Coptic Martyrdom of *Viktor (martyr of Egypt, son of Romanos, S00749), the fourth Martyrdom, relates the saint’s interaction with the dux Sebastianos, his miraculous strength during tortures, his contest with a magician who converts to Christianity, and his eventual beheading causing miracles; written presumably in the 6th/7th century.
E05114
Late antique original manuscripts - Parchment codex
Literary - Hagiographical - Accounts of martyrdom
Literary - Colophons, marginalia etc.
Brit. Mus. MS. Oriental, No. 7022, fol. 20a–26a
The account is introduced as follows:
Fol. 19b; Budge, p. 34, lines 1–3:
ⲡⲙⲉϩ ϥⲧⲟ · ⲇ · ⲙⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲓⲁ · ⲛⲁⲡⲁ ⲃⲓⲕ(ⲧⲱⲣ) ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲉⲓⲣⲏⲛⲏ ⲛⲧⲉ ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ · ⲥⲙⲟⲩ ⲉⲣⲟⲛ · ϩⲁⲙⲏⲛ ⁖
‘The fourth martyrdom of Apa Biktor. In peace of God. Bless us. Amen.’
When the dux Sebastianos arrived, he set up trial in the middle of the castron and had Viktor placed before him. Refusing to sacrifice, Viktor is subjected to many tortures and a contest with a magician who loses and converts to Christianity. The numerous tortures, including another fire in a furnace, leave the saint unharmed, but when a young girl of 15 named Stephanou (ⲥⲧⲉⲫⲁⲛⲟⲩ), the wife of a soldier, witnessed the trial, she became a martyr immediately.
Prior to his death, Viktor announces what he had been told about his future cult and asks the soldiers to hand over his body to the people who will come looking for it. He makes it clear that there will be two different shrines in which miracles will take place. One where is body will be placed, and one where his head will be located.
Fol. 25b; Budge, p. 43, line 25–p. 44, line 7:
ⲁⲩⲱ ⲙⲛⲛⲥⲁ ⲙⲏⲧ ⲛϩⲟⲟⲩ · ⲛⲁⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲛⲁⲉⲓ ⲉⲩϣⲓⲛⲉ ⲛⲥⲁ ⲡⲁⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲧⲁⲁϥ ⲛⲁⲩ · ⲁⲓⲟⲩⲱ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲉⲓϣⲱⲡ ⲛⲧⲁⲕⲁⲓⲥⲉ ⲙⲛ ⲧⲁⲧⲏⲃⲉ · ϫⲉⲕⲁⲥ
ⲛⲛⲉⲩⲕⲟⲥⲧ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲕⲁⲓⲥⲉ ⲛϣⲙⲙⲟ · ⲙⲟⲛⲟⲛ ⲙⲡⲣⲕⲱⲗⲩ ⲙⲡⲁⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲉⲧⲁⲁϥ ⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲩϣⲁⲛϣⲓⲛⲉ ⲛⲥⲱϥ · ϫⲉ ⲟⲩⲛⲟϭ ⲉⲙⲁⲁⲧⲉ ⲡⲉ
ⲡⲉⲥⲕⲩⲗⲙⲟⲥ ⲛⲑⲁⲗⲁⲥⲥⲁ · ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲁϣⲉ ⲛϭⲟⲙ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲛⲁϣⲱⲡⲉ ϩⲙ ⲡⲙⲁ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲛⲁⲕⲁ ⲡⲁⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ · ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲉⲭⲱⲣⲁ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ⲛⲏⲩ
ⲉⲣⲁⲧϥ ⲙⲡⲁⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ · ⲁⲩⲱ ϩⲉⲛⲛⲟϭ ⲛϭⲟⲙ ⲛⲁϣⲱⲡⲉ ϩⲙ ⲡⲙⲁ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲛⲁϥⲓ ⲛⲧⲁⲁⲡⲉ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ · ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲉⲭⲱⲣⲁ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ⲛⲏⲩ ⲉⲣⲁⲧϥ
ⲙⲡⲁⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ · ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲛϭⲟⲙ ⲉⲧⲛⲁϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ · ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϫⲉ ⲁⲛⲅ ⲟⲩϣⲏⲣⲉ ϣⲏⲙ ⲉⲓϩⲛ ϫⲟⲩⲱⲧⲉ ⲛⲣⲟⲙⲡⲉ · ϯϣⲓⲛⲉ ⲉⲣⲱⲧⲛ ⲧⲏⲣⲧⲛ
ⲛⲁϣⲃⲏⲣ ⲙⲁⲧⲟⲓ · ϫⲉ ⲉⲓⲛⲁⲃⲱⲕ ⲉⲣⲁⲧϥ ⲙⲡⲁϫⲥ ⲓⲥ ⲡⲉⲭⲣⲥ ϫⲉ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲉϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲧⲉⲓϭⲱϣⲧ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲏⲧϥ · ⲉⲓⲥ ϩⲏⲏⲧⲉ ⲁϥⲧⲁϩⲟⲓ ⲙⲡⲟⲟⲩ ·
‘After ten days, my people will come looking for my body. Give it to them. For I have already obtained my burial shroud and my coffin, so that they shall not bury me in a foreign shroud. Only do not prevent my body to be given to them, if they are looking for it, since it is a very long sea journey (from Antioch). Many are the miracles that will take place at the spot where my body will be laid. All the countries (will) come to my shrine. Great miracles will take place in the place where my head will be placed. All the countries (will) come to my shrine because of the miracles that will take place there.
Because I am a young man, being twenty years of age, I am greeting you all my fellow soldiers, so that I will go to my Lord Jesus Christ, since this is the day for which I have been looking out. Behold it has come upon me today.’
When the decapitation goes wrong and the saint’s head is not fully cut off, he begs Horion, a reluctant fellow soldier, to do it properly for him.
Fol. 26a; Budge, p. 45, lines 1–12:
ⲁⲡⲕⲁⲥⲧⲣⲟⲛ ⲛⲟⲉⲓⲛ ⲛϣⲟⲙⲛⲧ ⲛⲥⲟⲡ · ⲁϥϥⲓ ϭⲉ ⲛⲧⲉϥⲁⲡⲉ ⲁϥϫⲱⲕ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛⲧⲉϥⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲓⲁ · ϩⲟⲣⲓⲟⲛ ⲇⲉ ⲁϥϥⲓ ⲛⲉϥⲃⲁⲗ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉⲧⲡⲉ ·
ⲁϥⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲧⲉⲯⲩⲭⲏ ⲛⲁⲡⲁ ⲃⲓⲕⲧⲱⲣ · ⲉⲁⲩⲥⲟⲩⲉⲗ ⲟⲩⲱⲗⲥ ϩⲛ ϩⲉⲛⲙⲁⲡⲡⲁ ⲛϣⲛⲥ · ⲁⲛⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲁⲥⲡⲁⲍⲉ ⲛⲧⲉⲯⲩⲭⲏ ⲛ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲃⲓⲕⲧⲱⲣ ·
ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲧⲉⲣⲟⲩϥⲓ ⲛⲧⲉϥⲁⲡⲉ · ⲁⲩⲥⲛⲟϥ ⲉⲓ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲙⲛ ⲟⲩⲉⲣⲱⲧⲉ · ⲁϥϫⲱⲕ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛⲧⲉϥⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲓⲁ ⲉⲧⲧⲁⲓⲏⲩ · ⲛⲥⲟⲩ ϫⲟⲩⲧⲥⲁϣϥⲉ ⲙⲡⲉⲃⲟⲧ ⲡⲁⲣ{ⲡⲁⲣ}ⲙⲟⲩⲧⲉ · ⲛϫⲡ ⲙⲏⲏⲧⲉ ⲙⲡⲉϩⲟⲟⲩ :- ⲁⲩⲱ ϣⲁϫⲉ ⲛⲙ ⲛⲧⲁϥϫⲟⲟⲩ ⲙⲡⲁⲧⲟⲩϥ ⲛⲧⲉϥⲁⲡⲉ · ⲁⲩϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛⲁⲙⲉ ·
‘The castron shook three times. He (Horion) then took off his head and he (Viktor) completed his martyrdom. But Horion lifted his eyes up to heaven and saw the soul of Apa Viktor as Ausouel was holding it in linen clothes. The saints greeted the soul of Apa Biktor. When his head was taken off, blood and milk came forth. He completed his glorious martyrdom on day 27 of the month Parmouthe (22 April) at the tenth hour of the day. Every word he said before his head was taken off became true.’
Text: E. A. W. Budge.
Summary and translation: G. Schenke.
Cult building - monastic
Places Named after SaintMonastery
Non Liturgical ActivityPrayer/supplication/invocation
Bequests, donations, gifts and offerings
Composing and translating saint-related texts
Transmission, copying and reading saint-related texts
MiraclesMiracle during lifetime
Miracle at martyrdom and death
Miracles experienced by the saint
Other miracles with demons and demonic creatures
Protagonists in Cult and NarrativesSoldiers
Torturers/Executioners
Officials
Other lay individuals/ people
Source
The parchment manuscript BM Ms. Oriental No. 7022 is housed at the British Museum. According to the colophon, the codex dates to the year 951.Other martyr stories concerning Viktor and an encomion dedicated to him are included in the same parchment codex. The codex is composed of the following:
1. The martyrdom of saint Viktor (E05111)
2. The second martyrdom of saint Viktor
3. The third martyrdom of saint Viktor (E05113)
4. The fourth martyrdom of saint Viktor (E05114)
5. The Encomion on saint Viktor attributed to Celestinus, archbishop of Rome (see E04643)
6. Colophon and date
7. Drawing of tamed lioness
The colophon (fol. 59b) provides the date and purpose of the manuscript. It mentions 13 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 ⲧⲙⲛⲧϥⲁⲣⲟⲟⲩϣ ⲙⲡⲑⲉⲟⲫⲓⲗⲉⲥⲧⲁⲧⲟⲥ ⲛⲇⲓⲁⲕⲟⲛⲟⲥ · ⲡⲟⲩⲣⲟⲧ · ⲁϥϥⲓ ⲡⲣⲟⲟⲩϣ ⲙⲡⲉⲓϫⲱⲱⲙⲉ · ⲁϥⲇⲱⲣⲓⲍⲉ
ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲧⲉⲕⲕⲗⲏⲥⲓⲁ ⲛⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲙⲉⲣⲕⲟⲩⲣⲓⲟⲥ ⲛⲧⲃⲱ · ⲧⲁⲡⲟⲗⲗⲱⲛⲓⲁ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲧⲁⲥⲡⲉ ⲛⲁⲗⲉⲝⲁⲛⲇ(ⲣⲓⲛⲟⲥ) ·
ⲡϫⲥ ϩⲁⲣⲉϩ ⲉⲡⲱⲛϩ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲧⲥⲱⲧⲏⲣⲁ · ⲙⲡⲙⲁⲓⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲛⲥⲟⲛ ⲉⲧⲧ(ⲁⲓⲏⲩ) ⲡⲟⲩⲣⲟⲧ ·
ⲛϥⲁⲁϥ ⲛⲙⲡϣⲁ ⲙⲧⲉⲩⲫⲣⲟⲥⲩⲛⲏ ⲛⲧⲙⲛⲧⲉⲣⲟ ⲛⲙⲡⲏⲩⲉ · ⲛϥϫⲟⲕϥ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲙ ⲡⲃⲓⲟⲥ ⲛⲁⲅⲅⲉⲗⲓⲕⲟⲥ ⲛⲧⲁϥⲫⲟⲣⲉ ⲙⲙⲟϥ · ⲛⲑⲉ ⲛⲛⲉⲛⲉⲓⲟⲧⲉ
ⲙⲡⲣⲟⲡⲁⲧⲱⲣ ⲛⲧⲕⲟⲓⲛⲱⲛⲓⲁ ⲛϥⲙⲡⲉϥⲥⲙⲟⲩ 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.’ (trans. G. Schenke)
Discussion
The martyrdom account of Viktor is presented as four separate accounts, suffering trial and tortures under four different authorities (Diocletain, Armenios, Eutychianos, and Sebastianos) in four different locations (Antioch, Alexandria, (south of) Antinoopolis, and Hierakonpolis). Although the story continuous from one part to the next, the separate titles underline the importance of this far travelled martyr saint in accordance with evaluations of early church fathers, such as John Chrysostom, who claim that the status of the Apostles is higher than that of martyrs, because the latter only suffered in one place, while the former did so in multiple places; see E01925.Bibliography
Text and translation:Budge, E.A.W., Coptic Martyrdoms etc. in the Dialect of Upper Egypt (Coptic Texts 4; London: British Museum, 1914), 34–45 (text) and 287–298 (trans.).
Gesa Schenke
2/3/2018
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00020 | John the Baptist | ⲓⲱ(ϩⲁⲛⲛⲏ)ⲥ ⲡⲃⲁⲡⲧⲓⲥⲧⲏⲥ | Certain | S00749 | Viktor, martyr of Egypt, son of Romanos; and companion martyrs | ⲁⲡⲁ ⲃⲓⲕⲧⲱⲣ | Certain |
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