E04140: Coptic ostracon from Hermonthis (Upper Egypt), with an invocation to saints (unnamed, S00518) to entreat the Lord for mercy; datable to the 7th/8th century.

online resource

posted on 2017-10-12, 00:00 authored by gschenke

KOW 444: Only the beginning of this invocation is preserved, uttered by a monk, addressing a group of unspecified saints. ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲡⲉⲉⲗⲁⲭⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ ⲛⲣⲉϥⲣⲛⲟⲃⲉ ϣⲗⲏⲗ ⲉϫⲱⲓ ⲛⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲛⲧⲉ ⲡϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ ⲣⲡⲉϥⲛⲁ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ‘I am the most humble sinner. Pray for me, (you) Saints of God, so that the Lord shall have mercy [on me] …’ (Text: W. C. Till; trans.: G. Schenke)

History

Evidence ID

E04140

Saint Name

Unnamed saints (or name lost) : S00518

Saint Name in Source

ⲛⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ

Related Saint Records

https://oxford.figshare.com/articles/Saints_unnamed/13738717

Type of Evidence

Late antique original manuscripts - Ostracon/Pot-sherd Liturgical texts - Invocations, prayers and spells

Language

Coptic

Evidence not before

600

Evidence not after

799

Activity not before

600

Activity not after

799

Place of Evidence - Region

Egypt and Cyrenaica

Place of Evidence - City, village, etc

Hermonthis

Place of evidence - City name in other Language(s)

Hermonthis Hermopolis ϣⲙⲟⲩⲛ Ashmunein Hermopolis

Cult activities - Non Liturgical Practices and Customs

Prayer/supplication/invocation

Source

The potsherds KO 316 and 377 are kept at the papyrus collection in Vienna. Its dating is based on palaeographical grounds.

Bibliography

Text and German translation: Till, W.C., Die koptischen Ostraka der Papyrussammlung der Österreichischen Nationalbibliothek (Vienna: H. Böhlaus, 1960), 87.