E04038: Coptic document from the monastery of Apa Apollo at Bawit (Middle Egypt), concerning an agreement over responsibilities for monastic property, ensuring the validity of the agreement with an oath sworn by the throne of *Mark, the Evangelist (S00293), and mentioning a church/shrine (topos) dedicated to Apa *Apollo (founder of the monastery, S00160). An agreement reached in this document is confirmed by a oath; datable to the 8th century.

P.Mon.Apollo 25 (KSB 1 49):

This document is one of many associated with the monastery of Apa Apollo at Bawit, see $E04037.
It concerns the renunciation of responsibility for monastic property by a monk who feels he has been given too heavy a burden. The document is addressed to the legal body (dikaion) of the monastery under its current abbot Daniel. The introductory phrase of the document suggests that there was a shrine associated with the monastery of Apa Apollo.

Lines 1–3 read as follows:

+ ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲡⲁⲥⲟⲛ ⲥⲁⲕ ⲡⲙⲟⲛⲟⲭⲟⲥ ⲙⲡⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲛⲁⲡⲁ ⲁⲡⲟⲗⲗⲱ ⲉⲥϩⲁ ⲙⲡⲇⲓⲕⲁⲟⲛ ⲙⲡⲙⲟⲛⲁⲥⲧⲏⲣⲓⲟⲛ ⲙⲡⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲛⲁⲡⲁ ⲁⲡⲟⲗⲗⲱ
ϩⲧⲟⲟⲧϥ ⲙⲡⲙⲁⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲛⲱⲧ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲇⲁⲛⲏⲗ ⲡⲁⲣⲭⲏⲙⲁⲛⲇ(ⲣⲓⲧⲏⲥ) ⲁⲩⲱ ⲡⲓ[ⲱⲧ ⲙⲡⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ]

‘I, brother Isak, the monk of the monastery (topos) of Apa Apollo, am writing to the legal body (dikaion) of the monastery at the shrine (topos) of Apa Apollo, under the pious and holy father Apa Daniel, the archimandrite and father [of the monastery (topos)].’


The validity of the agreement reached in this document is confirmed by an oath sworn by the throne of Mark, the Evangelist.

Lines 9–10 read as follows:

ⲉⲱⲣⲕ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ <ⲡ>ⲡⲁⲛⲧⲱⲕⲣⲁⲧⲟⲣ ⲙⲛ ⲧⲕⲁⲑⲟⲗⲓⲕⲏ ⲛⲉⲕⲗⲏⲥⲓⲁ ⲙⲛ ⲡⲉⲩϫⲁ ⲙⲡⲉⲑⲣⲟⲛ[ⲟⲥ] ⲙⲡⲉⲛⲉ̣ⲓⲱⲧ̣ ⲙⲁⲣⲕⲟⲥ ⲡⲉⲩⲁⲛⲕⲉⲗⲓⲥⲧⲏⲥ ϫ<ⲉ> ⲛⲛⲉ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲉⲡⲓϩⲱⲃ ϣⲁ ⲉⲛⲉϩ

‘I swear by God, the Almighty, and by the Catholic church, and by the well-being of the throne of our father Mark, the Evangelist, that I shall never proceed against this matter.’


(Text: M. Hasitzka/S. J. Clackson, trans. G. Schenke)