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E05113: Coptic Martyrdom of *Viktor (son of Romanos, S00749), the third Martyrdom, relates the saint’s transport to the south of Antinoopolis (Middle Egypt) for further trial, as well as his final banishment to an abandoned former military camp at Hierakonpolis (Upper Egypt) where he receives a visit from Christ who lays out the saint’s future cult; written presumably in the 6th/7th century.
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posted on 2018-02-21, 00:00 authored by gschenkeBrit. Mus. MS. Oriental, No. 7022, fol. 15a–19b
The account is introduced as follows:
Fol. 15a; Budge, p. 26, lines 1–3:
ⲧⲙⲉϩ ϣⲟⲙⲧⲉ · ⲅ · ⲙⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲓⲁ ⲙⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲃⲓⲕⲧⲱⲣ · ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲉⲓⲣⲏⲛⲏ ⲛⲧⲉ ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ϩⲁⲙⲏⲛ ·
‘The third martyrdom of saint Apa Viktor. In God’s peace. Amen.’
Four soldiers accompany the chained saint to Antinoopolis, but upon arrival find that Eutychianus, the dux/hegemon of the Thebais, has set sails to travel further south. They follow him and when they meet his boat midstream, they hand over the saint and the letter of instructions from Armenios at Alexandria.
Eutychianus then sets up trial at the riverbank and accuses Viktor of being a magician. When Viktor refuses to sacrifice, numerous brutal tortures are inflicted on him. As they seem to have no effect on him, the decision is reached to banish Viktor to a former castron at Hierakion/Hierakonpolis, south of Thebes.
Viktor is brought to the deserted castron by four soldiers and left there to die of starvation. The saint, however, remembered his carpentry skills, producing chairs and lamp stands to sell and live off. Leading the life of a hermit, he prays and keeps alive, until one day, Christ comes to visit him disguised as an old man. They prayed together and spent much time together until at last Christ revealed his true identity, telling the saint that he was before and would always be by his side during the suffering that still awaited Viktor. He then laid out the parameters of the saint’s future cult, before leaving him to carry on as before. Viktor then made preparations for his burial by acquiring the necessary material, fasted and prayed extensively, and was joined by many soldiers who admired his conduct.
Fol. 19a–19b; Budge, p. 32, line 29–p. 33, line 13:
Christ addresses Viktor:
Ϯϫⲱ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ ⲛⲁⲕ ϫⲉ ⲕⲛⲁϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛⲙⲙⲁⲓ ϩⲛ ⲑⲓⲉⲗⲏⲙ ⲛⲧⲡⲉ ⲧⲁⲡⲟⲗⲓⲥ ⲙⲙⲉⲣⲓⲧ · ⲁⲩⲱ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲑⲉ ⲉϣⲁⲓϩⲙⲟⲟⲥ ϩⲓ ⲡⲁⲑⲣⲟⲛⲟⲥ ·
ⲕⲛⲁϩⲙⲟⲟⲥ ϩⲱⲱⲕ ϩⲓϫⲙ ⲡⲱⲕ · ⲁⲩⲱ ϯⲛⲁⲧⲣⲉ ⲇⲩⲣⲁⲛⲛⲟⲥ ⲛⲓⲙ · ϩⲓ ⲁⲣⲭⲏ ⲛⲓⲙ · ⲥⲱⲧⲙ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲡⲉⲕⲣⲁⲛ ⲛⲥⲉⲣϣⲡⲏⲣⲉ · ⲁⲩⲱ
ϯⲛⲁⲧⲣⲉⲩⲉⲓ ⲉⲣⲁⲧϥ ⲙⲡⲉⲕⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ · ⲛⲥⲉⲛ ⲇⲱⲣⲟⲛ ⲛⲁⲕ ϩⲙ ⲡⲁⲣⲁⲛ · ϯⲛⲁ ⲧⲣⲉ ϩⲉⲛⲛⲟϭ ⲛϣⲡⲏⲣⲉ ⲙⲛ ϩⲉⲛⲙⲁⲉⲓⲛ ⲟⲩⲱⲛϩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ
ϩⲙ ⲡⲉⲕⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ · ⲟⲩⲟⲛ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲉⲧⲛⲁⲉⲓ ⲉⲡⲉⲕⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲛϥⲉⲣⲏⲧ ⲛϥⲧⲙⲧⲁⲁⲩ · ϯⲛⲁ ϫⲓ ϩⲁⲡ ⲛⲙⲙⲁϥ ϩⲁⲣⲟⲟⲩ⁖
ⲁⲩⲱ ⲡⲉⲓⲡⲩⲣⲅⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲕⲟⲩⲏⲏϩ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ · ⲥⲉⲛⲁⲱϫⲛ ⲁⲛ ⲛϭⲓ ⲙⲙⲏⲏϣⲉ ⲉⲧⲛⲏⲩ ⲉⲣⲁⲧⲕ ⲛⲉⲕⲡⲟⲗⲩϯⲁ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉⲕⲙⲛⲧϫⲱⲱⲣⲉ ⲛⲁⲃⲱⲕ
ϣⲁ ⲁⲣⲏϫϥ ⲙⲡⲕⲁϩ · ⲕⲛⲁⲣ ⲧⲉⲓⲣⲟⲙⲡⲉ ϩⲛ ⲧⲉⲝⲱⲣⲓ[ⲥ]ⲧⲉⲓⲁ · ϩⲣⲁⲓ ϩⲛ ⲧⲕⲉⲣⲟⲙⲡⲉ ⲥⲉⲛⲁϥⲓ ⲛⲧⲉⲕⲁⲡⲉ ϩⲛ ⲧⲙⲏⲏⲧⲉ ⲙⲡⲉⲓⲕⲁⲥⲧⲣⲟⲛ ϩⲛ
ⲧⲥⲏϥⲉ · ⲕⲛⲁϣⲉⲡ ϩⲉⲛⲕⲉⲕⲟⲩⲓ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲛϩⲓⲥⲉ ⲉϫⲙ ⲡⲁⲣⲁⲛ · ϯⲛⲏⲩ ⲟⲛ ⲛⲧⲁϯϭⲟⲙ ⲛⲁⲕ ϣⲁⲛⲧⲕϯϣⲓⲡⲉ ⲙⲡⲇⲟⲩⲝ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉϥⲃⲁⲍⲁⲛⲟⲥ ·
‘I am telling you that you will be with me in the heavenly Jerusalem, my beloved city. Just as I am sitting on my throne, so you yourself will be sitting on yours. I will let every tyrant and every ruler hear about your name and they will marvel. I will let them come to your shrine and they will bring gifts for you in my name. I will let great miracles and wonders appear at your shrine. Anyone who will come to your shrine and who will make an oath and will not deliver on it, I shall judge him for it.
This tower in which you are living, the multitudes that come to you will not destroy it. Your ways of conduct and your strengths will advance to the end of the earth. You will spend this year in banishment. Next year, your head will be cut off by the sword in the middle of this castron. For you will endure a few more sufferings for my name. I will come again and I will give you strength, until you shame the dux with his tortures.’
(Text: E. A. W. Budge; summary and trans.: G. Schenke)
The account is introduced as follows:
Fol. 15a; Budge, p. 26, lines 1–3:
ⲧⲙⲉϩ ϣⲟⲙⲧⲉ · ⲅ · ⲙⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲓⲁ ⲙⲡϩⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲃⲓⲕⲧⲱⲣ · ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲉⲓⲣⲏⲛⲏ ⲛⲧⲉ ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ϩⲁⲙⲏⲛ ·
‘The third martyrdom of saint Apa Viktor. In God’s peace. Amen.’
Four soldiers accompany the chained saint to Antinoopolis, but upon arrival find that Eutychianus, the dux/hegemon of the Thebais, has set sails to travel further south. They follow him and when they meet his boat midstream, they hand over the saint and the letter of instructions from Armenios at Alexandria.
Eutychianus then sets up trial at the riverbank and accuses Viktor of being a magician. When Viktor refuses to sacrifice, numerous brutal tortures are inflicted on him. As they seem to have no effect on him, the decision is reached to banish Viktor to a former castron at Hierakion/Hierakonpolis, south of Thebes.
Viktor is brought to the deserted castron by four soldiers and left there to die of starvation. The saint, however, remembered his carpentry skills, producing chairs and lamp stands to sell and live off. Leading the life of a hermit, he prays and keeps alive, until one day, Christ comes to visit him disguised as an old man. They prayed together and spent much time together until at last Christ revealed his true identity, telling the saint that he was before and would always be by his side during the suffering that still awaited Viktor. He then laid out the parameters of the saint’s future cult, before leaving him to carry on as before. Viktor then made preparations for his burial by acquiring the necessary material, fasted and prayed extensively, and was joined by many soldiers who admired his conduct.
Fol. 19a–19b; Budge, p. 32, line 29–p. 33, line 13:
Christ addresses Viktor:
Ϯϫⲱ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ ⲛⲁⲕ ϫⲉ ⲕⲛⲁϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛⲙⲙⲁⲓ ϩⲛ ⲑⲓⲉⲗⲏⲙ ⲛⲧⲡⲉ ⲧⲁⲡⲟⲗⲓⲥ ⲙⲙⲉⲣⲓⲧ · ⲁⲩⲱ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲑⲉ ⲉϣⲁⲓϩⲙⲟⲟⲥ ϩⲓ ⲡⲁⲑⲣⲟⲛⲟⲥ ·
ⲕⲛⲁϩⲙⲟⲟⲥ ϩⲱⲱⲕ ϩⲓϫⲙ ⲡⲱⲕ · ⲁⲩⲱ ϯⲛⲁⲧⲣⲉ ⲇⲩⲣⲁⲛⲛⲟⲥ ⲛⲓⲙ · ϩⲓ ⲁⲣⲭⲏ ⲛⲓⲙ · ⲥⲱⲧⲙ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲡⲉⲕⲣⲁⲛ ⲛⲥⲉⲣϣⲡⲏⲣⲉ · ⲁⲩⲱ
ϯⲛⲁⲧⲣⲉⲩⲉⲓ ⲉⲣⲁⲧϥ ⲙⲡⲉⲕⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ · ⲛⲥⲉⲛ ⲇⲱⲣⲟⲛ ⲛⲁⲕ ϩⲙ ⲡⲁⲣⲁⲛ · ϯⲛⲁ ⲧⲣⲉ ϩⲉⲛⲛⲟϭ ⲛϣⲡⲏⲣⲉ ⲙⲛ ϩⲉⲛⲙⲁⲉⲓⲛ ⲟⲩⲱⲛϩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ
ϩⲙ ⲡⲉⲕⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ · ⲟⲩⲟⲛ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲉⲧⲛⲁⲉⲓ ⲉⲡⲉⲕⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲛϥⲉⲣⲏⲧ ⲛϥⲧⲙⲧⲁⲁⲩ · ϯⲛⲁ ϫⲓ ϩⲁⲡ ⲛⲙⲙⲁϥ ϩⲁⲣⲟⲟⲩ⁖
ⲁⲩⲱ ⲡⲉⲓⲡⲩⲣⲅⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲕⲟⲩⲏⲏϩ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ · ⲥⲉⲛⲁⲱϫⲛ ⲁⲛ ⲛϭⲓ ⲙⲙⲏⲏϣⲉ ⲉⲧⲛⲏⲩ ⲉⲣⲁⲧⲕ ⲛⲉⲕⲡⲟⲗⲩϯⲁ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉⲕⲙⲛⲧϫⲱⲱⲣⲉ ⲛⲁⲃⲱⲕ
ϣⲁ ⲁⲣⲏϫϥ ⲙⲡⲕⲁϩ · ⲕⲛⲁⲣ ⲧⲉⲓⲣⲟⲙⲡⲉ ϩⲛ ⲧⲉⲝⲱⲣⲓ[ⲥ]ⲧⲉⲓⲁ · ϩⲣⲁⲓ ϩⲛ ⲧⲕⲉⲣⲟⲙⲡⲉ ⲥⲉⲛⲁϥⲓ ⲛⲧⲉⲕⲁⲡⲉ ϩⲛ ⲧⲙⲏⲏⲧⲉ ⲙⲡⲉⲓⲕⲁⲥⲧⲣⲟⲛ ϩⲛ
ⲧⲥⲏϥⲉ · ⲕⲛⲁϣⲉⲡ ϩⲉⲛⲕⲉⲕⲟⲩⲓ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲛϩⲓⲥⲉ ⲉϫⲙ ⲡⲁⲣⲁⲛ · ϯⲛⲏⲩ ⲟⲛ ⲛⲧⲁϯϭⲟⲙ ⲛⲁⲕ ϣⲁⲛⲧⲕϯϣⲓⲡⲉ ⲙⲡⲇⲟⲩⲝ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉϥⲃⲁⲍⲁⲛⲟⲥ ·
‘I am telling you that you will be with me in the heavenly Jerusalem, my beloved city. Just as I am sitting on my throne, so you yourself will be sitting on yours. I will let every tyrant and every ruler hear about your name and they will marvel. I will let them come to your shrine and they will bring gifts for you in my name. I will let great miracles and wonders appear at your shrine. Anyone who will come to your shrine and who will make an oath and will not deliver on it, I shall judge him for it.
This tower in which you are living, the multitudes that come to you will not destroy it. Your ways of conduct and your strengths will advance to the end of the earth. You will spend this year in banishment. Next year, your head will be cut off by the sword in the middle of this castron. For you will endure a few more sufferings for my name. I will come again and I will give you strength, until you shame the dux with his tortures.’
(Text: E. A. W. Budge; summary and trans.: G. Schenke)
History
Evidence ID
E05113Saint Name
Viktor, son of Romanos, martyr in Egypt : S00749 John the Baptist : S00020Saint Name in Source
ⲁⲡⲁ ⲃⲓⲕⲧⲱⲣ ⲡⲉⲥⲧⲣⲁⲧⲏⲗⲁⲧⲏⲥ ⲓⲱ(ϩⲁⲛⲛⲏ)ⲥ ⲡⲃⲁⲡⲧⲓⲥⲧⲏⲥRelated Saint Records
Type of Evidence
Late antique original manuscripts - Parchment codex Literary - Hagiographical - Accounts of martyrdom Literary - Colophons, marginalia etc.Language
CopticEvidence not before
500Evidence not after
900Activity not before
303Activity not after
900Place of Evidence - Region
Egypt and CyrenaicaPlace of Evidence - City, village, etc
EdfuPlace of evidence - City name in other Language(s)
Edfu Hermopolis ϣⲙⲟⲩⲛ Ashmunein HermopolisCult activities - Places
Cult building - monasticCult activities - Places Named after Saint
- Monastery