E05399: Coptic Sermon attributed to Apa *Psote (ob. 305, S01468), bishop of Psoi/Ptolemais (Upper Egypt), in the early morning before his martyrdom (by beheading), encouraging his congregation to follow a godly path and to celebrate his memory; written most likely prior to the 6th century.

Celebrating an early morning mass with his congregation, bishop Psote mentions that soldiers are waiting for him outside to take him to the governor Arianus where he will die as a martyr for the name of Christ.

He encourages his congregation to pursue a humble life, free of sin, and in accordance to the will of God, reminding them of the inevitable moment of eternal judgement.

The text is introduced as follows:

Ed. Orlandi, p. 78, lines 1–5:

ⲟⲩⲕⲁⲑⲩⲅⲏⲥⲓⲥ ⲛⲧⲉ ⲡⲛⲡⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲛⲓⲱⲧ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲯⲟⲧⲉ ⲡⲛⲟϭ ⲛⲉⲡⲓⲥⲕⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲛⲧⲡⲟⲗⲓⲥ ⲡⲥⲟⲓ ⲛⲧⲁϥⲧⲁⲩⲟⲥ ⲇⲉ ⲛϣⲱⲣⲡ ⲛⲧⲕⲩⲣⲓⲁⲕⲏ
ⲛⲧⲉⲣⲉ ⲁⲣⲓⲁⲛⲟⲥ ⲡϩⲏⲅⲉⲙⲱⲛ ⲛⲑⲩⲃⲁⲉⲓⲥ ⲧⲛⲛⲟⲟⲩ ⲛⲥⲱϥ ⲉⲃⲓ ⲛⲧⲉϥⲁⲡⲉ ⲉⲁϥⲡⲁⲣⲁⲕⲁⲗⲓ ⲛⲡⲃⲉⲗⲉⲧⲁⲣⲓⲟⲥ ⲛⲡⲣⲣⲟ ⲙⲛ ⲙⲙⲁⲧⲟⲓ
ⲙⲡϩⲏⲅⲉⲙⲱⲛ ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲩⲕⲁϯⲭⲉ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲉⲁϥⲣ ⲧⲉⲩϣⲏ ⲧⲏⲣⲥ ⲉϥϩⲟⲙⲉⲗⲓ ⲉⲡⲗⲁⲟⲥ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲉⲓⲣⲏⲛⲉ ϩⲁⲙⲏⲛ

‘A sermon by our holy father Apa Psote, the great bishop of the city Psoi. He delivered it early on Sunday, when Arianos, the governor of the Thebais, had sent for him, to be beheaded. He asked the messenger of the emperor and the soldiers of the governor to hold back, and he spent the whole night preaching to the community. In peace. Amen.’

Psote reminds his congregation that already as a child he had numerous visions, being approached by the Angel of the Lord foretelling him the future. He is certain now that he will die as a martyr being sentenced to death by the governor Arianos whose soldiers are waiting to arrest him.

Bidding his congregation farewell, bishop Psote asks them to remember him. [Whether this ought to be understood as an encouragement of cult remains debatable, but since this demand is connected with the well-being and salvation of each member of the congregation, Psote’s wish does seem to concern the celebration of his feast day.]

Ed. Orlandi, p. 84, lines 15–17:

ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲡⲁⲓ ϯⲱⲣⲕ ⲉⲣⲱⲧⲛ ⲱ ⲛⲁϣⲏⲣⲉ ⲙⲙⲉⲣⲓⲧ ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲧⲉⲧⲛϭⲱ ⲉⲧⲉⲧⲛⲉⲓⲣⲉ ⲙⲡⲁⲙⲉⲉⲩⲉ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲟⲩⲁⲅⲁⲡⲏ ⲛⲧⲉ ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲧⲉⲧⲉⲛⲣ
ⲁⲡⲁⲧⲟⲟⲧⲧⲏⲩⲧⲛ ⲉⲣ ϩⲱⲃ ⲉⲡⲉⲧⲛⲟⲩϫⲁⲓ ⲙⲙⲓⲛ ⲙⲙⲱⲧⲛ ϫⲉ ⲡⲟⲩϫⲁⲓ ⲛⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲡⲉ ⲣⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ

‘Therefore, I am invoking you, my beloved children, to ensure that you continue to celebrate my memory according to the love of God, and that you thrive to labour for your own salvation, as the salvation of each person is to follow the law of God.’


(Text: T. Orlandi, trans. G. Schenke)