Coptic ostracon from western Thebes (Upper Egypt) with a letter written by a monk saluting Apa *Sourous (most likely the head of the monastery of Apa Phoibammon, S01584) as a holy man/saint; datable to the first half of the 8th century.
E04145
Late antique original manuscripts - Ostracon/Pot-sherd
Documentary texts - Letter
O.Frange 42
The letter was written by the monk Frange, possibly as a model letter or an exercise, addressing a monastic authority. It features polite greetings and honours Sourous, most likely the superior at the monastery of Apa Phoibammon on the mountain of Jeme, as a saint, presumably a living saint/holy man.
⳨ ϩⲁⲑⲏ ⲙⲉⲛ ⲙⲡⲁϣⲁϫⲉ
ⲛⲉⲗⲁⲭ(ⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ) ⲉⲥϩⲁ ⲉϣⲓⲛⲉ ⲉⲧⲉⲕ-
ⲙⲛⲧⲉⲓⲱⲧ · ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉ̣ⲕ̣-
ⲥⲛⲏⲩ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ⲙⲙⲁⲛⲟⲩ[ⲧⲉ]
ⲉⲧϩⲁϩⲧⲏⲕ ⲁⲩⲱ ϯϣⲓⲛ̣ⲉ̣
ⲉⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲥⲟⲩⲣⲟⲩⲥ
ⲉⲙⲁⲧⲉ ⲁⲣⲓ ⲧⲁⲅⲁⲡⲏ ⲛⲅⲣ
ⲡⲁⲙⲉⲉⲩⲉ ϩⲙ ⲡϥⲓ ⲉϩⲣⲁ
ⲛⲛⲉⲕϭⲓϫ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲧⲁⲁⲥ
ⲙⲡⲁϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ ⲛⲉⲓⲱⲧ ⲙⲙⲁ<ⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ>
'Before my most humble message, I write greeting your holy paternity and all your pious brothers who are with you. I salute saint Apa Sourous exceedingly. Be so kind and remember me in the raising of your holy hands.
Give it (this message) to my pious paternal lord.'
(Text: A. Boud'hors and Ch. Heurtel, trans.: G. Schenke)
A complete record of the text is available at:
http://papyri.info/ddbdp/o.frange;;42
Cult building - monastic
Non Liturgical ActivityPrayer/supplication/invocation
Source
The ostracon inv. O.291918 is a fragment of an amphora and was found during a season of the Belgian excavation at the Theban necropolis. It is part of the archive of the monk Frange who inhabited the tomb of Amenemope (TT29) in the Valley of the Kings.Bibliography
Text and French translation:Boud'hors, A., and Heurtel, C., Les ostraca coptes de la TT 29. Autour du moine Frangé (Études d'archéologie thébaine 3; Brussels, 2010), 62–63.
Gesa Schenke
18/10/2017
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S01584 | Sourous, Apa Sourous, superior and holy man at the monastery of Apa Phoibammon on the mountain of Jeme | ⲁⲡⲁ ⲥⲟⲩⲣⲟⲩⲥ | Certain |
|---|
Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Gesa Schenke, Cult of Saints, E04145 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E04145