E02969: Festal Letter (41), in Coptic, of Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria, accusing the Melitians of digging up martyrs’ bodies and exposing them to anyone who wishes to see them for reasons of greed and financial gain, written in 369 AD.
online resource
posted on 2017-06-12, 00:00 authored by gschenkeEd. Lefort, fragment 13, p. 62.23–63.3:
ⲛⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲛⲙⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲟⲥ ⲛⲧⲁⲩⲁⲅⲱⲛⲓⲍⲉ ⲕⲁⲗⲱⲥ ⲙⲡⲟⲩϩⲟⲡⲟⲩ ϩⲙ ⲡⲕⲁϩ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲉⲩⲉⲡⲓⲭⲉⲣⲉⲓ ⲉⲕⲁⲁⲩ ϩⲓϫⲛ ϩⲉⲛϭⲗⲟϭ ⲙⲛ ϩⲉⲛⲡⲟϭⲉ
ⲛϣⲉ ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲛⲉⲧⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲑⲉⲱⲣⲉⲓ ⲙⲙⲟⲟⲩ · ⲉⲩⲉⲓⲣⲉ ⲇⲉ ⲙⲡⲁ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲥⲭⲏⲙⲁ ⲙⲉⲛ ϩⲱⲥ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲡⲧⲁⲓⲟ ⲛⲙⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲟⲥ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲙⲉ ⲇⲉ ⲟⲩⲥⲱϣ ⲡⲉ ⲡϩⲱⲃ · ⲉⲩⲉⲓⲣⲉ ⲇⲉ ⲙⲡⲁ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲟⲩϩⲱⲃ ⲛϣⲗⲟϥ · ⲕⲁⲓⲡⲉⲣ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲉⲙⲛⲧⲟⲩ ⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲙⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲟⲥ ϩⲛ ⲧⲉⲩⲡⲟⲗⲓⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲩⲥⲟⲟⲩⲛ ⲁⲛ ϫⲉ
ⲟⲩ ⲡⲉ ⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲟⲥ ⲉⲁⲩϣⲟϫⲛⲉ ⲉϫⲓⲟⲩⲉ ⲉⲛⲉⲩⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲛⲥⲉϥⲓⲧⲟⲩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ ⲛⲕⲟⲓⲙⲏⲧⲏⲣⲓⲟⲛ ⲛⲧⲕⲁⲑⲟⲗⲓⲕⲏ ⲉⲕⲕⲗⲏⲥⲓⲁ · ⲛⲉⲛⲧⲁⲩⲟⲩⲱ
ⲅⲁⲣ ⲉⲩⲧⲱⲙⲥ ⲙⲙⲟⲟⲩ ⲥⲉϣⲓⲧⲉ ⲉⲣⲟⲟⲩ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲥⲉⲡⲱⲱⲛⲉ ⲙⲙⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϫⲉⲕⲁⲥ ⲉⲡⲉⲓⲇⲏ ⲥⲉϫⲡⲓⲟ ⲙⲙⲟⲟⲟⲩ ϩⲱⲥ ⲉⲁⲩⲁⲣⲛⲁ
ⲙⲡⲉⲛⲧⲁⲙⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ϩⲟⲙⲟⲗⲟⲅⲉⲓ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲉⲩⲉϭⲛ ⲑⲉ ⲕⲁⲛ ϩⲓⲧⲛ ⲛⲉⲩⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲉⲁⲡⲁⲧⲁ ⲛⲛⲉⲧⲟⲩⲡⲗⲁⲛⲁ ⲙⲙⲟⲟⲩ
‘For they (the Melitians) have not left hidden in the earth the bodies of the martyrs who contested well, but they try to put them on stretchers and pieces of wood so that those who want to can view them. They do this with pomp, as if on account of the honor of the martyrs, but truly this is a contemptible thing, and they do it for a shameful reason. For indeed they have no martyr bodies in their city, nor do they know which is a martyr, although they have taken counsel to blaspheme their bodies and take them from the cemeteries of the Catholic church. For those who have already been buried they exhume and carry out, so that, since they are put to shame for denying him whom the holy martyrs confessed, they might, even through their (the martyrs’) bodies, find a way to deceive those whom they lead astray.’
Ed. Lefort, fragment 8, p. 25.21–25:
ⲟⲩⲡⲟⲛⲏⲣⲓⲁ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲉⲥϣⲁⲁⲧ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲡⲉ <ⲉ>ϣⲓⲧⲉ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲥⲩⲗⲁ ⲛⲛⲧⲁⲫⲟⲥ ⲛⲙⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲟⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲥⲉⲧⲙⲧⲟⲙⲥⲟⲩ ⲛⲑⲉ ⲛⲛⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ϩⲁⲑⲏ
ⲇⲉ ⲛⲟⲩⲟⲛ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲛⲑⲉ ⲙⲡϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲥⲉⲧⲛⲧⲱⲛⲟⲩ ⲙⲙⲓⲛⲉ ⲙⲙⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲛⲉⲯⲉⲩⲧⲟⲡⲣⲟⲫⲏⲧⲏⲥ
‘For it is a condemned evil to dig up and plunder the tombs of the martyrs and not to bury them like the saints and, above everyone else, like the Lord. Instead, they make themselves equal to the false prophets.’
Ed. Lefort, fragment 8, p. 26.3–10:
ⲛⲓⲙ ⲡⲉⲧⲛⲁϣⲙⲉⲥⲧⲉ ⲛϩⲁⲓⲣⲉⲧⲓⲕⲟⲥ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲡⲉⲩⲙⲡϣⲁ
ⲛⲓⲙ ⲡⲉⲧⲛⲁⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲕⲁⲛ ⲉⲧⲱⲙⲛⲧ ⲉⲣⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲩⲥⲱϣ ⲛⲛⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲛⲛⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲛⲑⲉ ⲛⲛⲯⲉⲩⲧⲟⲡⲣⲟⲫⲏⲧⲏⲥ
ⲛⲓⲙ ⲡⲉⲧⲛⲁⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲛⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲛⲛⲉⲡⲣⲟⲫⲏⲧⲏⲥ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲛⲙⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲟⲥ ⲛⲏϫ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲩϭⲟⲗⲡ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛϥⲧⲙⲥⲧⲱⲧ
ⲟⲩϩⲱⲃ ⲛⲭⲣⲓⲥⲧⲓⲁⲛⲟⲥ ⲁⲛ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲁ · ⲙⲡⲉⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ ϯⲡⲁ ⲉⲧⲟⲟⲧⲛ · ⲙⲡⲉⲙⲡⲁⲧⲣⲓⲁⲣⲭⲏⲥ ⲣⲡⲁ ⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲛⲉⲡⲣⲟⲫⲏⲧⲏⲥ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲕⲁⲓⲣⲟⲥ
ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲙⲙⲉⲗⲓⲧⲓⲁⲛⲟⲥ ⲛⲉⲛⲧⲁⲩϣⲟϫⲛⲉ ⲉⲛⲁ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲟⲩⲙⲛⲧⲉϣⲱⲧ
‘Who will be able to hate the heretics as much as they deserve? Who would want even to meet up with them when they are humiliating the bodies of the saints like the false prophets?
Who will see the bodies of the prophets and of the martyrs lying about and exposed and will not tremble? This is not a Christian act. Paul did not command us to do this. The patriarchs did not do this, nor did the prophets in their time. Rather, it is the Melitians who have counseled these things for the sake of financial gain.’
Ed. Lefort, fragment 8, p. 26.16–18, and fragment 14, p. 64.12–14:
ⲛⲁ ϩⲱⲟⲩ ⲥⲉⲛⲁⲥⲱⲧⲙ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲡⲁⲛⲧⲱⲥ ⲉϥϫⲱ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲙⲡⲣϯ ⲙⲡⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲛⲛⲁⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲟⲥ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲧⲉⲩϩⲟⲙⲟⲗⲟⲅⲓⲁ ⲉⲧⲛⲁⲛⲟⲩⲥ
ⲙⲡⲣⲁⲁⲥ ⲙⲙⲛⲧⲉϣⲱⲧ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲟⲩⲙⲛⲧⲙⲁⲓϩⲟⲙⲛⲧ
‘They (the Melitians) too will by all means hear him (the Lord) say, “Do not sell the body of my martyrs and do not make their good confession a business for the sake of greed.”’
Text: Lefort 1955. Translation, Brakke 1998, slightly modified.
ⲛⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲛⲙⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲟⲥ ⲛⲧⲁⲩⲁⲅⲱⲛⲓⲍⲉ ⲕⲁⲗⲱⲥ ⲙⲡⲟⲩϩⲟⲡⲟⲩ ϩⲙ ⲡⲕⲁϩ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲉⲩⲉⲡⲓⲭⲉⲣⲉⲓ ⲉⲕⲁⲁⲩ ϩⲓϫⲛ ϩⲉⲛϭⲗⲟϭ ⲙⲛ ϩⲉⲛⲡⲟϭⲉ
ⲛϣⲉ ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲛⲉⲧⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲑⲉⲱⲣⲉⲓ ⲙⲙⲟⲟⲩ · ⲉⲩⲉⲓⲣⲉ ⲇⲉ ⲙⲡⲁ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲥⲭⲏⲙⲁ ⲙⲉⲛ ϩⲱⲥ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲡⲧⲁⲓⲟ ⲛⲙⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲟⲥ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲙⲉ ⲇⲉ ⲟⲩⲥⲱϣ ⲡⲉ ⲡϩⲱⲃ · ⲉⲩⲉⲓⲣⲉ ⲇⲉ ⲙⲡⲁ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲟⲩϩⲱⲃ ⲛϣⲗⲟϥ · ⲕⲁⲓⲡⲉⲣ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲉⲙⲛⲧⲟⲩ ⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲙⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲟⲥ ϩⲛ ⲧⲉⲩⲡⲟⲗⲓⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲩⲥⲟⲟⲩⲛ ⲁⲛ ϫⲉ
ⲟⲩ ⲡⲉ ⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲟⲥ ⲉⲁⲩϣⲟϫⲛⲉ ⲉϫⲓⲟⲩⲉ ⲉⲛⲉⲩⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲛⲥⲉϥⲓⲧⲟⲩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ ⲛⲕⲟⲓⲙⲏⲧⲏⲣⲓⲟⲛ ⲛⲧⲕⲁⲑⲟⲗⲓⲕⲏ ⲉⲕⲕⲗⲏⲥⲓⲁ · ⲛⲉⲛⲧⲁⲩⲟⲩⲱ
ⲅⲁⲣ ⲉⲩⲧⲱⲙⲥ ⲙⲙⲟⲟⲩ ⲥⲉϣⲓⲧⲉ ⲉⲣⲟⲟⲩ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲥⲉⲡⲱⲱⲛⲉ ⲙⲙⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϫⲉⲕⲁⲥ ⲉⲡⲉⲓⲇⲏ ⲥⲉϫⲡⲓⲟ ⲙⲙⲟⲟⲟⲩ ϩⲱⲥ ⲉⲁⲩⲁⲣⲛⲁ
ⲙⲡⲉⲛⲧⲁⲙⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ϩⲟⲙⲟⲗⲟⲅⲉⲓ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲉⲩⲉϭⲛ ⲑⲉ ⲕⲁⲛ ϩⲓⲧⲛ ⲛⲉⲩⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲉⲁⲡⲁⲧⲁ ⲛⲛⲉⲧⲟⲩⲡⲗⲁⲛⲁ ⲙⲙⲟⲟⲩ
‘For they (the Melitians) have not left hidden in the earth the bodies of the martyrs who contested well, but they try to put them on stretchers and pieces of wood so that those who want to can view them. They do this with pomp, as if on account of the honor of the martyrs, but truly this is a contemptible thing, and they do it for a shameful reason. For indeed they have no martyr bodies in their city, nor do they know which is a martyr, although they have taken counsel to blaspheme their bodies and take them from the cemeteries of the Catholic church. For those who have already been buried they exhume and carry out, so that, since they are put to shame for denying him whom the holy martyrs confessed, they might, even through their (the martyrs’) bodies, find a way to deceive those whom they lead astray.’
Ed. Lefort, fragment 8, p. 25.21–25:
ⲟⲩⲡⲟⲛⲏⲣⲓⲁ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲉⲥϣⲁⲁⲧ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲡⲉ <ⲉ>ϣⲓⲧⲉ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲥⲩⲗⲁ ⲛⲛⲧⲁⲫⲟⲥ ⲛⲙⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲟⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲥⲉⲧⲙⲧⲟⲙⲥⲟⲩ ⲛⲑⲉ ⲛⲛⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ϩⲁⲑⲏ
ⲇⲉ ⲛⲟⲩⲟⲛ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲛⲑⲉ ⲙⲡϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲥⲉⲧⲛⲧⲱⲛⲟⲩ ⲙⲙⲓⲛⲉ ⲙⲙⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲛⲉⲯⲉⲩⲧⲟⲡⲣⲟⲫⲏⲧⲏⲥ
‘For it is a condemned evil to dig up and plunder the tombs of the martyrs and not to bury them like the saints and, above everyone else, like the Lord. Instead, they make themselves equal to the false prophets.’
Ed. Lefort, fragment 8, p. 26.3–10:
ⲛⲓⲙ ⲡⲉⲧⲛⲁϣⲙⲉⲥⲧⲉ ⲛϩⲁⲓⲣⲉⲧⲓⲕⲟⲥ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲡⲉⲩⲙⲡϣⲁ
ⲛⲓⲙ ⲡⲉⲧⲛⲁⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲕⲁⲛ ⲉⲧⲱⲙⲛⲧ ⲉⲣⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲩⲥⲱϣ ⲛⲛⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲛⲛⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲛⲑⲉ ⲛⲛⲯⲉⲩⲧⲟⲡⲣⲟⲫⲏⲧⲏⲥ
ⲛⲓⲙ ⲡⲉⲧⲛⲁⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲛⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲛⲛⲉⲡⲣⲟⲫⲏⲧⲏⲥ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲛⲙⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲟⲥ ⲛⲏϫ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲩϭⲟⲗⲡ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛϥⲧⲙⲥⲧⲱⲧ
ⲟⲩϩⲱⲃ ⲛⲭⲣⲓⲥⲧⲓⲁⲛⲟⲥ ⲁⲛ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲁ · ⲙⲡⲉⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ ϯⲡⲁ ⲉⲧⲟⲟⲧⲛ · ⲙⲡⲉⲙⲡⲁⲧⲣⲓⲁⲣⲭⲏⲥ ⲣⲡⲁ ⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲛⲉⲡⲣⲟⲫⲏⲧⲏⲥ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲕⲁⲓⲣⲟⲥ
ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲙⲙⲉⲗⲓⲧⲓⲁⲛⲟⲥ ⲛⲉⲛⲧⲁⲩϣⲟϫⲛⲉ ⲉⲛⲁ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲟⲩⲙⲛⲧⲉϣⲱⲧ
‘Who will be able to hate the heretics as much as they deserve? Who would want even to meet up with them when they are humiliating the bodies of the saints like the false prophets?
Who will see the bodies of the prophets and of the martyrs lying about and exposed and will not tremble? This is not a Christian act. Paul did not command us to do this. The patriarchs did not do this, nor did the prophets in their time. Rather, it is the Melitians who have counseled these things for the sake of financial gain.’
Ed. Lefort, fragment 8, p. 26.16–18, and fragment 14, p. 64.12–14:
ⲛⲁ ϩⲱⲟⲩ ⲥⲉⲛⲁⲥⲱⲧⲙ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲡⲁⲛⲧⲱⲥ ⲉϥϫⲱ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲙⲡⲣϯ ⲙⲡⲥⲱⲙⲁ ⲛⲛⲁⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲟⲥ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲧⲉⲩϩⲟⲙⲟⲗⲟⲅⲓⲁ ⲉⲧⲛⲁⲛⲟⲩⲥ
ⲙⲡⲣⲁⲁⲥ ⲙⲙⲛⲧⲉϣⲱⲧ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲟⲩⲙⲛⲧⲙⲁⲓϩⲟⲙⲛⲧ
‘They (the Melitians) too will by all means hear him (the Lord) say, “Do not sell the body of my martyrs and do not make their good confession a business for the sake of greed.”’
Text: Lefort 1955. Translation, Brakke 1998, slightly modified.
History
Evidence ID
E02969Saint Name
Unnamed martyrs (or name lost) : S00060Related Saint Records
Type of Evidence
Literary - Letters Literary - Sermons/HomiliesLanguage
- Coptic
