E00336: Coptic letter from the region of Hermopolis Magna (Middle Egypt) written in the 7th c., referring to a planned journey to venerate an unnamed saint (S00518) at or in the vicinity of a convent.

KSB 4 1692

The addressees of the letter are a nun and her convent from whom the sender hopes to receive a letter of condolence due to the sender’s great despair following the death of a young girl who seems to have been the biological rather than the spiritual daughter of the sender. The sender speaks of great sadness and suffering on his as well as on her mother’s part and hopes that a message from the convent would console them both, before they are planning to set off on their journey south to visit the addressed and to venerate the saint (whose name is not mentioned).

Lines 7–9:
ⲗⲟⲓⲡⲟⲛ ϭⲱ ⲉⲧⲛⲉⲉⲓⲣⲉ ⲛⲡⲉⲛⲙⲉⲉⲩⲉ ϩⲛ ⲛⲉⲧⲛⲉϣⲗⲏⲗ ϣⲁⲛⲧⲉ ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲧⲛⲉⲓ ⲉⲣⲏⲥ ⲙⲛⲛⲥⲁ ⲡⲉⲓϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲥⲛⲁⲩ ⲧⲛⲡⲣⲟⲥⲕⲩⲛⲉ[ⲓ]
ⲛⲡⲡⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ

'Now continue to remember us in your prayers, until God wishes that we come south after these two days and venerate the saint.'

Translation: Gesa Schenke