E02473: Coptic fragmentary invocation, from Qurnah (Upper Egypt), addressing a saint (perhaps *Andrew, the Apostle, S00288), *Phoibammon (soldier and martyr of Assiut, S00080), and a bishop; datable to the early 7th.
online resource
posted on 2017-03-07, 00:00authored bygschenke
BKU 2 258
The text seems to be a very basic invocation, giving three addressees, possibly in their order of importance, starting with perhaps with an Apostle, followed by the martyr Apa Phoibammon and then by Apa Abraham, presumably the bishop of Hermonthis. The latter, addressed as 'the orthodox bishop'. was probably still alive and so invoked as a holy man.
The saint mentioned in line 1 could well be Andrew, the Apostle, though other names are possible. One could be the former bishop Apa Ananias mentioned in documents from Jeme, see E00241 and E02463, as well as E02469, in which case there may not be a descending order of importance provided by the list.
The invocation was made by a man named Onophrios (Ouanofre), a camel herdsman, whose specific concerns might well be lost.
'Saint An[drew?]/An[anias?], Apa Phoibammon, the martyr, Apa Abraham, the orthodox bishop. I am Ouanofre, the camel herdsman …'
(Text: A. Erman and W. E. Crum, trans. G. Schenke)
History
Evidence ID
E02473
Saint Name
Ananias, bishop in the Theban area : S01224
Phoibammon, soldier and martyr of Assiut (ob. c. 304) : S00080
Abraham, bishop of Hermonthis : S01230
Andrew, the Apostle : S00288
Liturgical texts - Invocations, prayers and spells
Late antique original manuscripts - Ostracon/Pot-sherd
Language
Coptic
Evidence not before
600
Evidence not after
630
Activity not before
600
Activity not after
630
Place of Evidence - Region
Egypt and Cyrenaica
Place of Evidence - City, village, etc
Qurnah
Place of evidence - City name in other Language(s)
Qurnah
Hermopolis
ϣⲙⲟⲩⲛ
Ashmunein
Hermopolis
Cult activities - Non Liturgical Practices and Customs
Prayer/supplication/invocation
Source
This limestone ostracon was found in Qurnah, located roughly north of Jeme, in the Theban area, and is now housed in the papyrus collection in Berlin, P.Berol. inv. 875. The text has been dated to the 7th/8th century on palaeographical grounds, but if it addresses bishop Abraham of Hermonthis as the acting bishop, then it must date from before 624, the year of his death.
Bibliography
Edition:
Erman, A., and Crum, W.E., Ägyptische Urkunden aus den koeniglichen Museen zu Berlin, Koptische Urkunden, vol. 2 (Berlin, 1904), 195.