Greek letter from a presbyter to his superior concerning the purchase of wine, presumably from the area of Hermopolis (Middle Egypt), ending with an oath to *Ieremias (saint of Saqqara, S00773); datable to the 6th century.
Evidence ID
E02225
Type of Evidence
Documentary texts - Letter
In this letter, a priest named George addresses someone whom he sees to be his superior in status, a man named Apa Kollouthos, asking for his help and to intervene financially concerning a certain wine purchase. He ends this letter with an informal oath to his addressee's special saint.
CPR 25 11, line 6–7 read as follows:
μὰ τὼν ἅγιων Ἰερεμήαν, τὼν κύρην σου, εἰ εἶχων εἰς τὰς [χῆράς μου -ca.?- ] ο̣ὐκ ἐτώλμων καὶ ἔλεγών σου δι’ αὐτά, δέσποτα. †
'By saint Ieremias, your lord, if I had it in [my hands (?) …], I would not have dared and told you about it, Lord.'
Text and German translation: A. Papathomas
English translation and summary: G. Schenke
A complete record of the text, with images, can be found at: http://papyri.info/ddbdp/cpr;25;11
Non Liturgical ActivityOath
Protagonists in Cult and NarrativesEcclesiastics - lesser clergy
Oath
Vow
Protagonists in Cult and NarrativesEcclesiastics - lesser clergy
Ecclesiastics – unspecified
Source
The fragmentary papyrus document P.Vindob. G. 15457 is housed at the papyrus collection in Vienna. The document is dated on palaeographical grounds.Discussion
It is very likely that the saint referred to here is Ieremias, the founder of the well-known monastery in Memphis, to which the addressee belongs. For this reason, saint and addressee might have been viewed to have a special relationship.Bibliography
Edition:Papathomas, A., Fünfunddreissig griechische Papyrusbriefe aus der Spätantike, Corpus Papyrorum Raineri (CPR) XXV (Munich-Leipzig, 2006), 64–70.
Record Created By
Gesa Schenke
Date of Entry
6/1/2017
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00773 | Ieremias, Enoch and Sibylla, saints of Saqqara | Ἰερεμήας | Uncertain |
|---|
Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Gesa Schenke, Cult of Saints, E02225 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E02225