salām (salutation) of anba shenoute...metropolitan athanasius of bani sueif, and the kind help of...

Coptica 14 (2015), 63 - 78.

Salām (Salutation) of Anba Shenoute

Youhanna Nessim Youssef*

In a previous article, I highlighted the importance of the liturgical

texts relating to Saint Shenoute.1 Here I will study the Book of

Salamāt (sing. salām: “greeting,” “salutation”) from the manuscript

of Bani Sueif,2 comparing the historical information found in this text

concerning Saint Shenoute with both the Bohairic and Arabic

versions of his Vita. The following is a brief description of the

manuscript3.

The manuscript is 13 x 18 cm; there is no original pagination and

we find only 18 lines per folio. The date, 1566 AM (= 1850 AD), is

given in the colophon. The scribe is Father Hassab-Allah. The

marginal note shows that the manuscript was endowed for the

Monastery of Lady Euphrosine in the Dayr of the great martyr Saint

George in the Upper Church of Harit Zuwaylah. The colophon

indicates that the sponsor of this manuscript is the monk Bishai, the

minister of the Monastery of our Lady and Madonna known as one

of the Syrian fathers. The owner is Mother Mariam the daughter of

the Virgin Mary, the abbess of the Upper Monastery of Harit

Zuwaylah, the minister of Lady Euphrosyna. The underlined passage

is written in red ink in the manuscript.

Text (fol. 69v)

.شفاعته تكون معنا امني بركة سالم القديس البار انبا شنودة .مضت اقواله اىل االرض كلهاالسالم لك يا ايب القديس انبا شنودة الذي

* This paper was made possible by the kind permission of His Eminence, the late

Metropolitan Athanasius of Bani Sueif, and the kind help of my friend, Ayman Samir

Zaki. 1 Youhanna Nessim Youssef, “Bohairic Liturgical Texts Related to St Shenoute,”

Christianity and Monasticism in Upper Egypt, vol. 1, Akhmim and Sohag, ed., Gawdat

Gabra and Hany N. Takla (Cairo and New York: A Saint Mark Foundation, the American University in Cairo Press, 2008), pp. 179-200.

2 For this book cf. Youhanna Nessim Youssef, “Coptic and Arabic Liturgical Texts

Relating to Moses the Black,” Synaxis Katholike Beiträge zu Gottesdienst und Geschichte der fünf altkirchlichen Patriarchate für Heinzgerd Brakmann zum 70

Geburtstag, ed., D. Atanassova and T. Chronz, orientalia-patristica –oecumenica 6.1

(Vienna and Munich: Lit Verlag, 2014), pp. 751-766. 3 For details, see the previous reference.

64 Youhanna Nessim Youssef

السالم لك يا ايب القديس انيا شنودة يا من دعى نيب واضع الناموس وغلبت .امللوك من قبل روح القدس اجلاري من قلبك مثل االهنار اجلارية

.امللوك هدايا وقرابني اىل ديرك املقدس *لك 4ةالسالم لك يا من قدم .السالم لك يا من قبلت اليك االم الرهبنة التعب والصعب

.السالم لك يا من استحقيت اخلريات االبدية .السالم لك يا من ابقيت سريتك واقوالك العظيمة

.السالم لك يا من احب اتعاب الفضايل منجل رجا حياة االبد .يا من صرت مثال يف الشركة للذين يريدون ميشون يف الوصايا لكالسالم

.السالم لك يا من اتى به ابيه اىل الشيوخ فقبلوه قربان مثل صمويل النيب .الطاهر انه قد رشم شنودة رييس املتوحدين 5يا من مسع الصوة لكالسالم .ياليا من ربطه املسيح باالسكيم املقدس الذي للعظيم انبا اي لكالسالم

.السالم لك يا من * تكلم معه املسيح كشف له سرايره مقدسة .انبا كريلس وبكت نسطور املخالف عاىل اجملمع م 6السالم لك يا من مضا

.السالم لك يا من ركب السحابة حىت اتت به اىل ديره الذي يف جبل ادريبه .السالم لك ايها النيب العظيم حبيب هللا وصديق القديسني

.لك يا موسى الثاين الذي مل يغرك العدو او يطفيكالسالم .السالم لك يا ايليا النك تشبهت به

.السالم لك يا واضع الناموس لكافة الرهبان والعلمانني .يا ابينا انبا شنودة الذي القيت سيدك حسنا لكالسالم

.السالم لك يا الذي وهب له املسيح عمر موسى* عظيم االنبيا .رقد يف مرض موته ومجيع القديسني حوله مثل االكاليل السالم لك يالذي

4 Read: قدمت 5 Read: الصوت 6 Read: مضى

Salām (Salutation) of Anba Shenoute 65

السالم لك يا من قلت يا انبا بيشاي وانبا انطونيوس وانبا خبوم امسكوا بيدي .لكي اسجد لريب يسوع املسيح

.ةالسالم لك يا من محلك معه اىل العلو اىل مواضع الراح

ني يا ابينا انبا القديس اشفع فينا ايها النيب العظيم والقديس الكامل الكبري يف شنودة رييس املتوحدين ان يغفر لنا خطايانا الرب بطلباتك املقبولة امامه

.يف كل حني امني

Translation

Hail to the righteous saint Anba Shenoute, may the blessing

of his intercessions be with us, Amen!

Hail to you, my father Anba Shenoute, whose words have

spread across the whole earth!

Hail to you, my father saint Anba Shenoute, who was called

prophet and lawgiver, you overcame the kings through

the Holy Spirit who flows from your heart like running

rivers.

Hail to you, to whom kings have offered presents and

offerings to your holy monastery.

Hail to you, who accepted unto himself the hard pains,

labors, and passions of monasticism.

Hail to you, who was worthy of the eternal goods.

Hail to you, who left your biography and your great

speeches.

Hail to you, who loved the labors of virtue in the hope of the

eternal life. Hail to you, who became an example in the coenobitic (life)

to those who want to follow7 the commandments.

Hail to you, whose father took him to the elders and they

received him as an offering like Samuel the prophet.

Hail to you, who heard the pure voice, that Shenoute was

ordained an archimandrite.

Hail to you, who Christ girded with the holy Schema that

belonged to the great Anba Elijah.

Hail to you, who Christ talked to and revealed his holy

mysteries.

7 Lit.: “walk”.


Hail to you, who went to the council with Anba Cyril and

rebuked Nestorius the heretic.

Hail to you, who rode the cloud till it brought him to his

monastery in the desert of Atripe (Adribah).

Hail to you, O great prophet, beloved of God, and the friend

of the saints.

Hail to you, O second Moses, who the enemy did not incite

nor extinguish.

Hail to you, O Elijah, for you resembled him.

Hail to you, O lawgiver for the monks and laypeople.

Hail to you, O our father Anba Shenoute who welcomed

your Lord well.

Hail to you, that Christ granted the lifespan of Moses, the

greatest among the prophets.

Hail to you, who reposed in the illness leading to his death

as all the saints surrounded him like crowns.

Hail to you, who said O Anba Bishoi and Anba Antony and

Pachomius hold my hands that I may prostrate myself

to my Lord Jesus Christ.

Hail to you, who was carried by Him to the highest to the

place of repose.

Intercede on our behalf, O great prophet, the perfect (saint),

the greatest among the saints, O our father Anba

Shenoute, the archimandrite, that the Lord may forgive

our sins through your prayers which are acceptable

before Him at all times, Amen!

Commentary

The Infancy of the Saint

In general, for a discussion of the biographical data about the saint

and the traditions preserved in the different recensions of his Life, see

the studies by N. Lubomierski.8 Here, the comparison between

Samuel and Shenoute is not included in all the versions of his vitae.

8 N. Lubomierski, “The Vita Sinuthii (The Life of Shenoute): Panegyric or

Biography?” Studia Patristica 39 (Leuven: Peeters, 2006), pp. 417-421; ibid., Die Vita

Sinutii. Form und Uberlieferungsgeschichte der hagiographische Texte über Schenoute den Archimandriten (Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2007) and the principal idea

of her thesis “Towards a better understandin of the so-called‚ Vita Sinuthi,”

International Coptic Congress 8, pp. 527-536; ibid., “The Coptic Life of Shenoute,” Christianity and Monasticism, vol. 1, ed., Gabra and Takla, pp. 91-98.


His Monastic Career

Shenoute played an important role in Egyptian monasticism.9

Hail to you, to whom kings have offered presents and

offerings to your holy monastery.

Hail to you, who accepted unto himself the hard pains,

labors, and passions of monasticism.

Although the judges had many discussions with Shenoute,10 nothing

in his vitae shows that the kings offered gifts to his monastery,

however, it is not impossible.

The remaining church of the monastery of Saint Shenoute is an

imposing structure, the most important Christian monument in Upper

Egypt.11

Salām Arabic vita12 Bohairic vita13

السالم لك يا من ربطه املسيح باالسكيم املقدس

.الذي للعظيم انبا ايليا

فقال املالك للشيخ اذا اصبحت باكر جتد عند انبا

فالبسه اياه شنودة اسكيم ليوحنا املعمداين ةفاملنطق

نسيب السيد املسيح واالسكيم اليليا املراكيب

والقاصرة للثالثة فتية وقد باركهم اصفيا كثريين وقد

رمشهم والسيد املسيح ابن هللا احلي.

ⲡⲓⲥⲭⲏⲙⲁ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲛⲧⲉ ⲏⲗⲓⲁⲥ ⲡⲓⲑⲉⲥⲃⲩⲧⲏⲥ ⲡⲉ ⲉ ⲁⲡϭ︦ⲥ︦ ⲓ︦ⲏ︦ⲥ︦ ⲟⲩⲟⲣⲡϥ ⲛⲁⲕ ⲉⲑⲣⲉⲕⲧⲏⲓϥ ⲉϫⲱϥ.

9 S. Emmel, “Shenoute’s Place in the History of Monasticism,” in Christianity and

Monasticism, vol. 1, ed., Gabra and Takla, pp. 31-46. 10 P. du Bourguet, “Entretien de Chenouté sur les devoirs des Juges,” Bulletin de

l’Institut Français d’Archéologie Orientale 55 (1956), pp. 85-109. 11 Gawdat Gabra, Coptic Monasteries, Egypt’s monastic art and architecture,

(Cairo and New York: American University in Cairo Press, 2002), pp. 96-100. 12 E. Amélineau, “Vie arabe de Schenoudi,” Monuments pour servir à l’histoire de

l’Égypte chrétienne aux ive – ve siècle, Mémoires publiés par les membres de la mission

archéologique Française au Caire 4 (Cairo, 1888-1895), p. 309. 13 Leipold, Sinuthii Archimandritae vite et opera omnia, Corpus Scriptorum

Christianorum Orientalium, scriptores Coptici 2 (Paris, 1906), §8, p. 11.


Hail to you, who

Christ girded with

the holy Schema

that belonged to

the great Anba

Elijah.

The angel said to the

elder, when it will be

morning you will find

with anba Shenoute a

schema. Dress him in

it. The gird belonged

to John Baptist, the

relative of Lord Jesus,

and the schema is of

Elijah the charioteer,

and the shot tunic

belongs to the three

young men. They

were blessed by many

pure individuals and

were signed by the

Lord Christ, the Son

of the Living God.

For the Schema of

Elijah the

Thishbite Lord

Jesus sent it you

in order that you

place it upon him.

Hail to you, my father saint Anba Shenoute, who was

called prophet and lawgiver, you overcame the kings

through the Holy Spirit who flows from your heart like

running rivers.

The title of Shenoute as “prophet” occurs in several texts. 14

Hail to you, who became an example in the

coenobitic (life) for those who want to follow15 his

commandments.

It is known that Shenoute made many rules and canons for organising

his community, which is confirmed in the Bohairic Vita.16

14 D. Brakke, “Shenoute, Weber, and the monastic prophet: ancient and modern

articulations of ascetic authority,” in Foundations of Power and Conflicts of Authority

in Late-Antique Monasticism. Proceedings of the International Seminar Turin,

December 2-4, 2004. ed., A. Camplani and G. Filoramo (Leuven: Peeters, 2007), pp.

47-74. C.T Schroeder, “Prophecy and Porneia in Shenoute’s Letters: The Rhetoric of Sexuality in a Late Antique Egyptian Monastery,” Journal of Near Eastern Studies 65

(2006), pp. 81-97. 15 Lit.: “walk”. 16 B. Layton, “The Ancient Rules in Shenoute’s Monastic Federation,” in

Christianity and Monasticism, vol. 1, ed. Gabra and Takla, pp. 73-81; idem, “The

Monastic Rules of Shenoute,” in Monastic estates in late antique and early Islamic Egypt: Ostraca, papyri, and essays in memory of Sarah Clackson (P. Clackson), ed.


ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲁϥⲥⲉⲙⲛⲓ ⲛϩⲁⲛⲕⲁⲛⲱⲛ ⲛⲛⲓⲙⲟⲛⲁⲭⲟⲥ ⲛⲁϥϫⲱ ⲡⲉ ⲛϩⲁⲛⲙⲏϣ ⲛⲉⲝⲏⲅⲓⲥⲓⲥ ⲉⲩⲙⲉϩ ⲛⲉⲛⲧⲟⲗⲏ17

You have set for us laws for the monks and said many

exegeses full of commandments.

Hail to you, o second Moses, who the enemy did not

incite nor extinguish.

The comparison of Shenoute and the prophets is also supported by

the Bohairic Vita.

ⲛⲉϥϩⲃⲏⲟⲩⲓ ⲉⲧⲁⲩϣⲱⲡⲓ ⲉⲃⲟⲗϩⲓⲧⲟⲧϥ ⲉⲩⲟⲛⲓ ⲛⲛⲁ ⲛⲓⲡⲣⲟⲫⲏⲧⲏⲥ ⲉⲑⲟⲩⲁⲃ ⲛⲉⲙ ⲛⲓⲁⲡⲟⲥⲧⲟⲗⲟⲥ18

The deeds which he did by you, resemble those of the

holy prophets and apostles [of the Lord].

As A Mystic

Shenoute is portrayed as a mystic person in an episode within the

Arabic vita.

One day a monk gave to Shenoute an apple, the fruit of

paradise, which he received from heaven. Shenoute

planted the seeds, which bore fruit.19

His Role in the Council of Ephesus

The participation of Shenoute in the Council of Ephesus is very well

attested, not only in the vitae, but also in the writing of Shenoute

Anne Boud’hors, et al. American Studies in Papyrology 46 (Cincinnati: American

Society of Papyrologists, 2009), pp. 170–77; ibid., “Punishing the Nuns: A Reading

of Shenoute’s Letters to the Nuns in Canons Book Four,” in Christianity in Egypt:

Literary Production and Intellectual Trends. Studies in Honor of Tito Orlandi, ed.

Paola Buzi and Alberto Camplani, Studia Ephemeridis Augustinianum 125 (Rome:

Istituto Patristico Augustinianum, 2011), pp. 325–45; ibid., “Some Observations on Shenoute’s Sources: Who are Our Fathers?” Journal of Coptic Studies 11 (2009): pp.

44-59; Mark N. Swanson, “‘He Often Rejected Sinners and Cast Them into Hell’? On

the Image of St. Shenoute in Copto-Arabic Literature: The Relevance of a Sermon in MS Paris B.N. ar. 244,” Coptica 9 (2010), pp. 67-81.

17 Leipold, Sinuthii Archimandritae, § 11. 18 Leipold, Sinuthii Archimandritae, § 2. 19 Amélineau, “Vie arabe de Schenoudi,” pp. 415-420.


himself, and the panegyric of Macarius of Tkow.20 During this

council, Cyril ordained Shenoute as archimandrite; hence, we have

an image depicting Shenoute as an archbishop in an icon of the

seventeenth century.21

Bohairic vita22 Arabic vita 23 Salām

ⲁⲥϣⲱⲡⲓ ⲇⲉ ⲟⲛ ⲛⲟⲩⲥⲏⲟⲩ ⲉⲑⲣⲟⲩⲑⲱⲟⲩϯ ⲉϯⲥⲩⲛⲟⲇⲟⲥ ̀ⲛϫⲉ ⲛⲉⲛⲓⲟϯ ⲉⲑⲟⲩⲁⲃ ⲉⲑⲣⲟⲩⲉⲣⲕⲁⲑⲉⲣⲓⲛ ⲙⲡⲓⲁⲥⲉⲃⲏⲥ ⲛⲉⲥⲧⲟⲣⲓⲟⲥ.

ودفعة امللك يطلب القديس كريلس البطريرك الجل نسطور

اجلاحد وان البطريرك أرسل بأنبا شنودة وانبا بقطر

ا ريدس طفنيس ليذهبو تاالرمشنايضا صحبته اىل مدينة اململكة

طينية ليكشفوا أمر ذلك القسطن املفتضح نسطور ويناظروه.

السالم لك يا من مضا اىل اجملمع مع انبا

كريلس وبكت نسطور .املخالف

It happened at that

time that the holy

fathers assembled

in the Synod in

order to remove

the impious

Nestorius.

Once, the king asked

saint Cyril the patriarch

concerning Nestorius

the apostate, and the

patriarch sent to Anba

Shenouda and Anba

Victor, the

Archimandrite of

Tabanesi, to

accompany him to the

Capital city of

Constantinople in order

to reveal the case of

this heretic and debate

with him.

Hail to you, who

went to the

council with

Anba Cyril and

rebuked

Nestorius the

heretic.

20 S. Moawad, االنبا شنودة رئيس املتوحديت سريته عظاته وقوانينه – اجلزء االول [Apa

Shenoute the Archimandrite: His Life, His Discourses, and His Canons] (in Arabic),

vol. 1 (Cairo: Panarion, 2009), pp. 29-35. 21 Z. Skalova and Gawdat Gabra, Icons of the Nile Valley (Cairo: Longman, 2003),

pp. 220-221. 22 Leipoldt, Sinuthii Archimandritae, pp. 57-59, § 128-130. 23 Amélineau, “Vie arabe de Schenoudi,” p. 324.


Bohairic vita 24 Arabic vita25 Salām

ⲁⲥϣⲱⲡⲓ ⲇⲉ ⲉⲧⲁ ⲡⲟⲩⲣⲟ ⲭⲁⲩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲉⲑⲣⲟⲩϣⲉⲛⲱⲟⲩ ⲉⲛⲟⲩⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲧⲟⲧⲉ ⲁ ⲡⲁⲓⲱⲧ ⲁⲡⲁ ϣⲉⲛⲟⲩϯ ϫⲉ ⲉϥⲛⲁⲧⲁⲗⲟϥ ⲉⲡⲓϫⲟⲓ ⲛⲉⲙ ⲛⲉⲛⲓⲟϯ ⲉⲑⲟⲩⲁⲃ ⲁⲃⲃⲁ ⲕⲩⲣⲓⲗⲗⲟⲥ ⲡⲓⲁⲣⲭⲓⲉⲡⲓⲥⲕⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲛⲉⲙ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲃⲓⲕⲧⲱⲣ ⲡⲓⲁⲣⲭⲏⲙⲁⲛⲇⲣⲓⲧⲏⲥ ⲁ ⲛⲓⲕⲟⲩϫⲓ ⲛⲣⲉϥϣⲉⲙϣⲓ ϫⲟⲥ ⲛⲁϥ ϫⲉ ⲭⲛⲁϣⲧⲁⲗⲟⲕ ⲁⲛ ⲛⲉⲙ ⲡⲓⲁⲣⲭⲏⲉⲡⲓⲥⲕⲟⲡⲟⲥ. ⲛⲁⲩⲥⲱⲟⲩⲛ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲁⲛ ⲡⲉ. ⲡⲁⲓⲱⲧ ⲇⲉ ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲛⲱⲟⲩ ϫⲉ ⲓⲥϫⲉ ⲙⲙⲟⲛ ⲙⲁⲣⲉ ⲫⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲙⲡϭ︦ⲥ︦ ϣⲱⲡⲓ. ⲧⲟⲧⲉ ⲁϥϣⲉ ϩⲓ ⲫⲟⲩⲉⲓ ⲛⲟⲩⲕⲟⲩϫⲓ ⲛⲑⲟϥ ⲛⲉⲙ ⲡⲉϥⲙⲁⲑⲏⲧⲏⲥ ⲉⲑⲙⲟϣⲓ ⲛⲉⲙⲁϥ ⲁϥⲟϩⲓ ⲉⲣⲁⲧϥ ⲁϥϣⲗⲏⲗ ⲉϥϫⲱ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲡⲁϭ︦ⲥ︦ ⲓ︦ⲏ︦ⲥ︦ ⲡⲭ︦ⲥ︦ ⲁϣ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲓⲣⲏϯ ⲉⲑⲣⲉⲕⲟⲗⲧ ⲉⲡⲁⲙⲟⲛⲁⲥⲧⲏⲣⲓⲟⲛ ϩⲟⲥⲟⲛ ⲉϥⲙⲟⲕⲙⲉⲕ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ϧⲉⲛ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲓⲥ ⲟⲩϭⲏⲡⲓ ⲛⲟⲩⲱⲓⲛⲓ ⲁⲥⲓ ⲉⲃⲟⲗϧⲉⲛ ⲧⲫⲉ ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲁⲥⲧⲁⲗⲟϥ ⲛⲉⲙ ⲡⲉϥⲙⲁⲑⲏⲧⲏⲥ ⲉⲡϭⲓⲥⲓ ⲁⲥϩⲱⲗ ⲛⲉⲙⲁϥ.

فتقدم ايب الصديق لريكب السفينة مع االب البطريرك املكرم انبا كريلص والقديس

يدس فمنعوا ايبت بقطر ارمشناملالحون قائلني اننا ال ندعك

تزكب مع البطريرك العظيم يدس نأن ايب كان ت واالرمشينميشي كانه نحقري نأشكله

بتواضع يف كل حني اما ايب فقال ارادة الرب تكون ورجع اىل اخللف هو وتلميذه ووقفا

مصلني وقال ايها الرب االهلي انت الذي اخرجتين من ديري ووقفت معي عند امللك وانت

الذي اخزيت ذو الشيعة الكاذبة نسطوريوس وانت الذي

توصلين اىل بيتكتسوسين و وهذا هو اليوم الذي املقدس

احتاج فيه اليك وايل حتننك فاين غريب وذليل وقد طردين

املالحون فلتكن مسرتك يارب وفيما يتضرع هكذا وسحابة

نرية اختطفته...

السالم لك يا من ركب السحابة حىت

اتت به اىل ديره الذي يف جبل

.ادريبه

24 Leipold, Sinuthii Archimandritae, pp. 18-20, §16. 25 Amélineau, “Vie arabe de Schenoudi,” pp. 324-325.


It happened when the

king dismissed them

in order that they go

to their places. Then

my father Apa

Shenoute [ ]to carry

him on the ship with

our holy father abba

Cyril the archbishop

and apa Victor the

Archimandrite. The

low servants told

him, “You are not

able to travel with

the Archbishop,” for

they did not know

him. My father said

to them, “If not, let

the will of the Lord

be.” Then he went a

little bit afar, himself

and his disciple

walking with him.

He stood up and

prayed saying, “My

Lord Jesus Christ,

what is the way that

you will take me to

my monastery?”

While he was

thinking about these

(things), behold a

cloud of light came

from heaven and

carried him with his

disciples to the

highest and it

ascended with him.

Then my righteous

father advanced to

board the ship with the

honoured father, the

patriarch Anba Cyril,

and saint Victor the

archimandrite. The

sailors prevented him

saying, “We will not

let you board with the

great patriarch and the

archimandrite,” for my

father had a poor shape

and used to walk in

humility at all times.

As for my father, he

said, “Let the will of

God be.” And he

returned back with his

disciple and they stood

up and prayed saying,

“O my Lord, you who

took me out of my

monastery, and were

with me when I was

before the king, and

you put to shame the

guileful notions of

Nestorius. You who

guided me and led me

to your holy house.

This is the day that I

need you and your

mercy, for I am

stranger and miserable

and the sailors cast me

away. Let your will be,

my Lord.” While thus

supplicating, a cloud of

light took him.

Hail to you

who rode the

cloud till he

reached his

monastery in

the desert of

Adribah.


Salām Arabic vita 26 Bohairic vita27

السالم لك يا من مسع الطاهر انه قد الصوة

رشم شنودة رييس .املتوحدين

فنهض القديس كريلص وقبل رأس الصديق وعمد اىل طيلسانه وجعله على

منكيب القديس انبا شنودة ورشحه وجعل عكازه يف

يده وصريه ارمشندتريدس و جمد كل أحد وقالوا كلهم

بفم واحد مسحق مستجق .مستحق ابونا االرمشنتيس

ϧⲉⲛ ϯⲟⲩⲛⲟⲩ ⲇⲉ ⲉⲧⲉⲙⲙⲁⲩ ⲁϥⲧⲱⲛϥ ⲛϫⲉ ⲡⲓⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲕⲩⲣⲓⲗⲗⲟⲥ ⲁϥⲁⲙⲟⲛⲓ ⲛⲧⲁⲫⲉ ⲙⲡⲉⲛⲓⲱⲧ ⲁⲡⲁ ϣⲉⲛⲟⲩϯ ⲁϥϯⲫⲓ ⲉⲣⲟⲥ ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲁϥⲱⲗⲓ ⲙⲡⲓⲟⲩⲗⲁⲣⲓⲟⲛ ⲉⲧϧⲉⲛ ⲡⲉϥⲙⲟⲩⲧ ⲁϥⲧⲏⲓϥ ⲉϫⲉⲛ ⲑⲛⲁϩⲃⲓ ⲛⲁⲡⲁ ϣⲉⲛⲟⲩϯ ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲡⲉϥϣⲃⲱⲧ ⲁϥⲧⲏⲓϥ ⲉⲧⲉϥϫⲓϫ ⲁϥⲁⲓϥ ⲛⲁⲣⲭⲓⲙⲁⲛⲇⲣⲓⲧⲏⲥ ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲛⲁⲩⲱϣ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ⲛϫⲉ ⲛⲁ ϯⲥⲩⲛⲥⲟⲇⲟⲥ ϫⲉⲁⲝⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲝⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲝⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲣⲭⲓⲙⲁⲛⲇⲣⲓⲧⲏⲥ.

Hail to you, who

heard the pure

voice, that

Shenoute was

ordained

archimandrite.

Saint Cyril rose up

and kissed the head

of the righteous

(monk), and put the

pallium on the

shoulders of saint

Anba Shenoute, and

made the

proclamation, and

put his staff in his

hand and made him

archimandrite.

Everyone praised

(the Lord) and said

together, “Worthy,

worthy, worthy,

our father the

Archimandrite.”

At that time, saint

Cyril rose up and

held the head of our

father Apa Shenoute

and kissed it and

took his pallium that

was on his neck and

placed it on the

shoulder of apa

Shenoute and gave

the staff to his hand

and he made him

archimandrite. And

those in the synod

were all crying out

(saying), “Worthy,

worthy, worthy, O

archimandrite.”

26 Amélineau, “Vie arabe de Schenoudi,” p. 428. 27 Leipold, Sinuthii Archimandritae, p. 59, §130.


Praising his virtues

There is another section in the Salām praising the virtues of saint

Shenoute.

Hail to you, who loved the labors of virtue in the hope of

the eternal life

His death

The age of Shenoute is well attested in his biography, however the

year of his death is debatable, and is roughly estimated to have

occurred between 45028 and 46529.

Bohairic life30 Arabic life31 Salām

ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲟⲛ ϫⲉ ⲡⲁⲓⲱⲧ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲡⲓϣⲟⲓ ⲡⲁⲓⲱⲧ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲁⲛⲧⲱⲛⲓⲟⲥ ⲡⲁⲓⲱⲧ ⲁⲡⲁ ⲡⲁϧⲱⲙ ⲁⲙⲟⲛⲓ ⲛⲧⲁϫⲓϫ ⲛⲧⲁⲧⲱⲛⲧ ⲉⲑⲣⲓⲟⲩⲱϣⲧ ⲙⲫⲏⲉⲧⲁ ⲧⲁⲯⲩⲭⲏ ⲙⲉⲛⲣⲓⲧϥ ϫⲉ ϩⲏⲡⲡⲉ ⲓⲥ ⲁϥ̀ⲓ ⲛⲥⲱⲓ ⲛⲉⲙ ⲛⲉϥⲁⲅⲅⲉⲗⲟⲥ.

وللوقت نادى قائال يا ايب انطونيوس حمب الغربا وايب

التواضع مقاريوس حمب وايب باخوميوس الشجرة

املثمرة هلم ايل انت واوالدك االصفيا يا ايب ايب جبول الذي اقام لنا اجملمع يا ايب ابنا بشاي الناسك

الشجاع امسك بيدي كي اسجد لسيدي يسوع

املسيح الذي احبه من كل قليب فقد حضر معكم هو

.مالئكته

السالم لك يا من قلت يا انبا بيشاي وانبا

انطونيوس وانبا خبوم امسكوا بيدي لكي اسجد لريب يسوع

.املسيح

28 P. Luisier, “Chénouté, Victor, Jean de Lycopolis et Nestorius. Quand

l’archimandrite d’Atripé en Haute-Égypte est-il mort?” Orientalia 78 (2009), pp. 258-

281. 29 S. Emmel, Shenoute’s Literary Corpus, vol. 1, Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum

Orientalium 599, Subsidia 111 (Leuven: Peeters, 2004), p. 10. 30 Leipoldt, Sinuthii Archimandritae, p.75, § 185. 31 Amélineau, “Vie arabe de Schenoudi,” pp. 472-473.


He also said: “My

father, Apa Pishoi,

my father Apa

Antony, my father

Apa Pachom, hold

my hand in order so

I can raise up and

prostrate to that

which my souls

loves. Behold, lo, He

came after me with

his angels.”

And on the spot, he

cried out saying,

“My father Antony,

who loves the

strangers, my father

Macarius lover of

humility, my father

Pachom the fruitful

tree, come to me

with your pure

children, my father

Anba Pigol who

founded for us this

congregation, my

father Anba Bishai

the brave ascetic,

hold my hand in

order that I may

prostrate to my

Lord Jesus Christ,

who I love with all

my heart,” as He

came to you with

His angels.”

Hail to you, who

said, “O Anba

Bishoi and Anba

Antony and

Pachom, hold my

hands in order

that I may

prostrate to my

Lord Jesus

Christ.”

As we can see, the text of the Salām is closer to the Bohairic life

rather than the Arabic version.

Bohairic vita 32 Arabic vita 33 Salām

ⲡⲁⲓⲥⲁϫⲓ ⲇⲉ ⲁϥⲧⲁⲟⲩⲟϥ ⲉⲣⲟⲛ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ⲛⲟⲩⲙⲏϣ ⲛⲥⲟⲡ ⲛϫⲉ ⲡⲉⲛⲓⲱⲧ ⲛⲇⲩⲕⲉⲟⲥ ⲉϥϫⲱ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲁ ⲡϭ︦ⲥ︦ ⲉⲣⲭⲁⲣⲓⲍⲉⲥⲑⲉ ⲛⲏⲓ ⲙⲡⲁϩⲓ ⲙⲙⲱⲩⲥⲏⲥ ⲡⲓⲁⲣⲭⲏⲡⲣⲟⲫⲏⲧⲏⲥ ⲣ︦ⲕ︦ ⲛⲣⲟⲙⲡⲓ.

النك يف ماية وتسعة سنني وشهرين من يوم

ميالدك واىل االن وذلك انك ربطت باالسكيم املالئكي

وانت يف تسعة سنني

السالم لك يا الذي وهب له املسيح عمر

.موسى عظيم االنبيا

32 Leipold, Sinuthii Archimandritae, § 174. 33 Amélineau, “Vie arabe de Schenoudi,” p. 468.


وماية سنة اقمتهم يف .الرهبنة

For the statement that

our father, the

righteous, established

to all of us many times

saying, “The Lord

granted me the age of

Moses, the great

prophet, 120 years.”

For you are in the

year 109 and two

months from the

day of your birth

till now. For you

were girded with

the angelic

schema at the age

of nine and you

spent one

hundred years in

the monastic

(life).

Hail to you, that

Christ granted

him the life of

Moses, the

greatest among

the prophets.

The Bohairic life is closer to the Salām rather than Arabic version.

Conclusion

This paper is the beginning of a systematic study of the different

versions of the book of Salamāt. In the case of Saint Shenoute, the

Salām contains considerably more biographical data than other

liturgical texts. Contrary to previously held assumptions, the Salām

is closer to the Bohairic version rather than the Arabic recension. We

may assume then, that the author of the Salām had access to “a

version of a biography of Shenoute” that differs from the currently

published texts. We believe that the scientific edition of all the

manuscripts of the life of Shenoute will reveal the true source of this

Salām.

salām (salutation) of anba shenoute...metropolitan athanasius of bani sueif, and the kind help of...

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