E06818: Fragment of a Coptic Encomion on *Pjoore (martyr of Panopolis, S02599), listing also feast days, for *Apa Elias (bishop of Psoi/Ptolemais, S02598), and for *Arsenios and Loukios (ascetics of Syrian origin, and martyrs near Panopolis, S02600); datable to the 7th/8th century.
online resource
posted on 2018-10-10, 00:00authored bygschenke
P.Lond.Copt. I 337 = BM 337
In lines 6–7 the saint whose name means ‘the strong’ is invoked as follows:
‘Pjoore true to his name! The man thus exceedingly justified by name as well as by actions. The one who was forgotten to be invited to the meal, he was found to be the first through sacrifice.’
Then follow the two dates, one written in the margins, before the encomion begins, but breaks off soon after:
ⲁⲡⲁ ϩⲏⲗⲓⲁⲥ ⲡⲉⲡⲓⲥⲕⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲛⲧⲡⲟⲗⲓⲥ ⲯⲟⲓ ⲭⲟⲓ(ⲁ)ⲭ ⲓⲉ
‘Apa Elias, the bishop of the city Psoi: Choiak 15 [11/12 December]’
‘Likewise for the Syrian saints Loukios and Arsenios: Choiak 16 [12/13 December]’
(Text W. E. Crum; trans. G. Schenke)
History
Evidence ID
E06818
Saint Name
Elias, Apa Elias, bishop of the city Psoi/Ptolemais (Upper Egypt) : S02598
Pjoore, martyr from Panopolis (Upper Egypt) : S02599
Arsenios and Loukios, ascetics and martyrs near Panopolis (Upper Egypt), of Syrian origin : S02600
Cult activities - Non Liturgical Practices and Customs
Prayer/supplication/invocation
Source
The parchment manuscript BM Or. 3581B(45) is kept in the British Museum in London and has been dated on palaeographical grounds.
Discussion
Arsenios and Loukios appear as a pair of martyrs in E06902. For the same pair and date, see E05971: 'Arsenios (and) Loukios: Day 16 of [Choiak] [12/13 December]''.
The two saints are mentioned in the typika of the White Monastery and the Arabic Synaxarion as Arsenios and Eulogios under the date 16 Choiak (12/13 December). They are said to have been ascetics near Panopolis, both of Syrian origin, who suffered martyrdom together.
Bibliography
Text and comments:
Crum, W.E., Catalogue of the Coptic Manuscripts in the British Museum (P.Lond.Copt. I) (London, 1905), 154–155.
O'Leary, De L., Saints of Egypt (London: SPCK, 1937), 134.
Papaconstantinou, A., Le culte des saints en Égypte des Byzantins aux Abbassides (Paris: CNRS, 2001), 59.