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The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity


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


Two small fragments of a papyrus inventory, perhaps of church textiles, appear to refer to an image of *Mary (mother of Christ, S00033). Written in Latin, perhaps in northern Italy, c. 700.

Evidence ID

E08422

Type of Evidence

Documentary texts - List

Late antique original manuscripts - Papyrus sheet

Tjäder P. 53

[.................. / ......................... // ..]mm[...] et p[......] plergia uenita
[.................. / .......]t[.........]e de blatte //, [ha]bente in medio beata Maria.
[..................] / cum cr[u]ci h[abent]e plumata sa[.. // ......] et angelos.
[............. ol]/osyric(o) folio pras[i]no c(um) cruci in medi[o // de o]losiric(o) leuchogentino et circumcirca [....]
[............... / .......................]

'(...) a sea-coloured band.
(...) of purple, with the blessed Mary in the middle.
(...) with a cross with plumed (...) and angels.
(...) a green, pure silk sheet with a cross in the middle, of white pure silk and all around (...)'


Text: Tjäder 1955-82: ii. 228-31.
Translation: B. Savill



Record Created By

Benjamin Savill

Date of Entry

04/03/2023

Related Saint Records
IDNameName in SourceIdentity
S00033Mary, Mother of ChristMariaCertain


Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Benjamin Savill, Cult of Saints, E08422 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E08422