E04180: Coptic ostracon from western Thebes (Upper Egypt) with a letter mentioning a feast to be celebrated in a desert shrine of an unmentioned saint (S00518); datable to the first half of the 8th century.

O.Frange 187

In this letter Frange writes to his parents. He urges his father to come and join a feast at a shrine (topos) in the desert.

[⳨ ⲁⲛⲟ]ⲕ ϥⲣⲁⲛⲅⲉ· ⲉϥ-
[ⲥϩ]ⲁ̣ ⲉ̣ϥϣⲓⲛⲉ ⲉⲡⲉϥⲉⲓ-
ⲱⲧ ⲇⲁⲩⲉⲓⲇ ⲙⲛ ⲧⲉϥ-
ⲙⲁⲁⲩ ⲙⲉⲥⲉⲁⲛⲏ ϯϣⲓ-
5
ⲛⲉ ⲟⲛ ⲉⲛⲉⲧⲛϣⲏⲣⲉ
ⲛϩⲟⲩⲟ ⲇⲉ ⲛϩⲟⲩⲟ ϯϣⲓ-
ⲛⲉ ⲉⲡⲁⲥⲟⲛ ⲁⲛⲁⲛⲓⲁⲥ
ⲙⲛ ⲥⲁⲃⲉⲕ ⲟⲩϫⲁ
ϩⲙ ⲡϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ

verso:

10
[⳨ ⲡ]ⲁⲉⲓⲱⲧ ⲇⲁⲩⲉⲓⲇ
[ⲙⲡ]ⲣ̣ⲣ ⲡⲱⲃϣ ⲙⲡϫⲁⲉ
ⲛⲛϣⲓⲣ ⲛⲉϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲙⲉⲕ̣-
ⲉⲓ ⲛⲅⲣ ⲡϣⲁ ϩⲙ ⲡⲧⲟ-
ⲡⲟⲥ ⲧⲉⲛⲟⲩ ⲇⲉ ⲕⲱ ϩⲱⲃ
15
ⲛⲓⲙ ⲛⲥⲱⲕ ⲛⲅⲉⲓ ϩⲛ
ⲟⲩϭⲉⲡⲏ ⲛⲅⲣ ⲡϣⲁ
ϩⲛ ⲡⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲙⲡϫⲁⲉ
ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ


‘I am Frange who writes greeting his father David and his mother Meseiane. I am also greeting your children, most of all I do salute my brother Ananias and Sabek. Be well in the Lord!
My father David, do not be forgetful of the Enchir desert these days. You could not come and celebrate the festival in the topos. Now then, leave everything behind and come quickly and celebrate the feast at the topos in the desert of God.’


(Text: A. Boud'hors and Ch. Heurtel; trans.: G. Schenke)

A complete record of the text is available at:

http://papyri.info/ddbdp/o.frange;;187