Coptic ostracon from Edfu/Apollonopolis (Upper Egypt) with a letter requesting to invoke Apa *Viktor (probably Viktor, martyr of Egypt, son of Romanos, S00749) on the sender’s behalf; datable to the 7th century.
Evidence ID
E04142
Type of Evidence
Documentary texts - Letter
Late antique original manuscripts - Ostracon/Pot-sherd
O.EdfouIFAO (= O. EdfouCopte) 21
The letter seems to ask the addressee to invoke the saint on the sender’s behalf.
Lines 1–11 read as follows:
+ ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲇⲉ ⲃⲓⲕ-
ⲧⲱⲣ ⲉⲧⲥϩⲁ ⲛ-
ⲥ̣ⲁⲙⲟⲩⲏⲗ ϫⲉ ⲟⲩ-
ⲱϣⲉ ⲛϭϣⲏ ⲛϭ̣-
ⲡⲁⲣⲁⲕⲁⲗⲉⲓ ⲛⲁ-
ⲡⲁ ⲃ̣ⲓⲕⲧⲱⲣ ⲉⲧⲃⲉⲧ̣
ϫⲉ ⲙ{ⲡ̣}ⲁ̣ⲣⲉ ⲛⲉⲧⲛ-
ϣⲗⲏⲗ ⲧⲁϩⲁϥ ⲛⲧⲁ-
ⲣ̣ⲓ̣ⲣⲙ̣ⲡϣⲁ ⲛⲉⲓ ⲉⲣⲏⲥ
ⲛⲉⲧⲉⲩⲧⲉⲛ ϩⲛ ⲯⲁ-
ⲃⲁⲧⲟⲛ
‘I am Viktor who writes to Samuel:
Be pleased to go and entreat Apa Viktor on my behalf. May your prayers reach him, so that I may be worthy to come south to you on Saturday.’
(Text: S. Bacot, slightly modified; trans.: G. Schenke)
Cult Places
Cult building - unspecified
Non Liturgical ActivityPrayer/supplication/invocation
Source
The potsherd inv. 146 is currently kept at the IFAO in Cairo. Its dating is based on context, as the ostracon was found together with many others, one of them being a liturgical calendar giving entries for the years 643–648.Bibliography
Text and French translation:Bacot, S., Ostraca grecs et coptes des fouilles franco-polonaises sur le site de Tell Edfou. O. EdfouCopte 1-145 (Bibliothèque d'Études Coptes 19; Cairo, 2009), 43.
Record Created By
Gesa Schenke
Date of Entry
12/10/2017
ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00749 | Viktor, martyr of Egypt, son of Romanos; and companion martyrs | ⲁⲡⲁ ⲃ̣ⲓⲕⲧⲱⲣ | Certain |
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Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Gesa Schenke, Cult of Saints, E04142 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E04142