A chapel reportedly dedicated to *Mary of Egypt (a repentant prostitute of Alexandria; S00903) at Sapsaphas/Wadi-Kharrar (= Ainon/Betharaba in Bethany, Palaestina I). Possibly 7th c.
E02693
Archaeological and architectural - Cult buildings (churches, mausolea)
A small ruined chapel was recorded by Félix-Marie Abel at Sapsaphas/Wadi-Kharrar, which he says was dedicated to Mary of Egypt. In 1932 Abel published a short description of the ruins and a photograph. He says that he saw there 'Byzantine capitals' and that the ruins were seriously damaged by the earthquake of 1927. In the vicinity of the ruins he saw a floor mosaic. The site was thought to have been the convent of Kopratha, mentioned by John Moschus (EXXXXX).
The 'chapel of Mary of Egypt' was included in their lists of ancient churches of Jordan and Palestine by Sylvester Saller and Bellarmino Bagatti (1949), and by Anne Michel (2001). We must note that although a Life of Saint Mary of Egypt (BHG 1042), a repentant prostitute of Alexandria, was composed by Sophronios, the patriarch of Jerusalem (634-638), we cannot be sure that the dedication of the chapel is an ancient one even if the building itself comes from the late antique period. Abel did not specify the source of his knowledge. Possibly he was told by the contemporary locals that the saint was venerated there. The idea that Mary of Egypt was venerated at Sapsaphas/Wadi-Kharrar already in the 7th c. is, however, tempting, as, according to Sophronios, after her conversion in Jerusalem she was absolved at a monastery of *John the Baptist at the River Jordan. At the same time, Sapsaphas/Wadi-Kharrar is usually identified with Ainon/Betharaba in Bethany beyond the Jordan, the place where John the Baptist preached to the Jews, recorded on the Mosaic Map of Madaba (see E02524, no. 1). Therefore, our site could be that mentioned in the Life of Mary; but there is no clear published evidence to this effect.
Cult building - dependent (chapel, baptistery, etc.)
Place associated with saint's life
Bibliography
Further reading:Michel, A., Les églises d'époque byzantine et umayyade de Jordanie (provinces d'Arabie et de Palestine), Ve-VIIIe siècle: typologie architecturale et aménagements liturgiques (avec catalogue des monuments; préface de Noël Duval; premessa di Michele Piccirillo) (Bibliothèque de l'Antiquité tardive 2, Turnhout: Brepols, 2001), 418.
Saller, S.J., Bagatti, B., The Town of Nebo (Khirbet El-Mekhayyat): with a brief survey of other Christian monuments in Transjordan (Jerusalem: Franciscan Press, 1949), 226, no. 58.
Abel, F.-M., "Exploration du sud-est de la Valeée du Jourdain (Suite et fin)", La Revue biblique 41 (1932), 240 and Pl. VI/1.
Images
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Photograph of the ruins. From: Abel 1932, Pl. VI 1.
Paweł Nowakowski
12/04/2017
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00903 | Mary of Egypt | Uncertain |
|---|
Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Paweł Nowakowski, Cult of Saints, E02693 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E02693