Coptic ostracon from the area of Hermonthis (Upper Egypt) with a letter mentioning a place of Apa *Joseph (possibly the Old Testament patriarch, S00277) were a service takes place; datable to the 8th century.
Evidence ID
E05699
Type of Evidence
Documentary texts - Letter
Late antique original manuscripts - Ostracon/Pot-sherd
O.CrumVC 63
The letter is mainly concerned with sending and receiving various commodities, but in lines 11–16 a service performed at Apa Joseph is mentioned which appears to be a church dedicated to Apa Joseph. The passage reads as follows:
ⲁⲡⲁⲡⲁⲥ ϫⲟⲟⲩ ⲛⲁ ϫⲉ ϣⲁⲕⲃⲱⲕ ⲉⲁⲡⲁ ⲱⲥⲏⲫ ⲛⲅⲥⲩⲛⲁⲅⲉ ⲁⲃⲱⲕ ⲙⲡⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲛⲧⲱⲡ̣ⲉ : ϯⲛⲁⲃⲱⲕ ⲟⲛ ⲙⲡⲟⲟⲩ ⲙⲛ ⲣⲁⲥⲧⲉ · ⲛⲧⲁⲱϣⲙ
ⲡⲕ‘ⲱ’ϩⲧ ⲙⲡϭⲱⲛⲧ · ϫⲉ ϯⲛⲟ̣ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲉⲁϥⲛ̣ⲟ̣‘ⲩ’ϭⲥ
‘Papas has sent to me saying: “You usually go to Apa Joseph and perform the service.” I did go in the holiday of Tybi. I will go again today and tomorrow and will quench the flame of anger, because I know him having been angry.’
(Text and translation: W. E. Crum, slightly modified)
Liturgical ActivitiesCult building - unspecified
Places Named after Saint
Service for the saint
Cult PlacesCult building - unspecified
Cult building - independent (church)
Places Named after SaintChurch
Source
The ostracon inv. no 475 is kept at the Bodleian Library in Oxford.Bibliography
Text and translation:Crum, W.E., Varia Coptica (Aberdeen, 1939), 22 (text), 30–31 (trans.).
Record Created By
Gesa Schenke
Date of Entry
12/6/2018
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00277 | Joseph, Old Testament patriarch | ⲁⲡⲁ ⲱⲥⲏⲫ | Uncertain |
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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, E05699 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E05699