E01714: Coptic Martyrdom of *Philotheos of Antioch (S00878), a young, rebellious boy of pagan parents, prosecuted by Diocletian and demonstrating his miraculous power over idols; datable to the 6th/7th century.

Martyrdom of Philotheos of Antioch

The parchment leaf K 9501 from Vienna contains two fragmentary pages, 53 (ⲛⲅ) and 54 (ⲛⲇ), of a former codex with the Martyrdom of Philotheos.

The part preserved here, has the martyr praying to Christ to support him in his plan to prove to the crowds gathered at his trial that the imperial gods have neither soul nor power. As a result of the martyr’s prayer, the archangel Raphael is sent down to stand beside him, and the martyr addresses Diocletian:

ⲡⲉϫⲉ ⲡⲙⲁⲕⲁⲣⲓⲟⲥ ⲛⲇⲓⲱⲕⲗⲏⲧⲓⲁⲛⲟⲥ · ϫⲉ ⲱ ⲡⲉⲑⲏⲣⲓⲟⲛ ⲉⲑⲟⲟⲩ · ⲉⲓⲉ ϩⲛⲁⲧϭⲟⲙ ⲛⲉ ⲛⲉⲕⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲛⲧⲉⲓϩⲉ ⲧⲏⲣⲥ · ⲉⲓⲙⲏⲧⲉⲓ ⲛⲥⲉⲧⲱⲟⲩⲛ
ϩⲁⲣⲟⲟⲩ ⲙⲉⲩⲉϣⲙⲟ[ⲟ]ϣⲉ :
ⲧⲟⲧⲉ ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲛϭⲓ ⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲫⲓⲗⲟⲑⲉⲟⲥ · ϫⲉ ⲉⲓϫⲉⲣⲟⲕ ⲛⲧⲟⲕ ⲱ ⲡⲉⲧⲟⲩⲱⲧ ⲛⲁⲯⲩⲭⲟⲛ ϯⲟⲩⲉϩⲥⲁϩⲛⲉ ⲛⲁⲕ ϩⲙ ⲡⲣⲁⲛ ⲛⲓⲥ ⲡⲁⲣⲣⲟ
ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲕⲙⲟⲟϣⲉ ⲛⲅⲃⲱⲕ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲡⲣⲡⲉ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩϭⲏⲡⲏ · ⲛⲅⲉⲓⲛⲉ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲙⲡⲉⲓⲕⲉⲥⲉ ⲯⲓⲥ ⲛⲧⲟⲩⲱⲧ · ⲙⲛ ⲡⲉⲩⲕⲉϣⲉ ⲙⲁⲁⲃ ϣⲙⲟⲩⲛ ⲛⲟⲩⲏⲏⲃ ·
ⲛⲅⲧⲁϩⲟⲓ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩϭⲉⲡⲏ · ⲧⲁⲣⲉⲧϭⲟⲙ ⲙⲡⲁϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ ⲓⲥ ⲟⲩⲱⲛϩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲙⲡⲟⲟⲩ ϩⲛ ⲧⲙⲏⲧⲉ ⲙⲡⲉⲓⲙⲏⲏϣⲉ ⲧⲏⲣϥ :
ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲧⲉⲩⲛⲟⲩ ⲁⲡⲉⲧⲟⲩⲱⲧ ⲃⲱⲕ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲡⲣⲡⲉ ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲛⲛⲉⲧⲟⲩⲱⲧ · ϫⲉ ⲉⲓϫⲉⲣⲱⲧⲛ ⲛⲉⲧⲟⲩⲱⲧ ⲛⲛⲟⲩⲃ ϩⲓ ϩⲁⲧ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲛⲧⲁ
ⲇⲓ[ⲱⲕⲗⲏⲧⲓⲁⲛⲟⲥ …

‘The blessed one said to Diocletian: “Evil beast, truly your gods are completely powerless! If not carried, they are unable to move.”
Then saint Philotheos said: “I am addressing you, soulless idol. I command you in the name of Jesus, my emperor, to make you walk and go quickly into the temple, and bring me the other sixty-nine idols together also with their one hundred and thirty-eight priests, and do it quickly for me, so that the power of my Lord Jesus shall become apparent today in the midst of this entire crowd.”
And immediately, the idol went into the temple. It said to the idols: “I am addressing you, idols of gold and silver, these which Diocletian […” ’

Text: W. C. Till, KHML I, 1–2. Translation: G. Schenke.