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The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity


from its origins to circa AD 700, across the entire Christian world


Coptic letter from the Arsinoites (Fayum) wishing for the intercession of *Mark (the Evangelist, S00293) and of the full choir of *Saints (All Saints, S01151); datable to the 8th century.

Evidence ID

E05768

Type of Evidence

Late antique original manuscripts - Papyrus sheet

Documentary texts - Letter

CPR 34.62

The letter addressed to a superior of the clergy, discussing a successor for liturgical services, ends in lines 19–21 with a final wish for a long life of the addressee obtainable through the strengthening powers of the saints’ intercession through prayers:

ⲡⲟⲥ ⲓⲏⲥ ⲡⲉⲭ̣ⲥ̣ ⲧⲁϫⲣⲁ̣ ⲛⲉϩⲁⲟⲩ ⲙⲡⲉⲕⲱⲛⲁϩ ⲛⲏⲛ ⲛⲟⲩⲙⲏϣⲉ ⲛⲟⲩⲁⲉⲓϣ ϩ̣ⲓⲧⲛ ⲛⲉϣⲗⲏⲗ ⲙⲡⲓϩⲁⲅⲓⲟ(ⲥ) ⲙⲁⲣⲕⲟ(ⲥ) ⲙⲛ ⲡⲭⲟⲣⲟ(ⲥ)
ⲧⲏⲗϥ ⲛⲉⲧⲟⲩⲉⲃ +

‘May the Lord Jesus Christ prolong the days of your life for us for a long time through the prayers of saint Mark and the whole choir of saints.’


(Text: M. R. M. Hasitzka; trans.: G. Schenke)

Non Liturgical Activity

Prayer/supplication/invocation

Source

The papyrus document P.Vindob. K 1289 is kept at the Papyrus Collection in Vienna and has been dated on palaeographical grounds.


Bibliography

Text and German translation:
Hasitzka, M.R.M., Koptische dokumentarische Texte aus der Papyrussammlung der österreichischen Nationalbibliothek, Corpus Papyrorum Raineri (CPR) vol. 34 (Berlin/Boston, 2018), 143–146, plates 54–55.


Record Created By

Gesa Schenke

Date of Entry

18/6/2018

Related Saint Records
IDNameName in SourceIdentity
S00293Mark the Evangelistⲙⲁⲣⲕⲟ(ⲥ)Certain
S01151All Saintsⲡⲭⲟⲣⲟ(ⲥ) ⲧⲏⲗϥ ⲛⲉⲧⲟⲩⲉⲃCertain


Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Gesa Schenke, Cult of Saints, E05768 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E05768