Coptic letter, from the monastery of Epiphanius at Thebes (Upper Egypt), mentioning a vigil to be held for Apa *Phoibammon (soldier and martyr of Assiut, S00080); datable to the first half of the 7th century.
Evidence ID
E02440
Type of Evidence
Documentary texts - Letter
Late antique original manuscripts - Ostracon/Pot-sherd
P.Mon.Epiph. 389
In this letter an anchorite is addressed and asked to send a certain book back to the writer, so that he can read in on the night vigil held for saint Apa Phoibammon.
Lines 3–7 read as follows:
ⲛⲧⲉⲧⲛ<ⲧⲛ>ⲛⲟⲟⲩ [ⲡϫⲱ]ⲱⲙⲉ ⲛⲁ ⲉⲛⲧⲁⲓⲧⲛⲛⲟⲟⲩϥ [......] ⲛⲏⲧⲛ ⲛⲧⲁⲟϣϥ ⲉⲧⲉⲩϣⲏ ⲛ[.....] .ⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲫⲟⲓⲃⲁⲙ[ⲙⲟⲛ].
'and send the book to me which I have sent […] to you, that I read it on the night of [the vigil/feast] for the holy Apa Phoibammon.'
Text and translation: W. E. Crum, lightly modified
FestivalsVigils
Saint’s feast
Non Liturgical ActivityVigils
Transmission, copying and reading saint-related texts
Source
This ostracon was found in the complex of rooms 1, 3, 4 of the monastery of Epiphanius and is housed at the Cairo Museum, inv. 44674.28. The text has been dated on palaeographical grounds.Discussion
It is likely that this night vigil mentioned here was intended for the feast of Phoibammon, the patron and healing saint of the nearby monastery of Apa Phoibammon on the mountain of Jeme at Deir el-Bahari.Bibliography
Edition and translation:Crum, W.E., and Evelyn White, H.G., The Monastery of Epiphanius at Thebes, Part II (The Metropolitan Museum of Art Egyptian Expedition; New York, 1926), p. 93 (text), p. 256 (trans.).
Record Created By
Gesa Schenke
Date of Entry
4/3/2017
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00080 | Phoibammon, soldier and martyr of Assiut | ⲁⲡⲁ ⲫⲟⲓⲃⲁⲙ[ⲙⲟⲛ] | Uncertain |
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