E00205: Coptic self-donation document of the year 771/772 to Apa *Phoibammon (soldier and martyr of Assiut, S00080) at Deir el-Bahari (Upper Egypt) after the donor received healing through holy water from the basin located in front of the altar of the shrine located at the monastery of Apa Phoibammon on the mountain of Jeme.
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posted on 2014-11-18, 00:00authored bygschenke
P.KRU 104
Petronios, son of Georgios, donates himself as a servant to Apa Phoibammon, after he had fallen ill and received healing only through the water brought to him from the holy basin (λουτήρ) located in front of the altar in the topos of the saint, handed out by the oikonomos of the monastery (lines 18–27).
Full text and translation (the beginning of the document is lost):
'… without any pressure] on me, or fear, force, deceit, or circumvention, but with a sharp mind and unwavering reasoning, a fixed opinion and a guile-lacking conviction, just as towards God, I proceed and obey the laws which the ruling masters have commanded, that it is allowed to let anyone do what he wants with that which is his own. I myself have yielded to the fulfilment of the laws which the masters commanded from the beginning. I went forward writing to the legal body (dikaion) of the holy monastery of the victorious prize bearer, saint Apa Phoibammon, the martyr, this one which is located on the mountain of Jeme in the district of the city of Hermonthis. In this tenth indiction year, with God, through the will of God, God, the good, the bearer of miraculous judgment, brought a severe illness over me. I dried out and was withering away, so that I was about to die. Faithful people said to me, “Entreat the God of saint Apa Phoibammon, he will have mercy on you.” I gained a sharp mind and a deep honest desire, and I sent (someone) to the holy place (topos) of saint Apa Phoibammon. I received water from the holy basin (louter) located by the altar through the holy hands of that steward (oikonomos). It was brought to me and poured over me, and immediately the Lord listened to my crying and my sighing. He granted me healing and I recovered from the severe illness. Great joy came over me and I myself said, “It is befitting and it is just to let me donate my body to him, since health came upon me through his intercession (presbeia).” Now then, through the will of God, from today onwards, no one shall be master over my body except for this aforementioned holy monastery of saint Apa Phoibammon, the great martyr, which is located on the holy mountain of Jeme, and I shall be serving it and act towards it in the manner of a servant acquired by money. Whoever shall dare and take (legal) action against the holy place (topos) and lay hands on this sacrifice which is my body, this one which I have donated to him, he shall, first of all, not gain anything, but shall be under the true judgment of God, the Almighty, the true creator (demiourgos); and saint Apa Phoibammon shall take revenge on him at the frightful tribune of God. Furthermore, he shall be a stranger to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I also entreat any authority into whose hands this document will come to let it be put into place as produced, so that God shall bless it, for it is a loving gift to God. And you, my brothers, all know that it is not right to let someone make a gift and let someone else say, "I shall not carry it out." Truly, my brethren, do not act like robbers of promises to the Lord, nor inherit their dwelling places, because, this arrangement was not created through ourselves, but exists and remains since (the time of) Samuel, the prophet, who was given to the temple of the Lord. We have produced this donation document while the deacon Apa Sourous is the superior (proestos) over the holy place (topos) of Saint Apa Phoibammon located on the mountain of Jeme, and while the great administrator and manager, master Psmo, the great official, is financial administrator over the castron Jeme. I, Petronios, the son of Georgios, have produced (it for) the legal body (dikaion) of the holy monastery. I have asked the notary and trustworthy and truthful witnesses. They bore witness to it according to the power of the laws. The document was read out to us. We have recognised its validity and have agreed, accepted, and confirmed it. I have executed it through the will of God.'
(Text: W. E. Crum and G. Steindorff, German trans. W. C. Till, Engl. trans. G. Schenke)
History
Evidence ID
E00205
Saint Name
Phoibammon, soldier martyr of Preht (ob. c. 304) : S00080
Sourous, Apa Sourous, superior and holy man at the monastery of Apa Phoibammon on the mountain of Jeme : S01584
Cult activities - Non Liturgical Practices and Customs
Bequests, donations, gifts and offerings
Cult Activities - Miracles
Miracle after death
Healing diseases and disabilities
Cult Activities - Protagonists in Cult and Narratives
Ecclesiastics - abbots
Ecclesiastics - monks/nuns/hermits
Other lay individuals/ people
Cult Activities - Relics
Contact relic - water and other liquids
Source
Fragmentary papyrus document, lacking the beginning, located in the British Museum in London, Papyrus 80.
Discussion
This is the only self-donation document published so far and is thus unique. It testifies to the healing cult of Apa Phoibammon as holy water from the basin by the altar is brought to the dying patient and he miraculously recovers. In gratitude, he donates himself as a servant to the Saint’s holy place (topos) for the rest of his life.
In the document a reference is given (lines 51–52) to Samuel, who was donated as a servant to the temple of God (1 Samuel 1):
ϫⲓⲛ ⲥⲁⲙⲟⲩⲏⲗ ⲡⲉⲡⲣⲟⲫⲏⲧⲏⲥ ⲉⲛⲧⲁⲩⲇⲱⲣⲓⲍⲉ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲡⲣⲡⲉ ⲙⲡϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ
'since the prophet Samuel who had been donated to the temple of the lord'
Such a reference is usually only included in documents mentioning the pledge of a child to the saint at birth (such as P.KRU 80, 85, 86, 89, 96, 97 and 100). One might speculate whether Petronios was originally pledged at birth, but had failed to be handed over, and attributed his illness later in life to this.
Bibliography
Edition:
Crum, W.E., and Steindorff, G., Koptische Rechtsurkunden des achten Jahrhunderts aus Djeme (Theben) (Leipzig, 1971), 321-323 (P. KRU 104).
German Translation:
Till, W.C., Die Koptischen Rechtsurkunden aus Theben (Vienna: H. Böhlaus, 1964), 186-188.
For a discussion of the document see:
Schenke, G., "The Healing Shrines of St Phoibammon. Evidence of Cult Activity in Coptic Legal Documents," Zeitschrift für Antikes Christentum (ZAC) 2016, 20(3), 496–523.