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The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity


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


Name

Moses, Old Testament prophet and lawgiver

Saint ID

S00241

Reported Death Not After

1

Gender
Male
Type of Saint
Old Testament saints
Related Evidence Records
IDTitle
E00451The Piacenza Pilgrim records his visit to the baths of *Moses (Old Testament prophet and lawgiver, S00241) in Livias (Palestine), where lepers are cleansed. Account of an anonymous pilgrim, written in Latin, probably in Placentia (northern Italy), c. 560.
E00508The Piacenza Pilgrim records his visit to an oratory at Pharan (Sinai), built where *Moses (Old Testament prophet and lawgiver, S00241) prevailed against the Amalekites. Account of an anonymous pilgrim, written in Latin, probably in Placentia (northern Italy), c. 560.
E00509The Piacenza Pilgrim records his visit to oratories of *Moses (Old Testament prophet and lawgiver, S00241) and of *Elijah/Elias (Old Testament prophet, S00217), marking the places where the Israelites entered and left the Red Sea. Account of an anonymous pilgrim, written in Latin, probably in Placentia (northern Italy), c. 560.
E00720Inscription with prayer in Greek, from a church in Kasossos near Mylasa (Caria, western Asia Minor). Refers to saints and other holy figures: *Abraham (Old Testament patriarch, S00275), *Jacob (Old Testament patriarch, S00280), *Moses (Old Testament prophet and lawgiver, S00241), *Elijah (Old Testament prophet, S00217), *Elisha (Old Testament prophet, S00239), the Apostles *Peter (S00036) and *Paul (S00008), other unnamed Apostles (S00084), unnamed Confessors (S00184), *George (soldier and martyr, S00259), *Stephen (the First Martyr, S00030), and a virgin *Eirene (possibly the martyr of Magedon, S02162). Probably late antique (6th/8th c.) or later.
E02662Floor-mosaic with a Greek inscription commemorating the paving of an unnamed martyr shrine (martyrion), probably at a monastery. Floor-mosaics in the aisles show narrative scenes of the Book of Daniel (with *Daniel, the Old Testament Prophet, 00727, and the *Three Hebrew Youths of the fiery furnace, S01198), an image of *Moses (S00241), and presumably of the Adoration of the Magi (S00180). Found at Tell Ya‘amun, to the south of en-Nu'eiyima, between al-Husn and Jerash (Roman province of Arabia). Dated, perhaps AD 500.
E02852Very fragmentary Greek graffito on a pot, published as probably referring to 'Saint *Moses' (Old Testament prophet and lawgiver, S00241). Found at the basilica of Moses at Mount Nebo/Siyagha (province of Arabia/Jordan). Probably 6th/7th c.
E03373The early seventh-century Georgian version of the Lectionary of Jerusalem commemorates on 4 September *Joseph (Old Testament patriarch, S00277), *Moses (Old Testament prophet and lawgiver, S00241) and *Julian (martyr in Emesa, S01259).
E03823The Church Calendar of Ioane Zosime, compiled in Georgian in the 10th c., based however on 5th-7th c. prototypes from Palestine, commemorates on 5 August *Moses (Old Testament prophet and lawgiver, S00241), possibly Tutael, also known as *Sharbel (martyr in Edessa, S01126), *Eusignios (soldier and martyr of Antioch, S01369), and *John/Ioannes the Soldier (confessor under the emperor Julian, S00925).
E03825The Church Calendar of Ioane Zosime, compiled in Georgian in the 10th c., based however on 5th-7th c. prototypes from Palestine, commemorates on 7 August possibly *Moses (Old Testament prophet and lawgiver, S00241), 'Moses son of Ephemianos' (possibly *Alexios/the 'Man of God', ascetic of Edessa, S01211), and *Eusignios (soldier and martyr of Antioch, S01369).
E04171Greek inscription praising the virtues of seven Old Testament figures (*Abraham, S00275; *Isaac, S00276; *Jacob, S00280; *Moses, S00241; *David, S00269; *Solomon, S00270; *Job, S01191), and probably encouraging the reader to imitate them. Found at Shivta (ancient Sobata) in the Negev desert (Roman province of Palaestina III). Probably late antique.
E04198Three Coptic ostraca from western Thebes (Upper Egypt) with writing exercises practising a formula referring to *Moses (presumably the Old Testament prophet and lawgiver, S00241) and *Aaron (presumably the first High Priest, brother of Moses, S01427) as holy among priests; datable to the first half of the 8th century.
E04457Gregory the Great, in his Dialogues, recounts a number of miraculous stories, and considers the nature of miracles. Written in Latin in Rome, c. 593.
E05195The pilgrim Egeria, in her Itinerary, describes her ascent to the top of Mount Sinai, where she found a church, tended by a monk, and the cave of *Moses (Old Testament prophet and lawgiver, S00241); descending the mountain she visited the Burning Bush, where there was also a church and monks' cells. Written in Latin during Egeria's journey to the East, probably in 381-384.
E05441Coptic inscription from Wadi Sarga (Upper Egypt), with an invocation of *Moses (S00241), *Adam (the first man, S00772), *Peter (S00036), *John the Baptist (S00020), *John the virgin (S00042), the *Apostles (S00084), and the *Martyrs (S00060); datable to the 7th/8th century.
E05465Coptic inscription from Wadi Sarga (Upper Egypt), with an invocation of *Moses (Old Testament prophet and lawgiver, S00241), *Enoch (Old Testament patriarch, S00762), *Ieremia (saint of Saqqara, S00773), *Papohe (S02066), *Apollo and *Anoup (monks and monastic founders, S00774), Apa *Pshoi (possibly the martyr of Egypt, S01245), Apa *Pamoun (possibly the martyr of Alexandria, S00775); datable to the 7th/8th century.
E07861Augustine of Hippo, in his Tractates on the Gospel of John, refers to a tradition according to which *John (the Apostle and Evangelist, 00042) lies asleep in his grave in Ephesus (western Asia Minor), his breathing causing dust to rise from his tomb. He also affirms that although the location of the tomb of *Moses (Old Testament prophet and lawgiver, 00241) in unknown, he certainly died like other people. Written in Latin, based on a series of sermons preached in Hippo Regius (Numidia, central North Africa) in the 410s.
E07930The pilgrim Egeria, in her Itinerary, describes her visit to Mount Nebo (Palestine): on the way she visits the place where *Moses (Old Testament prophet and lawgiver, S00241) struck the rock and brought forth water, which had a church and attendant monks; on the summit she finds a church containing the grave of Moses. Written in Latin during Egeria's journey to the East, probably in 381-384.
E07932Theodosius, in his On the Topography of the Holy Land, in an account of holy places around Livias (Palestine) mentions the hot springs where *Moses (Old Testament prophet and lawgiver, S00241) bathed, and where lepers are cured. Written in Latin, perhaps in Africa, 518/540.
E07941The pilgrim Egeria, in her Itinerary, records two statues in Lower Egypt, said to be of *Moses (Old Testament prophet and lawgiver, S00241) and *Aaron (first High Priest, brother of Moses, S01427), and a health-giving tree said to have been planted by the patriarchs. Written in Latin during Egeria's journey to the East, probably in 381-384.
E08324The Hibernensis canon law collection's 49th book, 'Concerning Relics Buried in a Remote Place,' quotes a number of unidentified sayings and precedents, including some falsely attributed to Origen and Jerome. Compiled in Latin in Ireland and/or Iona (north-west Britain), c. 690/748.
E08347Jerome answers Vigilantius of Calagurris' criticism of the cult of relics, using mostly scriptural arguments and attacking his opponent. Jerome, Letter 109, written in Latin in Bethlehem (Palestine) in 404.