counsel with his wife and his children, (saying): “Be so kind and lift me up and take me into the shrine (topos) of saint Merkourious! Perhaps his mercy will come upon me, for I have heard [of the many miracles and?] wonders which he performs daily.”
So they lifted him up and brought him [into the shrine of] saint Merkourios. He remained in the shrine at that place receiving alms. He prolonged his stay, but no blessing happened to him. Thus, he became faint-hearted, saying: “Perhaps this is not the will of God to let me obtain healing. Let me rise and go home, for I will not be healed.” These things and others, the crippled man considered in his faithlessness.
Behold, the saint Merkourios appeared to him in a dream, saying to him: “If you desire healing very much, rise and drag yourself, go and climb onto the bed of the dumb woman. You will be relieved (from your illness).
The man awoke from the dream trembling. He said (to himself): “Truly, Merkourios is aware (of me)!” He lifted [himself up ...]. [Here the surviving text breaks off]
Text: W.C. Till.
Translation and summary: Gesa Schenke.
Cult building - independent (church)
Burial site of a saint - tomb/grave
Martyr shrine (martyrion, bet sāhedwātā, etc.)
Activities accompanying CultBegging
Non Liturgical ActivityVow
Prayer/supplication/invocation
Bequests, donations, gifts and offerings
Distribution of alms
Pilgrimage
Incubation
Composing and translating saint-related texts
Transmission, copying and reading saint-related texts
MiraclesMiracle after death
Punishing miracle
Healing diseases and disabilities
Healing diseases and disabilities
Apparition, vision, dream, revelation
Protagonists in Cult and NarrativesWomen
Children
The socially marginal (beggars, prostitutes, thieves)
Other lay individuals/ people
Source
K 09456 is a parchment leaf belonging to a former codex and is housed at the Papyrus Collection in Vienna. The manuscript is datable to the 9th-11th century.For more information on this parchment fragment visit: http://data.onb.ac.at/rec/RZ00013705
Discussion
This fragment could have been part of an Encomion presented on the saint’s feast day (see E01861) or have belonged to a collection of miracles recorded at his martyr shrine.The fragmentary story of the crippled man who is told to get into the bed of the dumb woman was a popular one, though attributed in different miracle-collections to different saints (Kosmas and Damianos, Merkourios, or Menas):
It is clearly the same story as one in the Greek Miracles of *Kosmas and Damianos (brothers, physician martyrs of Syria, S00385), set at their shrine in Constantinople - see E08452.
Again with an attribution to Kosmas and Damianos, it is referred to in passing by Sophronius of Jerusalem in Miracle 30 of his Miracles of Kyros and Ioannes - see E07359.
And it appears yet again, as Miracle 5 in a Greek collection of the Miracles of *Menas (soldier and martyr buried at Abu Mena, S00073) - see E07445.
The Miracles of Kosmas and Damianos, cited by Sophronius as his source and the most popular of all the collections in which the story occurs, is almost certainly the source for all these occurrences.
Bibliography
Text and German translation:Till, W.C., Koptische Heiligen- und Martyrlegenden. Vol. 1 (Rome: Pont. institutum orientalium studiorum, 1935), 19–20.
Further reading:
O'Leary, De L., Saints of Egypt (London: SPCK, 1937), 201–202.
Papaconstantinou, A., Le culte des saints en Égypte des Byzantins aux Abbassides (Paris: CNRS, 2001), 145–146.
Gesa Schenke
20/9/2016
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00225 | Merkouria, Decian martyr of Egypt | ⲙⲉⲣⲕⲟⲩⲣⲟⲥ | Certain |
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Gesa Schenke , Cult of Saints, E01848 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E01848