E03567: Coptic fragments of the Martyrdom of Apa *Isidoros (S01469, son of Pantileon) at Seleukia, relating the saint’s influence over the soldiers, their general, and the eparch of Seleukia to quit their services for Diocletian and die together as martyrs, all 9000 of them on the same day, as well as his power to perform miracles in prison; written most likely in the 6th/7th century.
online resource
posted on 2017-08-15, 00:00authored bygschenke
Apa Isidoros torments Diocletian by influencing officials and regiment to turn against the emperor and by personally mocking him and his imperial gods. As a result, the regiment suffers martyrdom and Isidoros is thrown into prison.
‘They drew their swords and went into the palace wishing to kill him and all those with him. He was afraid and passed a verdict against them to let their heads all be taken off. All the saints were taken outside the city, down to a great ravine. They were all decapitated, reaching 9000 soldiers, their general, and the eparch of the city of Seleukia. They completed their martyrdom on day twelve of the month Epiph, in peace. Amen.’
‘And at once, the emperor commanded to have Apa Isidoros seized and taken to prison without food or drink. The saint was performing great miracles inside the prison and the Lord Jesus was sending him spiritual food from heaven. After a multitude of days which the saint spent in prison performing great miracles, behold, the Lord Jesus came to saint Isidoros. He said to him: “Greetings my chosen one, Isidoros, at the time of greeting. Be strong at the time of […’ (here the text breaks off)
(Text: W. C. Till, KHML I, 202–205; summary and trans. G. Schenke)
History
Evidence ID
E03567
Saint Name
Isidoros, Apa Isidoros, martyr of Seleukia, under Diocletian : S01469
Place of evidence - City name in other Language(s)
Hermopolis
ϣⲙⲟⲩⲛ
Ashmunein
Hermopolis
Cult activities - Non Liturgical Practices and Customs
Composing and translating saint-related texts
Cult Activities - Miracles
Miracle during lifetime
Miracles causing conversion
Cult Activities - Protagonists in Cult and Narratives
Unbaptized Christians
Pagans
Officials
Soldiers
Source
Fourteen pages of a former parchment codex preserving parts of the martyrdom of Apa Isidor belong to the papyrus collections in Naples (Z 150, pages 51–62) and Vienna (K 9539, pages 111/112). Layout and script point to the 9th–11th century as the date for the production of the manuscript.
Bibliography
Text and German translation:
Till, W.C., Koptische Heiligen- und Martyrlegenden. Vol. 1 (Rome: Pont. institutum orientalium studiorum, 1935), 202–205.