E04215: Coptic document of unknown Egyptian provenance with an invocation to *Severos (bishop of Antioch, ob. 538, S00262), *Theodore 'Stratelates' (soldier and martyr of Amaseia and Euchaita, S00136 and S00480), and *Thekla (presumably the follower of the Apostle Paul, S00092, or the virgin and martyr of Assiut, S00777) to help a patient to obtain healing; datable to the 7th/8th century.

P.MoscowCopt. 36

The document begins by citing the first verse of each of the four Gospels (Mt. 1:1, Mk. 1:1, Lk. 1:1, and Jn. 1.1), before citing the story of Christ arriving at the house of Peter and finding his mother-in-law struck down with a fever (Mt. 8:14). After Christ touched her hand, she was healed immediately, which then caused many others inflicted with illnesses to be brought to him that evening in the hope of a cure, which Christ provided, healing everyone (Mt. 8:15–16).

Lines 1–2: Matthew 1:1
Lines 3–5: Mark 1:1
Lines 5–8: Luke 1:1
Lines 8–12: John 1:1
Lines 13–24: Matthew 8:14–16

“The book of the birth of Jesus Christ, the son of David (Mt. 1:1). The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the son of God (Mk. 1:1). Since many have undertaken to write accounts concerning the things which their heart desired (Lk. 1:1). In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and their Gods (sic) was the word (Jn. 1:1).
But Jesus, when he came up to the house of Peter, saw his mother-in-law lying down and being feverish. And he touched her hand. The fever left her and she rose and served him. And when it was evening, they brought to him anyone who suffered from different illnesses and those in whom an unclean spirit dwelled, and he healed them (Mt. 8:14–16/Mk. 1:29–34/Lk. 4:38–41).” [Jesus in the house of Simon Peter]

The text then continues invoking the help of Jesus and the intercession of known healing saints for one specific individual. A man named Theona suffering from an illness himself, most likely a fever, invokes Christ directly for help, before invoking the prayers of three saints, Severos, Theodore, and Thekla, in the hope that God will grant him healing.

Lines 25–35 read as follows:

+ ⲓⲥ ⲭⲥ ⲃⲟⲏⲑⲓⲁ ⲉⲡⲉⲕ-
ϩⲙϩⲁⲗ ⲑⲉⲱⲛⲁ ⲡϣⲏⲣⲉ
ⲛⲑⲁⲡⲗⲟⲩⲥ ϩⲁⲙⲏⲛ
ϩⲁⲙⲏⲛ ϩⲁⲙⲏⲛ
+ + + ⲛⲉϣⲗⲏⲗ
ⲙⲡⲡⲁⲧⲣⲓⲁⲣⲭⲏⲥ ⲥⲉⲩⲏⲣⲟ(ⲥ)
ⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲑⲉⲟⲇⲱⲣⲟⲥ
ⲡⲉⲥⲧⲣⲁⲧⲏⲗⲁⲧⲏⲥ
ⲑⲁⲅⲓⲁ ⲑⲉⲕⲗⲁ ⲡⲁⲣⲁⲕⲁ-
ⲗⲓ ⲛⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲛϥⲭⲁⲣⲓⲍⲉ
ⲙⲡⲧⲁⲗϭⲟ ⲛⲑⲉⲟⲛⲁ ⲓⲁ
+ + +

'Jesus Christ, help your servant Theona, the son of Thaplous! Amen. Amen. Amen.
Prayers of the patriarch Severos, saint Theodore Stratelates, (and) saint Thekla, entreat God, and he will grant Theona healing, truly!'


(Text: P. V. Jernstedt, trans.: G. Schenke)