Coptic ostracon from Jeme (Upper Egypt) with a letter mentioning a visit to the shrine (topos) of Apa *Phoibammon (soldier and martyr of Assiut, S00080) for the purpose of praying there; datable to the 7th/8th century.
E04201
Documentary texts - Letter
Late antique original manuscripts - Ostracon/Pot-sherd
O.Medin.Habu Copt. 153r:
The letter on the recto is addressed to a spiritual authority and relates a common visit to the shrine of Apa Phoibammon on a Saturday for the purpose of prayer. The sender of the letter seems to have been left alone at the shrine feeling pressured into doing something, asking the addressee for help in the matter.
⳨ . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[ ϯⲡⲁⲣⲁⲕⲁⲗ]ⲉⲓ ⲛⲧⲉⲕ-
ⲙⲛⲧⲉⲓⲱⲧ ⲉⲡⲉⲓⲇⲏ ⲁⲕⲉⲓ
ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲡⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲛⲁⲡⲁ ⲫⲟ-
ⲓⲃⲁⲙⲱⲛ ⲛⲙⲙⲁ ϩⲙ
ⲡⲥⲁⲃⲃⲁⲧⲟⲛ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲁⲥⲛⲏⲩ
ϩⲁ ⲡϩⲱⲃ ⲙⲡϣⲗⲏⲗ ⲙⲛ-
ⲛⲥⲱⲥ ⲁⲩⲃⲟⲗⲧ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ
ϩⲓⲃⲟⲗ ⲛⲧⲉⲕⲙⲛⲧⲉⲓⲱⲧ
ⲙⲛⲛⲥⲱⲥ ⲟⲛ ⲁⲩⲟⲩⲱϣ
ⲉⲙⲟⲣⲧ ⲛⲕⲉⲥⲟⲡ ⲛ-
ⲥⲉⲉⲝⲁⲅⲉⲓ ⲙⲙⲟ<>
ⲉⲁⲩϫⲟⲟⲩ ⲁⲩⲛ
ⲡⲡⲣⲉⲥⲃ(ⲩⲧⲉⲣⲟⲥ)
'… I am entreating your paternity. You have entered the shrine of Apa Phoibammon with me on Saturday together with my brothers for the purpose of the prayer. Afterwards, I was persuaded there without your paternity. And then again they wished to bind/oblige me another time, and they lead me out, whilst they were sending (for the presbyter?). They brought the presbyter …'
(Text: E. Stefanski and M. Lichtheim, trans.: G. Schenke)
Cult building - dependent (chapel, baptistery, etc.)
Cult building - monastic
Non Liturgical ActivityPrayer/supplication/invocation
Visiting graves and shrines
Pilgrimage
Source
The ostracon MH 966, now in the Museum in Cairo, is a limestone fragment written on both sides. The dating is based on context and palaeography.Bibliography
Text and translation:Stefanski, E., and Lichtheim, M., Coptic Ostraca from Medinet Habu (Univ. of Chicago. Oriental Institute Publications 71; Chicago, 1952), 24.
Gesa Schenke
24/10/2017
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00080 | Phoibammon, soldier and martyr of Assiut | ⲁⲡⲁ ⲫⲟⲓⲃⲁⲙⲱⲛ | Certain |
|---|
Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Gesa Schenke, Cult of Saints, E04201 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E04201