Record | The Cult of Saints

Fragment of a Coptic Encomion on Pjoore (martyr of Panopolis, S02599), listing also feast days, for Apa Elias (bishop of Psoi/Ptolemais, S02598), and for *Arsenios and Loukios (ascetics of Syrian origin, and martyrs near Panopolis, S02600); datable to the 7th/8th century.

Evidence ID

E06818

Type of Evidence

Late antique original manuscripts - Parchment codex

Literary - Hagiographical - Other saint-related texts

P.Lond.Copt. I 337 = BM 337

In lines 6–7 the saint whose name means ‘the strong’ is invoked as follows:

ⲱ ⲡϫⲱⲱⲣⲉ ⲛⲁⲙⲉ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲡⲉϥⲣⲁⲛ ⲉϣⲁⲣⲉ ⲡⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲧⲙⲁⲉⲓⲟ ⲁⲛ ⲙⲙⲁⲧⲉ ϩⲙ ⲡⲣⲁⲛ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ϩⲙ ⲛⲉⲡⲣⲁⲝⲓⲥ ⲡⲉⲧⲉⲙⲡⲟⲩⲣⲡⲉϥⲙⲉⲉⲩⲉ
ⲉⲧⲁϩⲙⲉϥ ⲉⲡⲇⲓⲡⲛⲟⲛ ⲁⲩϩⲉ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲉϥⲟ ⲛϣⲟⲣⲡ ϩⲛ ⲧⲉⲑⲟⲩⲥⲓⲁ

‘Pjoore true to his name! The man thus exceedingly justified by name as well as by actions. The one who was forgotten to be invited to the meal, he was found to be the first through sacrifice.’

Then follow the two dates, one written in the margins, before the encomion begins, but breaks off soon after:

ⲁⲡⲁ ϩⲏⲗⲓⲁⲥ ⲡⲉⲡⲓⲥⲕⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲛⲧⲡⲟⲗⲓⲥ ⲯⲟⲓ ⲭⲟⲓ(ⲁ)ⲭ ⲓⲉ

‘Apa Elias, the bishop of the city Psoi: Choiak 15 [11/12 December]’

ⲟⲙⲁⲓⲟⲥ ⲉϫⲛ ⲛϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲛⲥⲩⲣⲟⲥ ⲗⲟⲩⲅⲓⲟⲥ (ⲕⲁⲓ) ⲁⲣⲥⲉⲛⲓⲟⲥ ⲭⲟⲓ(ⲁ)ⲭ ⲓϛ

‘Likewise for the Syrian saints Loukios and Arsenios: Choiak 16 [12/13 December]’

(Text W. E. Crum; trans. G. Schenke)

Festivals

Saint’s feast

Non Liturgical Activity

Prayer/supplication/invocation

Source

The parchment manuscript BM Or. 3581B(45) is kept in the British Museum in London and has been dated on palaeographical grounds.

Discussion

Arsenios and Loukios appear as a pair of martyrs in E06902. For the same pair and date, see E05971: 'Arsenios (and) Loukios: Day 16 of [Choiak] [12/13 December]''.

The two saints are mentioned in the typika of the White Monastery and the Arabic Synaxarion as Arsenios and Eulogios under the date 16 Choiak (12/13 December). They are said to have been ascetics near Panopolis, both of Syrian origin, who suffered martyrdom together.

Bibliography

Text and comments:
Crum, W.E., Catalogue of the Coptic Manuscripts in the British Museum (P.Lond.Copt. I) (London, 1905), 154–155.

O'Leary, De L., Saints of Egypt (London: SPCK, 1937), 134.

Papaconstantinou, A., Le culte des saints en Égypte des Byzantins aux Abbassides (Paris: CNRS, 2001), 59.

Record Created By

Gesa Schenke

Date of Entry

15/10/2018

Related Saint Records

ID	Name	Name in Source	Identity
S02598	Elias, bishop of Psoi/Ptolemais Upper Egypt)	ⲁⲡⲁ ϩⲏⲗⲓⲁⲥ	Certain
S02599	Pjoore, martyr of Panopolis (Upper Egypt)	ⲡϫⲱⲱⲣⲉ	Certain
S02600	Arsenios and Loukios, ascetics of Syrian origin, martyrs near Panopolis (Upper Egypt)	ⲗⲟⲩⲅⲓⲟⲥ (ⲕⲁⲓ) ⲁⲣⲥⲉⲛⲓⲟⲥ	Certain

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Gesa Schenke, Cult of Saints, E06818 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E06818

The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity

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

Fragment of a Coptic Encomion on Pjoore (martyr of Panopolis, S02599), listing also feast days, for Apa Elias (bishop of Psoi/Ptolemais, S02598), and for *Arsenios and Loukios (ascetics of Syrian origin, and martyrs near Panopolis, S02600); datable to the 7th/8th century.

E06818

Late antique original manuscripts - Parchment codex

Literary - Hagiographical - Other saint-related texts

Saint’s feast

Prayer/supplication/invocation

Source

Discussion

Bibliography

Gesa Schenke

15/10/2018

Fragment of a Coptic Encomion on *Pjoore (martyr of Panopolis, S02599), listing also feast days, for *Apa Elias (bishop of Psoi/Ptolemais, S02598), and for *Arsenios and Loukios (ascetics of Syrian origin, and martyrs near Panopolis, S02600); datable to the 7th/8th century.

E06818

Late antique original manuscripts - Parchment codex

Literary - Hagiographical - Other saint-related texts

Saint’s feast

Prayer/supplication/invocation

Source

Discussion

Bibliography

Gesa Schenke

15/10/2018

Fragment of a Coptic Encomion on Pjoore (martyr of Panopolis, S02599), listing also feast days, for Apa Elias (bishop of Psoi/Ptolemais, S02598), and for *Arsenios and Loukios (ascetics of Syrian origin, and martyrs near Panopolis, S02600); datable to the 7th/8th century.