The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity

Brit. Mus. MS. Oriental, No. 7022, fol. 26b–59a

The encomion is introduced as follows:

fol. 26b:
ⲟⲩⲉⲅⲕⲕⲱⲙⲓⲟⲛ ⲉⲁϥⲧⲁⲩⲟϥ ⲛϭⲓ ⲡⲡⲁⲧⲣⲓⲁⲣⲭⲏⲥ ⲉⲧⲧⲁⲓⲏⲩ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲡⲇⲓⲇⲁⲥⲕⲁⲗⲱⲥ ⲛⲁⲡⲉ · ⲁⲡⲁ ⲕⲉⲗⲉⲥϯⲛⲟⲥ ⲡⲁⲣⲭⲓⲉⲡⲓⲥⲕⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲛⲧⲡⲟⲗⲓⲥ
ϩⲣⲱⲙⲏ · ⲛⲧⲁϥⲧⲁⲩⲟϥ ⲇⲉ ⲉⲡϣⲟⲩϣⲟⲩ ⲛⲙⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲟⲥ · ⲁⲩⲱ ⲡϥⲁⲓⲕⲗⲟⲙ ⲛⲁⲡⲉ ⲙⲡⲉⲭⲥ · ⲡⲡⲁⲣⲑⲉⲛⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ · ⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲃⲓⲕⲧⲱⲣ
ⲡⲉⲥⲧⲣⲁⲧⲏⲗⲁⲧⲏⲥ ⲛⲧⲁϥⲧⲁⲩⲟϥ ⲇⲉ ⲉⲡⲉϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲙⲡⲉϥⲣⲡⲙⲉⲉⲩⲉ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ · ⲉⲧⲉ ⲥⲟⲩ ϫⲟⲩⲧⲥⲁϣϥⲉ ⲡⲉ ⲙⲡⲉⲃⲟⲧ ⲡⲁⲣⲙⲟⲩⲧⲉ ·
ⲛⲧⲁϥⲧⲁⲟⲩⲟϥ ⲇⲉ ϩⲙⲡⲉϥⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲓⲟⲛ ⲛⲧⲁ ⲡⲙⲁⲓⲛⲟⲩϯ ⲛⲣⲣⲟ ⲕⲟⲧϥ ⲛⲁϥ ϩⲛ ϩⲣⲱⲙⲏ ·
…
ⲛⲧⲁϥⲧⲁⲩⲉ ⲡⲉⲓⲉⲅⲕⲱⲙⲓⲟⲛ ⲇⲉ · ⲉⲣⲉ ⲡⲣⲣⲟ ⲟⲩⲁⲗⲉⲛϯⲁⲛⲟⲥ ϩⲙⲟⲟⲥ ϩⲁϩⲧⲏϥ ⲙⲛ ⲡⲥⲩⲛⲕⲗⲏⲧⲟⲥ ⲧⲏⲣⲥ · ⲙⲛ ⲡⲇⲩⲙⲟⲥ ⲧⲏⲣϥ · ⲛϩⲟⲟⲩⲧ
ϩⲓ ⲥϩⲓⲙⲉ · ⲉⲩⲣϣⲁ ⲙⲡⲉⲥⲧⲣⲁⲧⲏⲗⲁⲧⲏⲥ ⲉⲧⲧ(ⲁⲓⲏⲩ) ⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲃⲓⲕⲧⲱⲣ · ⲙⲁⲗⲗⲟⲛ ⲇⲉ ⲛⲉⲩⲣϣⲡⲏⲣⲉ ⲛⲧⲥⲟⲫⲓⲁ ⲙⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲕⲉⲗⲉⲥϯⲛⲟⲥ ·
ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲉⲓⲣⲏⲛⲏ ⲛⲧⲉ ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ · ⲉⲣⲉ ⲛⲉϥⲥⲙⲟⲩ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲛⲁⲉⲓ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉϫⲱⲛ ⲛⲧⲛⲟⲩϫⲁⲓ ⲧⲏⲣⲛ ϩⲓ ⲟⲩⲥⲟⲡ ϩⲁⲙⲏⲛ ⲥⲙⲟⲩ ⲉⲣⲟⲛ :–


‘An encomion which the honourable patriarch and head teacher Apa Kelestinos, the archbishop of the city of Rome, delivered.'

The encomion was delivered in Viktor's church in Rome on his feast day, the 27th day of Parmoute [= 5 May].

'He delivered this encomion as the emperor Valenti(ni)anos was present together with all the clerics and the entire population, men and women, celebrating the honourable general, the saint Viktor. Moreover, they were marvelling at the wisdom of the saint Kelestinos. In peace of God. May his holy blessings come upon us for all our well-being together. Amen. Bless us.’

Kelestinos compares the virtues of Viktor to those of a number of Old Testament figures, and declares him their equal or even superior. He then recounts eight miracles of the saint.

Miracle 1 (Budge, XX-XX and 305-308): Alexander, a wealthy man of Rome ['of this city'], and his wife have no son, so they go to his shrine and pray to Viktor, promising that, if their prayers are answered, the boy will be given to the service of the saint's martyrium. A boy is born, but when he is five the parents are reluctant to give him up; instead they have him valued (as if he were a slave) and give the saint that value (40 gold coins). The boy is killed by a stone falling from their house, while playing. The distraught father, recognising the power of the saint, takes the dead child to Viktor's shrine, and applies oil from the sanctuary lamp. The boy revives, and both father and son enter the service of the martyrium for the rest of their lives.

Miracle 2 (Budge, XX-XX and 309-311): A very rich woman of Rome, niece of the emperor Honorius, called Kallieutropia, has her breasts invaded by a devil, causing them to swell up and harden like stones. She spends large sums on physicians, but they can bring no relief. She goes to the saint's shrine, where Viktor appears to her in the night, dressed in purple and carrying a staff of light; he identifies himself as Viktor 'the general (stratelates)' and tells her to anoint her breasts with oil from the sanctuary lamp. She does this, the devil (in the form of a gryphon) leaves her, and she is cured.

Miracle 3 (Budge, XX-XX and 311-313): In gratitude, the emperor Honorius orders the rebuilding and embellishment of the martyrium's apse. While this is being done, a workman is struck by a devil and falls to the ground - but Viktor appears (to him alone), catching him above the ground, restores him to where he was working.

Miracle 4 (Budge, XX-XX and 313-315): A patrician of Rome is struck with a disease that causes him to swell up in great pain and ooze pus. Again physicians, despite great expenditure, are of no help. He is carried to the martyrium, where Viktor appears to him in a dream, dressed in purple and with a gold belt, identifies himself, and and cures the sick patrician.

Miracle 5 (Budge, XX-XX and 316-319): In the time of the emperor Constantine (who built the shrine where these stories are being told), a general of the emperor, living in Rome, is struck by an internal growth. Physicians cannot help him; so, hearing of its many miracles, he travels to the saint's martyrium in Antioch. On the third night there, Viktor appears to him 'in the form of a mighty general' and tells him that his power is world-wide and as great in his martyrium in Rome as it is in Antioch, that the general should return home, and that he should drink water from the sanctuary there. The general , realising he was wrong not to put his faith in the new church in Rome, returns home, does as he was told, and is cured. Viktor appears to him again at night, telling the general that his power is universal and in all churches built in his name, wherever they are.

Miracle 6 (Budge, XX-XX and 319-323): A very rich nobleman of Rome named Anastasius suffers from elephantiasis and his skin is covered with spots like a leopard. Appearing to him at night in his shrine, Viktor tells him to bathe himself with water from a pool in front of the shrine (as well as the eyes of a man with blinded eyes, who was sleeping next to him). He does this, though his blind fellow-sufferer is initially reluctant (having been told by physicians to keep his head from any contact with water), and both afflicted men are cured. Kelestinos [the deliverer of the encomium] himself witnessed this miracle. The pool continues to bring healing to all who seek its healing powers.

Miracle 7 (Budge, XX-XX and 323-325): A very powerful barbarian force had overrun part of the empire and was preparing a fleet. News of this reached Rome when the emperor, and the patricians and people of Rome were celebrating the feast of Viktor in his martyrium, in the presence of the narrator's 'father Ennokentos' [possibly Innocent I, pope 401-417] and the clergy of the city. All pray to Viktor 'the general' that he intercede with God to protect them. News arrives that the barbarians have turned on each other and that every one of them has been killed.

Kelestinos exorts his audience to lead good lives, and tells them at length that wealth will not help them in the afterlife. To illustrate this point, he closes with a final miracle regarding an avaricious man:

Miracle 8 (Budge, XX-XX and 346-352): A rich man gave wine annually to the saint's shrine in Rome, and his affairs therefore prospered. Dying, he instructs his son to do the same, telling him that their good fortune derives from Viktor's support. But the son, when approached by the shrine for this annual donation, refuses to give it. Merchants come from Palestine with much gold, in order to buy the son's abundant wine, which had been of a high quality; but Viktor had rendered it putrid and full of worms, so the merchants took their money away. The man realises his sinful error, and Viktor appears to him at night, threatening yet worse things unless he change his ways. The man begs forgiveness, and promises huge donations to the shrine. In the morning, he finds his wine miraculously restored in quality.

The colophon provides the date and purpose of the manuscript. It mentions the 13th of April 951 as the date of production for the entire codex dedicated to Viktor. The codex was originally donated to the church of saint Merkurios at Tebo/Apollonos Ano/Edfou belonging to a monastery dedicated to the same saint. The donor of the book was a deacon named Pourot, who at the time of the colophon was deceased and expected to bring blessing onto the monastery together with all the saints.

The scribe of the codex was a monk named Joseph, son of an archdeacon of the church of *John the Baptist in Sne/Esna/Latopolis (Upper Egypt). He mentions Apa Abraham, the head of the monastery of Merkurios at Tebo/Apollonos Ano/Edfou and expresses hopes for his own salvation and the forgiveness of his sins, as well as for the salvation of all the monks associated with this monastery.

ϩⲓⲧⲛ ⲇⲉ ⲥⲡⲟⲩⲇⲏ ⲙⲛ ⲧⲙⲛⲧϥⲁⲣⲟⲟⲩϣ ⲙⲡⲑⲉⲟⲫⲓⲗⲉⲥⲧⲁⲧⲟⲥ ⲛⲇⲓⲁⲕⲟⲛⲟⲥ · ⲡⲟⲩⲣⲟⲧ · ⲁϥϥⲓ ⲡⲣⲟⲟⲩϣ ⲙⲡⲉⲓϫⲱⲱⲙⲉ · ⲁϥⲇⲱⲣⲓⲍⲉ
ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲧⲉⲕⲕⲗⲏⲥⲓⲁ ⲛⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲙⲉⲣⲕⲟⲩⲣⲓⲟⲥ ⲛⲧⲃⲱ · ⲧⲁⲡⲟⲗⲗⲱⲛⲓⲁ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲧⲁⲥⲡⲉ ⲛⲁⲗⲉⲝⲁⲛⲇ(ⲣⲓⲛⲟⲥ) ·
ⲡϫⲥ ϩⲁⲣⲉϩ ⲉⲡⲱⲛϩ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲧⲥⲱⲧⲏⲣⲁ · ⲙⲡⲙⲁⲓⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲛⲥⲟⲛ ⲉⲧⲧ(ⲁⲓⲏⲩ) ⲡⲟⲩⲣⲟⲧ ·
ⲛϥⲁⲁϥ ⲛⲙⲡϣⲁ ⲙⲧⲉⲩⲫⲣⲟⲥⲩⲛⲏ ⲛⲧⲙⲛⲧⲉⲣⲟ ⲛⲙⲡⲏⲩⲉ · ⲛϥϫⲟⲕϥ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲙ ⲡⲃⲓⲟⲥ ⲛⲁⲅⲅⲉⲗⲓⲕⲟⲥ ⲛⲧⲁϥⲫⲟⲣⲉ ⲙⲙⲟϥ · ⲛⲑⲉ ⲛⲛⲉⲛⲉⲓⲟⲧⲉ
ⲙⲡⲣⲟⲡⲁⲧⲱⲣ ⲛⲧⲕⲟⲓⲛⲱⲛⲓⲁ ⲛϥⲙⲡⲉϥⲥⲙⲟⲩ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉϫⲱⲛ · ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ϩⲁⲙⲏⲛ

‘Through zeal and the care of the most pious deacon Pourot, he took care of this book and donated it to the church of saint Merkurios at Tebo, i.e. Apollonia according to the Alexandrian language.
May the Lord protect the life and salvation of the pious and honourable brother Pourot, and may he make him worthy of the happiness in the kingdom of the heavens, and may he make him complete through the angelic life which he has led, just as our forefathers in the community, and may he bring his blessing over us together with all the saints. Amen.’


Text: E. A. W. Budge.
Translation: G. Schenke.

Cult building - monastic
Cult building - unspecified

Prayer/supplication/invocation
Bequests, donations, gifts and offerings
Composing and translating saint-related texts
Transmission, copying and reading saint-related texts

Punishing miracle
Miracle after death
Healing diseases and disabilities
Power over life and death

Contact relic - oil
Contact relic - water and other liquids

Ecclesiastics - Popes
Children
Monarchs and their family
Aristocrats
Physicians

Oil lamps/candles

Source

Discussion

Bibliography