The Fraction Prayer Attributed to Severus of Antioch

Home , Fraction (religion), Hesychius of Jerusalem, Severus of Antioch

YᴏᴜHᴀNNᴀ NᴇSSIᴍ YᴏᴜSSᴇF ᴀNᴅ SᴀᴍᴇH FᴀRᴏᴜᴋ SᴏᴌIᴍᴀN

ABSᴛRᴀᴄᴛ: The fraction prayer is an important component of the Coptic Liturgy. In his important inventory of the fraction prayers, R. F. U. Zanetti O.S.B. highlights two versions of a fraction prayer in Sahidic and Greek, which according to the Sahidic manuscript is attributed to Patriarch Severus of Antioch. There is another one according to some manuscripts, both Sahidic and Bohairic. While working in the project of cataloguing the liturgical manuscripts of Dayr Al-Suryān, the ﬁrst author came across the Bohairic version of this prayer. The text could be divided into the following points: · Biblical quotations mainly from the New Testament. · Other liturgical and patristic quotations. · Theological doctrines. These three main points are the general style of Severus of Antioch. Severus was also a great liturgist as he was thought to have composed several texts. The attribution of these texts to Severus is probable. The Bohairic text is an addition not only in liturgy but also in patristics. It also shows that the Bohairic is not dependent on Sahidic but mainly from a Greek text that has some similarity with the surviving text. It seems that the translator from Greek into Coptic for unknown reasons, was not able to translate the whole text, so he kept the original as is (as it stands).

INᴛRᴏᴅᴜᴄᴛIᴏN The fraction prayer is an important component of the Coptic Liturgy.¹ In his important inventory of the fraction prayers, R. F. U. Zanetti O.S.B. highlights two versions of a fraction prayer in Sahidic and Greek,² which according to the Sahidic manuscript is attributed to Patriarch Severus of Antioch.³ This is not the only fraction prayer attributed to Severus, there is another one according to several manuscripts, both Sahidic and Bohairic.⁴ While working in the project of catalogu-

¹ For the prayer of Fraction in general, see U. Zanetti, ‘“Fractions Prayers” in the Coptic Liturgy’, The Harp 27 (2011), 291–302. ² U. Zanetti, ‘Inventaire des prières de la fraction de la liturgie Copte’, in D. Atanassova and T. Chronz (eds), ⲥⲩⲛⲁⲝⲓⲥ ⲕⲁⲑⲟⲗⲓⲕⲏ Beiträge zu Gottesdienst und Geschichte der fünf altkirchlichen Patriarchate für Heinzgerd Brakmann zum 70 Geburtstag, Orientalia–Patristica–Oecumenica 6.2 (Wien: Lit. Verlag, 2014), 767–800, esp. 792 n. 59. ³ We will discuss the attribution later. ⁴ Zanetti, ‘Inventaire des prières’, 776, n. C (referring to Ms Vat. C 26, f. 222v) in addition there is also Paris Copte 26 f. 189r–194r. Patristica supplementary volume 6, 00 – 00  2018 Japanese Society for Patristic Studies 2 Youhanna Youssef & Sameh Soliman ing the liturgical manuscripts of Dayr Al-Suryān,⁵ the ﬁrst author came across the Bohairic version of this prayer.

ᴛHᴇ ᴍᴀNᴜSᴄRIᴘᴛ ΢ΥΞ (old number 123) Liturgy (Țuqūs) EᴜᴄHᴏᴌᴏGIᴏN 3 ᴌIᴛᴜRGIᴇS. RᴇSᴘᴏNSᴇS ᴏF ᴛHᴇ ᴅᴇᴀᴄᴏNS ᴀRᴇ Nᴏᴛ ᴀᴌᴡᴀYS ᴘRᴏᴠIᴅᴇᴅ Throughout most of the manuscript there are two columns, one Coptic and the other Arabic. The manuscript is written on oriental paper with the beautiful hand- writing of a skilful scribe and there are decorations in the beginning of some sec- tions. The manuscript starts with a canopy. The manuscript 18 × 13 cm, with a written surface 14 × 9 cm (average, it changes in the restored papers) and 17 lines per page (average, it changes in the restored papers to ﬁt to the text). It has brown thick leather cover with a dark brown leather spine. No colophon or date survived, however the endowment occurs on the front = matter shows the date 1480 ᴀᴍ ( 1764 ᴀᴅ). ﺑﺴﻢ اﻻب واﻻﺑﻦ واﻟﺮوح اﻟﻘﺪس اﻻﻟﻪ اﻟﻮاﺣﺪ ﻟﻪ اﳌﺠﺪ ﻫﺬا اﻟﻜﺘﺎب اﳌﺒﺎرك اﻟﺬي ﻫﻮ اﳋﻮﻻﺟﻲ ﺛﻼﺛﺔ ﻗﺪاﺳﺎت وﻗﻒ ﻣﻮﺑﺪ وﺣﺒﺴﺎ ﳐﻠﺪ ﻋﲆ ﻛﻨﻴﺴﺔ اﻟﺴﺖ اﻟﺴﻴﺪة ﺑﺪﻳﺮ اﻟﴪﻳﺎن ﺑﺎﻟﱪﻳﺔ اﳌﻘﺪﺳﺔ ﻣﺎ اﺣﺪ ﻟﻪ ﺳﻠﻄﺎن ﳜﺮﺟﻪ ﻣﻦ اﻟﺪﻳﺮ ﺑﻮﺟﻪ ﻣﻦ وﺟﻮه اﻟﺘﻼف وﻣﻦ ﺗﻌﺪى واﺧﺮﺟﻪ ﻻ ﻳﻜﻮن ﻟﻪ ﻧﺼﻴﺐ ﻣﻊ اﳌﺴﻴﺤﻴﲔ وﻳﻜﻮن ﺣﺎﴍ ﻣﻊ اﻟﺴﺖ اﻟﺴﻴﺪة ﻳﻮم ﺣﻜﻢ اﷲ اﻟﻌﻈﻴﻢ واوﻗﻔﻪ اﻟﻌﺒﺪ اﳋﺎﻃﻲ ﺑﺎﺳﻢ ﻗﻤﺺ ﺑﻘﻄﺮ راﺟﻲ رﲪﺔ اﷲ ﻣﻦ ﺷﺎن اﳌﺴﻴﺢ ﻻ ﺗﻨﺴﻮه ﻣﻦ اﻟﺪﻋﺎ واﷲ ﺗﻌﺎﱃ ﻻ ﻳﻨﺴﺎﻛﻢ ﻣﻦ رﲪﺘﻪ ﺗﺎرﻳﺦ ⲁⲩⲡ ﺳﻨﺔ ﻟﻠﺸﻬﺪا

In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, One God, to whom is the Glory This blessed book, which is the Euchologion of the three liturgies is inalienable endowment and eternal bequest for the church of Lady Mistress in the monastery of Al-Suryān in the holy desert and no one has authority to take it for any reason of loosing and whoever dares and takes it out will not have a share with the Christians and will advocate in front the Lady Mistress in the day of the great judgment. It was endowed by the sinner slave, by name the hegumen Buqțur (Victor) wishing mercy from God. For Christ’s sake do not forget him in your prayer and may not the elevated God forget you from His mercy, in date 1480 of the Martyrs. [= 1746 ᴀᴅ]

The text of the fraction occurs in ﬀ. 110a–114a.

⁵ The project of cataloguing the Coptic and Arabic manuscripts of the library of Dayr Al-Suryān, headed by Prof. Stephen Davis and sponsored by Yale University’s Egyptological Endowment. I am happy to collaborate with the team Professors Stephen Davis, Mark Swanson. I would like to thank the abbot of the Monastery HG Bishop Mattaus for his hospitality and his continuous support of the project. Many thanks to the librarians who facilitate our task fr. Bigoul, fr. Azer and fr. Amun.

Fraction Prayer Attritubed to Severus of Antioch 3 1 ᴛHᴇ ᴛᴇXᴛ

§ Ms 470 Lit Sahidic⁶ Greek⁷ ⲟⲙⲟ ⲕⲗⲁⲥⲙⲁⲧⲓⲍⲉ Εὐχὴ τῆς ﺻﻼة اﺧﺮى ⲟⲩⲉⲩⲭⲏ ⲕⲉ 1 ⲡⲡⲁⲧⲣⲓⲁⲣⲭⲏⲥ κλάσεως ﻗﺴﻤﺔ ﻟﻼﺑﻦ ⲟⲩⲓⲫⲱϣ ⲡϣⲏⲣⲓ ⲥⲉⲩⲏⲣⲟⲥ

2 ⲡⲉⲭ︦ⲥ︦ ⲡⲉⲛⲥⲱⲧⲏⲣ Ὁ ὤν, ὁ ἦν, ⲡⲁⲓⲉⲧϣⲟⲟⲡ ὁ ἐλθών, καὶ اﻻزﱄ اﻟﺬي ﱂ ﻳﺰل ⲫⲏⲉⲧϣⲟⲡ -ⲡⲉⲧⲉⲛϥϣⲟⲟⲡ ⲡⲁⲓ πάλιν ἐρχόμε اﻟﺬي اﺗﺎ واﻳﻀﺎ ﻳﺎﰐ ⲫⲏⲉⲧⲁϥ ⲛⲁϣⲟⲡ ⲛⲧⲁϥⲉⲓ. ⲡⲁⲗⲓⲛ νος· ὁ ἐν δεξιᾷ اﳉﺎﻟﺲ ﻋﻦ ﻳﻤﲔ ⲫⲏⲉⲧⲁϥⲓ̀ ⲡⲁⲗⲓⲛ ⲉϥⲛⲏⲟⲩ ⲟⲛ ϥⲛⲏⲩ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲉⲧ τοῦ Πατρὸς ϩⲙⲟⲟⲥ ⲛⲥⲁⲟⲩⲛⲁⲙ καθήμενος· ὁ اﻻب اﳋﺒﺰ اﳊﻲ ⲫⲏⲉⲧϩⲉⲙⲥⲓ ⲙⲡⲉⲓⲱⲧ ⲡⲟⲉⲓⲕ ἄρτος, ὁ اﻟﺬي ﻧﺰل ﻣﻦ اﻟﺴﻤﺂ ⲥⲁⲟⲩⲓⲛⲁⲙ ⲙ̀ⲫⲓⲱⲧ ⲙⲙⲉ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲛⲧⲁϥⲉⲓ καταβὰς ἐκ τοῦ واﻋﻄﺎ اﳊﻴﺎة ﻟﻠﺬﻳﻦ ⲡⲓⲱⲓⲕ ⲉⲧⲟⲛϧ ⲉⲃⲟⲗϩⲙ ⲡϫⲓⲥⲉ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ ﻳﻮﻣﻨﻮن ﺑﻪ* ⲉⲧⲁϥⲓ̀ ⲉⲡⲉⲥⲏⲧ ⲉ̀ⲃⲟⲗϧⲉⲛⲫ ⲧ ⲉ ⲛⲛⲁⲓⲱⲛ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ζωὴν διδοὺς τῷ ⲁϥϯⲙ̀ⲡⲱⲛϧ ⲁϥϯ ⲡⲱⲛϩ κόσμῳ· ⲛⲛ̀ ⲏⲉⲑⲛⲁϩϯ ⲉⲣⲟϥ* ⲛⲙⲡⲓⲥⲧⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲡⲓⲥⲧⲉⲩⲉ -ⲡⲛⲟϭ ὁ μέγας ἀρχιε اﻟﻌﻈﻴﻢ رﻳﻴﺲ ⲡⲓⲛⲓϣϯ 3 ⲛⲁⲣⲭⲏⲉⲣⲉⲩⲥ ρεύς, ὁ ἀρχηγὸς اﻻﺣﺒﺎر ⲛ̀ⲁⲣⲭⲏⲉⲣⲉⲩⲥ ⲡⲁⲣⲭⲏⲅⲟⲥ τῆς σωτηρίας راس ﺧﻼﺻﻨﺎ اﻟﻨﻮر ⲡⲁⲣⲭⲏⲅⲟⲥ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ ⲙⲡⲉⲛⲟⲩϫⲁⲓ ἡμῶν· τὸ φῶς اﳊﻘﻴﻘﻲ ﻗﺒﻞ ﻛﻞ ⲡⲉⲛⲥⲱϯ ⲡⲓⲟⲩⲱⲓⲛⲓ ⲛ̀ⲁⲗⲏⲑⲓⲛⲟⲥ ⲡⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓⲛ ἀληθινὸν τὸ ⲛⲁⲗⲩⲑⲓⲛⲟⲛ πρὸ πάντων اﻟﺪﻫﻮ ⲉϥϧⲁϫⲱⲟⲩ ⲛ̀ⲛⲓⲉⲱⲛ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ⲡⲉⲧ ϩⲓϫⲛ ⲛⲁⲓⲱⲛ αἰώνων. ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ 4 ῝Ος ὢν ἀπαύγασμα ⲁⲩϫⲡⲟϥ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ τῆς δόξης, καὶ ⲙⲡⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓⲛ ⲡⲉⲓⲛⲉ χαρακτὴρ τῆς ⲁⲩⲱ ⲡⲉⲭⲁⲣⲁⲕⲧⲏⲣ ὑποστάσεως ⲛⲧⲉ ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ αὐτοῦ τοῦ

⁶ E. Lanne, Le Grand Euchologe du Monastère Blanc, PO 28.2, num. 135 (Paris: Firmin Didot, 1958), 370[106]–371[107]. Text–Translation. ⁷ E. Renaudot, Liturgiarum Orientalium Collection, tom. 1 (Paris: J.-B. Coignard, 1716), 114–116. 4 Youhanna Youssef & Sameh Soliman

ⲡⲓⲱⲧ ⲡϩⲏⲛⲉ ἰδίου σου اﻟﺬي ﺑﻤﴪة اﺑﻴﻚ ⲫⲏⲉⲧⲉ ⲉⲃⲟⲗϩⲓⲧⲉⲛ ⲛⲧⲁϥϯⲙⲁⲧⲉ ⲁⲩⲱ Πατρός, ὁ اﻟﻐﲑ ﻣﺪروك ⲡϯⲙⲁϯ ⲙ̀ⲡⲉⲕⲓⲱⲧ ⲁϥⲣⲁⲕⲁⲧⲁⲝⲓⲟⲩ εὐδοκήσας καὶ ﺳﺘﺤﻘﻴﻨﺎانﻳﻨﺰلﻣﻦ ⲛ̀ⲁⲧϣⲧⲁϩⲟϥ ⲁϥⲉⲓ ⲉⲃⲟⲗϩⲙ καταξιώσας ﻋﻠﻮ ﺳﲈﻳﻚ ⲁⲛⲉⲣⲡⲉⲙⲡϣⲁ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉⲕⲓ̀ ⲉⲃⲟⲗϧⲉⲛ ⲡϫⲓⲥⲉ ⲛⲧⲉ κατελθεῖν ἐκ ⲧⲉⲕⲫⲉ ⲉⲧϭⲟⲥⲓ ⲛⲉⲓⲡⲏⲩ[ⲉ τῶν ὑψωμάτων τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ⲉⲃⲟⲗϩⲛ ⲕⲟⲩⲛϥ ἐκ κόλπων ﻣﻦ ﺣﻀﻦ اﻟﻨﻮر ⲉⲃⲟⲗϧⲉⲛ ⲕⲉⲛϥ 5 ⲙⲡⲉⲓⲁⲧϩⲱⲛ ⲉⲣⲟϥ τοῦ ἀπροσίτου اﻟﺬي (ﻻ)ﻳﺪﻧﻮ ﻣﻨﻪ ⲙ̀ⲡⲓⲟⲩⲱⲓⲛⲓ ⲡⲉ[ⲓⲱⲧ] φωτός, καὶ اﳊﻖ اﻟﻐﲑ اﳌﻨﻈﻮر ⲛ̀ⲁⲧϣϧⲱⲛⲧ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲁⲗⲏⲑⲓⲛⲟⲥ ἀληθινοῦ καὶ اﻻب وﺣﺪه* ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲛ̀ⲁⲗⲏⲑⲏⲛⲟⲩ ⲛ̀ⲁⲑⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲛⲁⲧⲙⲟⲩ. ἀοράτου μόνου ⲫⲓⲱⲧ ⲙ̀ⲙⲁⲩⲁⲧϥ* Πατρός. ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ Σαρκωθεὶς δὲ ﲡﺴﺪت ﻣﻦ روح ⲁⲕϭⲓⲥⲁⲣⲝ 6 ⲁϥϫⲓⲥⲁⲣⲝ ϩⲛ ἐκ Πνεύματος اﻟﻘﺪس وﻣﻦ ⲉⲃⲟⲗϧⲉⲛ oⲩⲙⲛⲧⲁⲧϣⲓⲃⲉ ἁγίου, καὶ ἐκ ﺳﻴﺪ(ﺗـ)ـﻨﺎ ﻛﻠﻨﺎ ⲉⲑⲟⲩⲁⲃ ئⲡⲓ蘦渦 τῆς ئⲉⲃⲟⲗϩⲛ ⲟⲩ蘦渦 واﻟﺪة ⲛⲉⲙ ⲉⲃⲟⲗϧⲉⲛ ,ⲉϥⲟⲩⲁⲃ πανενδόξου اﻻﻟﻪ اﻟﻘﺪﻳﺴﺔ ﻣﺮﻳﻢ ⲧⲉⲛϭ︦阦 ⲧⲏⲣⲉⲛ ϯⲑⲉⲟⲕⲟⲧⲟⲥ ⲛⲧⲉⲑⲉⲟⲇⲱⲕⲟⲥ ἀχράντου, ⲉⲑⲟⲩⲁⲃ ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ ἁγίας ⲧⲉⲓⲡⲁⲣⲑⲉⲛⲟⲥ δεσποίνης ⲙⲙⲁⲥⲛⲟⲩ[ⲧⲉ] ὑμῶν Θεοτόκου ⲁⲥϫⲡⲟϥ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ καὶ ⲛϩⲏⲧⲥ ἀειπαρθένου Μαρίας. ⲁϥⲣⲣⲱⲙⲉ καὶ τελείως وﻛﻤﻠﺖ اﻟﺒﴩﻳﺔ ⲁⲕϫⲱⲕ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ 7 ·ⲉϥϫⲏ[ⲕ]⁸ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ἐνανθρωπήσας ﻟﻴﺲ ⲛ̀ϯⲙⲉⲧⲣⲱⲙⲓ ⲟⲩⲇⲉ ⲛⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲗⲁⲁⲩ ⲁⲛ καὶ κατὰ ﻛﻤﺜﻞ ﻛﺎﻗﻨﻮم اﻟﻨﺎس ⲕⲁⲧⲁⲧⲁⲥⲓⲛⲧⲏⲛ ,ⲛϭⲓ ⲛⲟⲩⲱⲧⲃ ⲏ μετάστασιν اﳌﻨﺘﻘﻞ ﻟﻜﻦ ⲁⲛⲑⲣⲱⲡⲓⲛⲓⲛ ϣⲓⲃⲉ ⲏ ⲡⲱⲱⲛⲉ τὴν اﺳﺘﻔﺮﻏﺖ ذاﺗﻚ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲁⲕϣⲟⲩⲱⲕ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲙ̀ⲙⲓⲛ ⲙ̀ⲙⲟⲕ ⲉⲁϥⲁⲁϥ ⲟⲩⲁ ἀνθρωπότητα ⲛⲙⲙⲁⲛ ἀναλλοιώσας· ????? 8 ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ἑνώσας ἑαυτῷ ⲟⲩⲩⲡⲟⲥⲧⲁⲥⲓⲥ καθ' ,ⲛⲁⲧⲧⲁⲕⲟ ⲁⲩⲱ ὑπόστασιν اﻟﺬيﻻﻳﻔﺤﺺوﻻ ⲁⲫⲣⲁⲥⲧⲱⲥ ⲕⲉ ⲁⲡⲉⲣⲓⲛⲟⲏⲧⲟⲥ ⲕⲉ ⲛⲁⲧⲉⲓⲙⲉ ⲉⲣⲟⲥ ἀφράστως καὶ

⁸ Lanne read it as ⲉϥϫⲓ, hence he translated in French as ‘recevant’ which is misleading, while Fraction Prayer Attritubed to Severus of Antioch 5

,ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲁⲧϣⲧⲟⲣⲧⲣ ἀπερινοήτως ﻳﻌﻘﻞ وﻻ ﻳﻨﻘﻠﺐ ⲁⲕⲁⲧⲁⲗⲏⲡⲧⲟⲥ ⲧⲁⲓ ⲛⲁⲧϥϫⲓⲧⲥ ἀτρέπτως δὲ وﻻ ⲁⲧⲣⲉⲡⲧⲱⲥ ⲇⲉ ⲕⲉ ⲉⲃⲟⲗϩⲛ καὶ ﺗﻐﲑ وﻻ ﻳﺴﺘﺤﻴﻞ ⲁⲥⲩⲅⲭⲩⲧⲱ ⲯⲩⲭⲏ ,ⲑⲏⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ ἀσυγχύτως ﺑﻨﻔﺲ ﻧﺎﻃﻘﺔ* ⲛⲉⲭⲟⲩⲥ ⲁⲗⲟⲅⲓⲕⲏ ϩⲛ ϩⲱⲃ ⲛⲓⲙ ψυχὴν ἔχουσαν ﻋﺎﻗﻠﺔ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ* ⲕⲉ ⲛⲟⲏⲣⲟⲛ ⲛⲧⲉⲓϩⲁⲅⲓⲁ ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ λογικήν τε καὶ ⲉⲟⲩⲣⲛ[ ] ⲡⲉⲓ νοεράν. -Lacuna] οὕτως προῆλ] اﺷﺒﻨﺎ ﻫﻜﺬا اﻻه ⲁⲕⲓ̀ⲛⲓ ⲛⲁⲛ 9 θες ἐξ αὐτῆς ﻣﺘﺠﺴﺪ ﻣﺴﺎوي ⲙ̀ⲡⲁⲓⲣⲏϯ ⲟⲩⲛⲟⲩϯ ·θεανθρωπωθείς اﻻب ﰲ اﻻﳍﻴﺔ ϧⲉⲛ ⲧⲥⲁⲣⲝ ὁμοούσιος ﻣﺴﺎوي ﻟﻨﺎ ﰲ ⲟⲙⲟⲟⲩⲥⲓⲟⲥ ⲛⲉⲙ Πατρὶ κατὰ اﻻﻧﺴﺎﻧﻴﺔ ⲫⲓⲱⲧ ϧⲉⲛ ϯⲙⲉⲧⲛⲟⲩϯ τὴν θεότητα, ⲟⲙⲟⲥⲓⲟⲥ ⲛⲉⲙⲁⲛ καὶ ὁμοούσιος ϧⲉⲛ ⲟⲩⲙⲉⲧⲣⲱⲙⲓ ἡμῖν κατὰ τὴν ἀνθρωπότητα. Lacuna] Οὐ δύο] وﻟﻴﺲ ﺑﻮﺟﻬﲔ ⲟⲩ ⲇⲓⲟ ⲡⲣⲟⲥⲱⲡⲁ 10 ,πρόσωπα οὖν وﻻﺑﺸﻜﻠﲔ ⲟⲩ ⲟⲩⲇⲉ οὐδὲ δύο وﻻﺑﻄﺒﻴﻌﺘﲔ ⲇⲓⲟ ⲙⲟⲣⲫⲁⲥ ,μορφὰς ἤγουν ﻋﺮﻓﻨﺎك ⲓⲅⲟⲩⲛ ⲟⲩⲇⲉ ⲉⲛ οὐδὲ ἐν δυσὶ ﻟﻜﻦ اﻻة واﺣﺪ ⲇⲓⲟ ⲫⲓⲥⲉⲥ ⲓⲛ φύσεσι ورب ⲛⲅⲛⲱⲣⲓⲍⲟⲙⲉⲛⲟⲥ ,γνωριζόμενος واﺣﺪ واﺣﺪ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲟⲩⲛⲟⲩϯ ⲛ̀ⲟⲩⲱⲧ ⲟⲩϭ︦阦 ἀλλ' εἷς Θεός, ⲛ̀ⲟⲩⲱⲧ ⲟⲩⲥⲓⲁ εἷς Κύριος ⲛ̀ⲟⲩⲱⲧ μία οὐσία, μία وﻫﻮ ﺟﻮﻫﺮ واﺣﺪ ⲙⲓⲁ ⲃⲁⲥⲓⲗⲓⲁ ⲙⲓⲁ 11 βασιλεία, μία ﳑﻠﻜﺔ واﺣﺪة* ⲇⲉⲥ*ⲡⲟⲧⲓⲁ ⲙⲓⲁ δεσποτεία, μία ﺳﻴﺎدة ⲛ̀ⲉⲣⲅⲓⲁ ⲙⲓⲁ ⲫⲩⲥⲓⲥ ἐνέργεια, μία واﺣﺪة ﻓﻌﻞ واﺣﺪ ⲧⲟⲩ 䘦꘦ ⲗⲟⲅⲟⲩ ὑπόστασις, μία ﻃﺒﻴﻌﺔ واﺣﺪة ﷲ ⲥⲉⲥⲁⲣⲕⲱⲙⲉⲛⲏⲛ θέλησις, μία اﻟﻜﻠﻤﺔ اﳌﺘﺠﺴﺪ ⲧⲉⲛⲟⲩⲱϣⲧ φύσις τοῦ Θεοῦ ﻧﺴﺠﺪ ﻟﻚ ⲙ̀ⲙⲟⲥ Λόγου σεσαρ- κωμένη, καὶ προσκυνουμένη

MacCoull read rightly ⲉϥϫⲏ[ⲕ] the Greek and Bohairic versions conﬁrm her point of view. 6 Youhanna Youssef & Sameh Soliman

Σταυρωθεὶς δὲ اﻋﱰﻓﺖ ﺑﺎﻻﻋﱰاف ⲟⲙⲟⲗⲟⲅⲏⲥⲁⲛⲧⲟⲛ 12 ὑπὸ Ποντίου اﳊﺴﻦ ﻋﲆ ﻋﻬﺪ ⲧⲏⲛ ⲕⲁⲗⲏⲛ Πιλάτου, καὶ ﺑﻴﻼﻃﺲ اﻟﺒﻨﻄﻲ ⲟⲙⲟⲗⲟⲅⲓⲁⲛ ὁμολογήσας τὴν وﺻﻠﺒﺖ وﺗﺎﳌﺖ ⲉⲡⲓⲡⲟⲛⲧⲓⲟⲩ ·καλὴν ὁμολογίαν وﻗﱪت ودﻓﻨﺖ ﰲ ⲡⲓⲗⲁⲧⲟⲩⲥⲧⲁⲩⲣⲱⲑⲓⲥ ⲇⲉ ⲁⲕϣⲉⲡⲙ̀ⲕⲁϩ παθὼν καὶ ταφεὶς καὶ اﻟﻴﻮم اﻟﺜﺎﻟﺚ ﺻﻌﺪت ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲁⲩⲕⲟⲥϥ ἀναστὰς τῇ τρίτῃ اﱃ اﻟﺴﻤﻮات ⲁⲕⲧⲱⲛⲕ ϧⲉⲛ ἡμέρᾳ, καὶ وﺟﻠﺴﺖ ﻋﻦ ﻋﻈﻤﺔ ⲡⲓⲉϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲙ̀ⲙⲁϩ ᘦ ἀνελθὼν εἰς اﻻب وﻗﻬﺮت اﳌﻮت ⲁⲕϣⲉⲛⲁⲕ ⲉⲛⲓⲫⲏⲟⲩⲓ̀ ⲁⲕϩⲉⲙⲥⲓ ⲥⲁⲟⲩⲓ̀ⲛⲁⲙ οὐρανούς, καὶ ⲛ̀ϯⲙⲉⲧⲛⲓϣϯ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ καθίσας ἐν τῇ ⲫⲓⲱⲧ ϯ*ⲡⲁⲧⲏⲥⲁⲥ δεξιᾷ τῆς μεγα- ⲧⲟⲛ ⲑⲁⲛⲁⲧⲟⲛ λωσύνης τοῦ Πατρός, πατήσας τὸν θάνατον καὶ τὸν ᾅδην وﺳﺤﻘﺖ ﻣﺘﺎرﻳﺲ ⲁⲕϧⲟⲙϧⲉⲙ 13 ,σκυλεύσας اﳉﺤﻴﻢ واﺻﻌﺪت ⲛ̀ⲛⲓⲙⲟⲩⲭⲗⲟⲩⲥ συντρίψας πύλας اﳌﺎﺳﻮرﻳﻦ ودﻋﻮت ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ ⲁⲙⲉⲛϯ ⲁⲕⲓ̀ⲛⲓ ⲉⲡϣⲱⲓ ⲛ̀ⲛⲏⲉⲧⲥⲱⲛϩ χαλκᾶς, καὶ ادم ﻣﻦ ﺳﺒﻲ اﻟﻔﺴﺎد ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲁⲕⲙⲟⲩϯ μοχλοὺς σιδηροῦς وﻋﺘﻘﺘﻨﺎ ﻣﻦ ﻋﺒﻮدﻳﺔ ⲛ̀ⲁⲇⲁⲙ ⲉⲃⲟⲗϧⲉⲛ συνθλάσας, καὶ اﺑﻠﻴﺲ ϯⲭⲙⲁⲗⲱⲥⲓⲁ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ ⲡⲧⲁⲕⲟ ⲁⲕⲁⲓⲧⲉⲛ τὸν αἰχμάλωτον ⲛ̀ⲣⲉⲙϩⲉ ⲉⲃⲟⲗϩⲁ ᾿Αδὰμ ἀνακαλε- ϯⲙⲉⲧⲃⲱⲕⲓ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ σάμενος ἐκ ⲡⲓⲇⲓⲁⲃⲟⲗⲟⲥ φθορᾶς, καὶ ἡμᾶς ἐλευθερώσας ἐκ τῆς τοῦ διαβόλου δουλείας. Δι' ὃ δεόμεθα καὶ ﻓﻼﺟﻞ ﻫﺬه ﻧﻄﻠﺐ ⲉⲑⲃⲉ ⲫⲁⲓ ⲧⲉⲛϯϩⲟ 14 παρακαλοῦμέν وﻧﴬع اﻟﻴﻚ ﻳﺎ ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲧⲉⲛⲧⲱⲃϩ ,σε, φιλάνθρωπε ﺻﺎﻟﺢ وﻛﻤﺤﺐ ⲙ̀ⲙⲟⲕ ⲡⲓⲁⲅⲁⲑⲟⲥ ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲙ̀ⲙⲁⲓⲣⲱⲙⲓ* ἀγαθέ, καταξίω- σον ἡμᾶς ἐν اﻟﺒﴩ وان ﻧﻜﻮن ⲉⲑⲣⲉⲕⲁⲓⲧⲉⲛ καθαρᾷ καρδίᾳ ﻣﺴﺘﺤﻘﲔ ان ﻧﻜﻮن ⲛⲉⲙⲡϣⲁ τολμᾷν ἀφόβως ﺑﻘﻠﺐ ﻧﻘﻲ ﻧﺠﴪ ⲉⲑⲣⲉⲛϣⲱⲡⲓ ϧⲉⲛ ἐπιβοᾶσθαι τὸν وﻧﴫخ اﱃ اﷲ اﺑﻴﻚ ⲟⲩϩⲏⲧ ⲉϥⲟⲩⲁⲃ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉⲛⲉⲣⲧⲟⲗⲙⲁⲛⲉⲱϣ πάντων Fraction Prayer Attritubed to Severus of Antioch 7

-δεσπότην ἐπου اﻟﻘﺪوس اﻟﺴﲈﻳﻲ ⲟⲩⲃⲉ ⲫϯ ⲡⲉⲕⲓⲱⲧ ☦䘦 ,ράνιον Θεόν وﻧﻘﻮل ⲉⲧϧⲉⲛ ⲛⲓⲫⲏⲟⲩⲓ̀ ⲟⲩⲟϩ ⲧⲉⲛϫⲟⲥ ϫⲉ Πατέρα ἅγιον, καὶ λέγειν, κ. τ. λ.

§ Translation (of the Translation of the Translation of the Coptic Boharic Sahidic text Greek Text version⁹ 1 Another fraction Likewise, a fraction A prayer of the fraction prayer to the Son prayer of the Patriarch Severus 2 O who is and who Christ our Saviour, (O) O who is and who will will be and who has who is and was, this be and who has come come and is to come one who has to come and again is to come. again, sitting at the and is to come again, The one sitting at the right hand of the sitting at the right right hand of the Father, the living Bread hand of the Father, the Father. The living who came forth from true Bread, who came Bread who came forth Heaven, He gave life forth from the height from Heaven and gave to those who believe in all the Ages He gave life life to the world. Him. to those believers who believed. 3 The great High Priest, This great High Priest, The great High Priest, the first cause of our the first cause of our the Chief cause of our salvation, the true Light salvation, the true light salvation, the true Light who is before ages, who is upon all ages. who is before ages. 4 who by the consent He is brought forth You, Who are the of Your incomprehen- from the Light, the reflection of His glory and sible Father, we became likeness and the express the exact representation worthy, that You came image of God the of Your own Father. out from the height of Father, the desire¹⁰ that Who is, by Your good the heaven consent and made will, we became

⁹ The Arabic being a translation from the Coptic, we will mention if there is a diﬀerence in the footnote. ¹⁰ Both Lanne and MacCoull rendered this word as ‘fragrance’, ‘Parfume’. The Bohairic parallel did not allow us to go in this direction. It seems that it is an absolute form of the verb ϩⲛⲉ but not attested in W. E. Crum, A Coptic Dictionary (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1939), 690a. 8 Youhanna Youssef & Sameh Soliman

us worthy to come out worthy that You came from the height of out from the heights of heavens. the heaven 5 From the bosom of From the bosom of From the bosoms of the the Light which is the one who is Light, which is unapproachable, the unapproachable, the unapproachable, the true invisible one: The true immortal one, true invisible one: The Father alone. God. Father alone 6 You took flesh from the God took flesh with- You took undefiled Holy Spirit and from out alteration from a flesh from Holy Spirit our Lady of all (men) Holy Spirit from the and from the all the Mother of God, Saint Mother of God, saint glorious, the undefiled, Mary Mary, this Virgin God- our Holy Lady, the Bearer. She brought ever-virgin Him forth from herself. God-Bearer Mary, 7 You perfected in He became perfect Who, completely humanity not as the man. according to no incarnated and by the arrangement of human change or alteration way of change, you but You emptied Your or turning He made altered the humanity own self himself one with us 8 Ineffable and According to an and united with unintelligible and hypostasis Himself hypostatically, incomprehensible,¹¹ indestructible, unspeakable and unchangeable and unknowable and unintelligibly, but also without confusion having imperturbable, this one immutably and unspeakable and of* that he took from the without confusion a rational soul. one holy in all things rational and intellectual this holy Mary soul. 9 You resembled us, thus Lacuna Thus, you originated as God in flesh. (He from her as God–man. is) consubstantial to the You are Consubstantial Father in Divinity and with the Father in consubstantial to us in divinity and humanity consubstantial with us in humanity.

¹¹ Arabic ‘who does not inverted’. Fraction Prayer Attritubed to Severus of Antioch 9

10 known¹² not in two faced Not two persons, nor two nor two forms¹³ nor into two figures, nor known in two natures But one God, one natures but One God, one Lord, one Substance, Lord, One Substance, 11 one kinghood, one Lordship, one kinghood, one Lordship, one energy, one nature to the one energy, one hypostasis, one incarnated God, we worship will, one incarnated nature of it. the God, and worshiped. 12 You confessed the good You were crucified by confession in front of Pontius Pontius Pilate and Pilate, He was crucified¹⁴ confessed the good and You suffered and were confession, and You buried and You rose on the suffered and were buried third day. You ascended to and You rose in the third the heavens and You sat on day and ascended to the right hand of the heavens and sat on the greatness of the Father* right hand of the trampling death greatness of the Father*, having trampled death 13 You crashed the bolts of You crashed the bolts of Hades, and You brought Hades, destroyed the those who are bound. You copper gates, and called Adam from captivity fractured the iron levers, of destruction. You made recalled for yourself the us free from the slavery of hostage Adam from the devil. corruption and freed us from the slavery of the Devil. 14 Therefore, we ask and we Therefore, we ask and we beseech You O Good (one) beseech You O Good (one) and lover of the humankind and lover of the humankind to make us worthy to be to make us worthy to dare in pure heart and to dare in a pure heart without fear to say towards God, Your to call You loudly the Holy Father who is in heavenly Lord and God Heavens and to say: of all, the Holy Father and to say:

¹² Arabic ‘We know you not in …’. ¹³ This word is absent from G. W. H. Lampe, A Patristic Greek Lexicon (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 10 Youhanna Youssef & Sameh Soliman ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴇNᴛᴀRY § 1 · L. MacCoull argued that the compiler of this fraction is Severus of Ashmunein,¹⁵ however as A. Suciu argues convincingly, the manuscript of the Great Eucholo- gion of the White Monastery dates to the tenth century.¹⁶ MacCoull’s point of view should be rejected as Severus of Ashmunein lived in the tenth century, contemporary to the manuscript. It is difficult to imagine that the scribe of this manuscript who lived in Sohag had direct contact with his contemporary bishop of Ashmunein. · There is another prayer of Fraction attributed to Severus.¹⁷ · The late R. F. Professor T. Lefort, while speaking about Bohairic Literature, more than half century ago, used the term ‘Bohairicization’ and ‘Nitriacization’ giving some examples from the life of Saint Pachom.¹⁸ This phenomenon of Bohairiciza- tion occurred also in Coptic liturgical books. O. H. E. Burmester provided some examples from the pericopae of the book of Proverbs in the Lectionary of the Holy Week.¹⁹ While in our texts, we notice differences between the three different versions. This phenomenon shows clearly an independent redaction from the Sahidic text. · The archaeological context shows that the manuscript was from the monastery of Al-Suryān, where the largest corpus of the Severian texts were held, hence we perhaps have a direct influence of Severus Theology. · From the title of the Bohairic version, we know that the text is addressed to the Son, hence the use of the second person singular; while in the Sahidic we notice the use of the third person singular in some cases. · The text of this fraction prayer is also found in the Alexandrian Liturgy of Saint Gre- gory Nazianznus.²⁰ It is known that the Alexandrian Anaphora attributed to Saint

1964); H. G. Liddell and R. Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, rev. edn. (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1996); or E. A. Sophocles, Greek Lexicon of the Roman and Byzantine Periods (from B.ᴄ. 146 to ᴀ.ᴅ. 1100) (New York: Charles Scribner, 1900). ¹⁴ Arabic ‘You are cruciﬁed’. ¹⁵ L. S. B. MacCoull, ‘Severus of Antioch or Severus of Ashmunein? The Eucharistic Fraction in Early Medieval Egypt’, Journal of Eastern Christian Studies 62 (2010), 191–201. ¹⁶ A. Suciu, ‘A propos de la datation du manuscript contenant le Grand Euchologe du Monastère Blanc’, Vigiliae Christianae 65 (2011), 189–198. ¹⁷ CPG, no. 7078 (3); W. Brightman, Liturgies Eastern and WesternBeing the Texts Original or Translated of the Principal Liturgies of the Church, vol. 1: Eastern Liturgies (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1896), 181–182. ¹⁸ L. T. Lefort, ‘La littérature Bohaïrique’, Le Muséon 44 (1931), 115–135. ¹⁹ O. H. E. Burmester, ‘The Bohairic Pericopae of Wisdom and Sirach’, Biblica 15 (1934), 451–465. ²⁰ PG 36, cc. 721–724. See M. Geerard, CPG 2: Ab Athanasio ad Chrysostomum (Turnhout: Brepols, 1974), 207, no. 3097. Fraction Prayer Attritubed to Severus of Antioch 11 Gregory belongs to the same Syrian type as the Alexandrian Anaphora of Saint Basil, however it is unique in that the prayers are addressed to the Son and not to the Father through the Son. This form of prayer appeared around the sixth century.²¹ Some early fragments preserve some parts of this anaphora.²² The Prayer is called in Bohairic, ‘A Prayer of Fraction for the Son’, while in Greek and Sahidic there is no attribution. It seems that the Syrian monks who came to the desert of Scetis introduced this anaphora to the Coptic Church.²³ It is known that the Syrian Liturgy had a great inﬂuence on the Coptic rite, even in the Euchologion of the White Monastery.²⁴ This ‘Syrianisation’ of the Coptic liturgy took place in the sixth-seventh century.²⁵

§ 2 · While the Sahidic version starts with the invocation of the name of ‘Christ our Saviour’ ⲡⲉ똦阦 ⲡⲉⲛⲥⲱⲧⲏⲣ both Bohairic and Greek versions were not included. Whole verbs in the Greek text as well as in the Bohairic are addressed second- person singular. Thus, as we mentioned: The three versions quote the Revelation (1: 4). This citation is one of the very rare ones in the corpus of Severus of Antioch.²⁶ · Sitting to the right of the Father: Luke (22: 69). · The heavenly bread: John (6: 41) ‘the bread of life’ is used in the letter of Severus of Antioch to Misael the Deacon.²⁷ · In his letter to Cosmas archimandrite of the monastery of the blessed Cyrus (which is written between 513–518 ᴀᴅ) we read: ‘we should eat the heavenly bread which gives life to the world.’²⁸

²¹ A. Guillaumont, Aux origines du monachisme chrétiens, Collection Spiritualité Orientale 30 (Bé- grolles en Mauges: Abbaye de Bellefontaine, 1979), 127–135. ²² J. Henner, Fragmenta Liturgica Coptica, Studien und texte zu Antike und Christentum 5 (Tubingen: Mohr Siebek, 2000), 36–56; E. Lanne, Le grand Euchologue du Monastère Blanc, PO 28.2 (Paris: Firmin- Didot, 1958), 288–291. ²³ E. Hammerschmidt, ‘Some Remarks on the History of, and Present State of Investigation into, the Coptic Liturgy’, Bulletin de la Société d’Archéologie Copte 19 (1968), 89–113. ²⁴ G. Godron, ‘Quelques travaux récents sur la liturgie en dialecte sahidique’, Bulletin de l’Institut Français d’Archéologie Orientales 62 (1962), 5–13, esp. 10. ²⁵ U. Zanetti, ‘La liturgie dans les monastères de Shenoute’, Bulletin de la Société d’Archéologie Copte 53 (2014), 167–224, esp. 172. ²⁶ R. Roux, L’Éxégèse Biblique dans les homélies Cathédrales de Sévère d’Antioche, Studia Ephemeridis Augustinianum 84 (Roma: Institutum Patristicum Augustinianum, 2002), 229–232. ²⁷ E. W. Brooks, The Sixth Book of the Select Letters of Severus Patriarch of Antioch in the Syriac Version of Athanasius of Nisibis, vol. 2, part 2, Text and Translation Society (London: Williams & Norgate, 1904), 237. ²⁸ Brooks, The Sixth Book of the Select Letters, 2.2, 262. 12 Youhanna Youssef & Sameh Soliman · In another letter to John the Count from Antaradus 513–518, we ﬁnd the same quotation: ‘who eats the mysterious and heavenly bread’.²⁹ · Both Sahidic and Bohairic agreed that the Bread for the believers in Him, while in Greek mentions only the Bread to the World. The Greek is a direct quotation from the Gospel John (6: 33).

§ 3 · The quotation of the High Priest Heb. (4: 14) appears recurrently in the letters of Severus.³⁰ · The author/compiler of the text used another ‘cause (chief leader or chief agent) of our salvation’ Heb. (2: 10).

§ 4 · There is a Greek section that does not occur is both Coptic versions. It contains a biblical citation from Heb. (1: 3). That was used by Severus in his letter.³¹ · In this section, εὐδοκήσας the participle refers to the Son, while the Coptic (Bo- hairic and Sahidic) as well as the Arabic translations says, ‘the consent of Your incomprehensible Father’. See Heb. (1: 3). · A similar text is found in Hesychius of Jerusalem (ﬁfth century ᴀᴅ): Κήρυττε τῷ βασιλεῖ σου, τῷ κατελθόντι ἀπὸ τῶν ὑψωμάτων τοῦ οὐρανοῦ σῶσαί σε, εὐχαριστίαν, δοξολογίαν, ὑμνολογίαν.³² · Amazingly enough, while Sahidic and Greek use the same verb ⲁϥⲣⲁⲕⲁⲧⲁⲝⲓⲟⲩ καταξιώσας the Bohairic uses the Coptic equivalent ⲡϩⲏⲛⲉ.³³ Both Lanne and MacCoull rendered this word as ‘fragrance’, ‘Parfume’. The Bohairic and Greek parallels did not allow us to go in this direction. It seems that it is an absolute form of the verb ϩⲛⲉ but not attested in the Coptic dictionary.

§ 5 · While the Biblical quotations 1 Tim. (6: 16) and Col. (1: 15) occur in all the three versions, it is rarely used in the Severian corpus.

²⁹ Brooks, The Sixth Book of the Select Letters, 2.2, 264. ³⁰ E. W. Brooks, A Collection of Letters of Severus of Antioch from Numerous Syriac Manuscripts I, PO 12.2, num. 58 (Paris: Firmin-Didot, 1916), [116], [145]; Id. A Collection of Letters of Severus of Antioch from Numerous Syriac Manuscripts II, PO 12.1, num. 67 (Paris: Firmin-Didot, 1920), [368]. ³¹ Brooks, A Collection of Letters of Severus II, [340]. ³² In Lazarum et in Ramos Palmarum (homilia 18) (olim sub nomine Titi Bostrensis), ed. M. Aubineau, Les homélies festales d’Hésychius de Jérusalem, vol. 2. Les homélies xvi–xxi [Subsidia hagiographica 59. Brus- sels: Société des Bollandistes, 1980], 5, 19–21. ³³ Crum, Coptic Dictionary, 690a. Fraction Prayer Attritubed to Severus of Antioch 13 · Here, we find that Bohairic and Greek versions agree in the qualification of Fa- ther as ⲛ̀ⲁⲑⲛⲁⲩ, ἀοράτου, ‘invisible’. The Sahidic text read differently as ⲛⲁⲧⲙⲟⲩ, ‘immortal one’. This could be explained by a disfigured original.

§ 6 · While the Greek and Sahidic versions used the indefinite for the Holy Spirit ⲟⲩⲡ(ⲛⲉⲩⲙ)ⲁ ⲉϥⲟⲩⲁⲃ and ἐκ Πνεύματος ἁγίου the Bohairic uses the definite article .ⲉⲑⲟⲩⲁⲃ ئⲡⲓ蘦渦 · The Incarnation of the Verb is qualified in Sahidic as ⲙⲛⲧⲁⲧϣⲓⲃⲉ ‘without alteration’ or ἀχράντου; ‘undefiled’. This qualification is absent from the Bohairic text. · This section is inspired by the Nicene Creed: ‘Τὸν δι' ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους καὶ διὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν σωτηρίαν κατελθόντα ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν καὶ σαρκωθέντα ἐκ Πνεύματος Ἁγίου καὶ Μαρίας τῆς Παρθένου καὶ ἐνανθρωπήσαντα.’ · While the Bohairic version is short, the Greek is further developed by adding some adjectives to the Virgin Mary such as πανενδόξου, ἀειπαρθένου, all glorious, ever virgin. · The Sahidic text is the only one which uses the third person ‘God took flesh’ while both use the second person ‘You took flesh’. · Moreover, the Sahidic developed the explanation of the incarnation by adding: ‘She brought Him forth from herself. He became perfect man.’ This is unlike the other two versions.

§ 7 · Only the Bohairic makes the citation of Phil. (2: 7). This theme was the central point of debate in the sixth century.³⁴ · The three versions differ from each other, while the Sahidic qualifies his incarnation as ‘He became perfect.’ While the Bohairic uses the second person, ‘You complete the humanity…’. · The Bohairic used a corrupted version of the Greek: ⲟⲩⲇⲉ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ <ⲙⲉ>ⲧⲁⲥ<ⲧⲁⲥ>ⲓⲛ ⲧⲏⲛ ⲁⲛⲑⲣⲱⲡⲓⲛⲓⲛ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ. · It should be similar to the Greek version κατὰ μετάστασιν, τὴν ἀνθρωπότητα ἀναλλοιώσας and by the way of change (of repentance, of effects of baptism, of

³⁴ See A. Grillmeier and T. Hainthaler, Christ in Christian Tradition Vol. 2: From the Council of Chal- cedon (451) to Gregory the Great (590–604) part 2: The Church of Constantinople in the Sixth Century, trans. J. Cawte and P. Allen (London: Mowbray, 1995), 510. 14 Youhanna Youssef & Sameh Soliman circumstances,³⁵ ) you altered the humanity.

§ 8 · For Severus, speaking about the act of incarnation, emphasises the Union affected, and the term used for this act of ‘Union’ is a Hypostatic Union. Severus says in his letter to Sergius: ‘is believed immutably and without change to have become a child, while He remained that which He was and did not change or convert that which He took up’.³⁶ · Interestingly, this important point in the theology of Severus is omitted in the Bohairic/Arabic text. · Severus of Antioch took this formulation from Cyril of Alexandria as it is attested in the Ecclesiastical History in the Council of Chalcedon: ἐκεῖνο δὲ μᾶšον ὅτι σάρκα ἐψυχωμένην ψυχῇ λογικῇ ἑνώσας ὁ Λόγος ἑαυτῷ καθ' ὑπόστα σιν ἀφράστως καὶ ἀπερινοήτως γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος καὶ κεχρημάτικεν υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου,³⁷ The Word, by uniting personally with Himself flesh, animated by a rational soul, became man in an ineffable and incomprehensible manner, and bore the title of the Son of Man. · Despite that the Hypostatic union omitted in the Bohairic version, the following part is a transliteration of the Greek text: ⲁⲫⲣⲁⲥⲧⲱⲥ ⲕⲉ ⲁⲡⲉⲣⲓⲛⲟⲏⲧⲟⲥ ⲕⲉ ⲁⲕⲁⲧⲁⲗⲏⲡⲧⲟⲥ ⲁⲧⲣⲉⲡⲧⲱⲥ ⲇⲉ ⲕⲉ ⲁⲥⲩⲅⲭⲩⲧⲱ ⲯⲩⲭⲏ ⲛⲉⲭⲟⲩⲥ ⲁⲗⲟⲅⲓⲕⲏ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ* ⲕⲉ ⲛⲟⲏⲣⲟⲛ ἀφράστως καὶ ἀπερινοήτως 〈ἀκαταλλήπτως incomprehensible〉 ἀτρέπτως δὲ καὶ ἀσυγχύτως, ψυχὴν ἔχουσαν λογικήν τε καὶ νοεράν · The Sahidic translates the text. Amazing enough that Sahidic used the Bohairic demonstrative pronoun ⲑⲏⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁⲃ. · The same statement occurs in different theological treatises.³⁸

³⁵ Lampe, A Greek Patristic Lexicon, 861. ³⁶ P. Allen and C. T. R. Hayward, Severus of Antioch, The Early Church Fathers (London and New York: Routledge, 2004), 34 referring to I. R. Torrance, Christology after Chalcedon Severus of Antioch and Sergius the Monophysite (Norwirch: The Canterbury Press, 1988), 218. ³⁷ Evagrius, Historia Ecclesiastica, ed. J. Bidez and L. Parmentier (London: Methuen, 1898), 81; M. Whitby, The Ecclesiastical History of Evagrius Scholasticus, Translated Texts for Historians 33 (Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 2000), 113–114. ³⁸ Among them, the homily of Alexander the Monk (six–seventh century, but in the index of PG by F. Cavallera), this monk is dated to the twelfth cent.!, 15, while the index of the TLG software says ᴀᴅ 6?: Cyprius. A. Καρπόζηλος says that Theophanes the Chronographer had before him the work Invention Crucis of this Alexander as a main source of his Chronographia, Βυζαντινοί Ιστορικοί και Χρονογράφοι, τόμ. Β΄ (Αθήνα: Κανάκη, 2002), 125. Generally there is confusion between this Alexander and the other the Hierosolymitanus. The quotation from the Invention of the Cross is as follows: ‘ἄτρεπτος γὰρ καὶ ἀναλλοίωτος ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος, ἀλλ' ἑνώσας ἑαυτῷ καθ' ὑπόστασιν ἐκ τῶν σπλάγχνων τῆς Θεοτόκου σάρκα, ψυχὴν ἔχουσαν λογικὴν καὶ νοεράν, ἀσυγχύτως, ἀτρέπτως…’; PG 87, c. 4025. Fraction Prayer Attritubed to Severus of Antioch 15 § 9 · Unfortunately, the rest of Sahidic version is lost. · As we mentioned above, Severus, as a good reader of Cyril, took this statement from Ὅρος τῶν Διαλλαγῶν sent by Saint Cyril of Alexandria to John of Antioch in the year 433 ᴀᴅ.³⁹

§ 10 · The Bohairic version is a transliteration of the Greek text. ⲟⲩ ⲇⲓⲟ ⲡⲣⲟⲥⲱⲡⲁ ⲟⲩ ⲟⲩⲇⲉ ⲇⲓⲟ ⲙⲟⲣⲫⲁⲥ ⲓⲅⲟⲩⲛ ⲟⲩⲇⲉ ⲉⲛ ⲇⲓⲟ ⲫⲓⲥⲉⲥ ⲓⲛ ⲛⲅⲛⲱⲣⲓⲍⲟⲙⲉⲛⲟⲥ ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲟⲩⲛⲟⲩϯ ⲛ̀ⲟⲩⲱⲧ ⲟⲩϭ︦阦 ⲛ̀ⲟⲩⲱⲧ ⲟⲩⲥⲓⲁ ⲛ̀ⲟⲩⲱⲧ Οὐ δύο πρόσωπα οὖν, οὐδὲ δύο μορφὰς ἤγουν, οὐδὲ ἐν δυσὶ φύσεσι γνωριζόμενος, ἀλλ' εἷς Θεός, εἷς Κύριος · For example: The life of Severus of Antioch by Athanasius contains an apology in front of the king Anastasius.⁴⁰ The book of the ‘Professions of the Fathers’ which is a compilation of patristic texts from the eleventh century we find a quotation from the apology of Severus in front of the king Anastasius as well as the Synodical letter to Theodosius where we find similar theological statements we will give these quotations in full:⁴¹ · The book of the Confessions (Professions) of faith which is a floriligium of Patristic composed in the Eleventh century to defend the Anti-Chalcedonian faith, we find the same theological statements: 1: The faith written by Severus, of Antioch, to the king Anastasius One Nature, one substance, one lordship, worshipping one, praising one, as the faithful people confess. We confess that the Father is in the rank of the Fatherhood. There is one nature, one essence, three Persons without mingling, without confusion.

³⁹ PG 77, cc. 172–176; Geerard, CPG, 39, num. [5338]. E. Schwartz, Acta Conciliorum Oecumenico- rum, vol. 1 (Berlin:W. de Gruyter, 1914), 4, 7–9; see also Β. Φειδᾶς, Ἐκκλησιαστικὴ Ἱστορία Α΄, 3η ἔκδ. (Ἀθῆναι, 2002), 617, 618. It seems to have been adapted after that to the Chalcedonian Creed (451 ᴀᴅ). Ph. Schaﬀ comments on it saying: ‘It is clearly used thus in the Chalcedonian symbol, where it is said that Christ is “consubstantial (homoousios) with the Father as touching the Godhead, and consubstantial with us [and yet individually, distinct from us] as touching the manhood”’, in History of the Christian Church, vol. 3: Nicene and Post-Nicene Christianity (New York: Charles Scribner, 1867), 672–673; see also Karl-Heinz Uthemann, Studien su Anastasius Sinaites, Mit einem Anhang zu Anastasios I. von Antiochien, Texte und Untersuchungen zur Geschichte der altchristlichen Literatur 174 (Berlin: De Gruyter, 2017), 461. Actio Quinta, Binius, Concilia Generalia, vol. 2, part 1, 253, e. ⁴⁰ Y. N. Youssef, The Arabic Life of Severus of Antioch attributed to Athanasius of Antioch, PO 49.4, n 220 (Turnhout: Brepols, 2004), 448[84]–453[89], § 82–84, 86. ⁴¹ Y. N. Youssef, ‘The Quotations of Severus of Antioch in the Book of the Confessions of the Fathers’, Ancient Near Eastern Studies 40 (2003), 178–229. 16 Youhanna Youssef & Sameh Soliman

And now, one is our Lord Jesus Christ.⁴² We believe that He is one Hypostasis and one nature, one act. One Hypostasis, one Son of God, is our Lord Jesus Christ. He is perfect, without any insuﬃciency or alteration. One nature, the Son suﬀered according to the mortal nature of the body. 2: The Synodical Letter of Severus of Antioch to Theodosius of Alexandria We see that it was in one Person,⁴³ one face. And This one performs His actions as God and also without alteration. · Severus stipulates by recapitulating Cyril, that: The hypostases are in composition and are perfect without diminution, but refuse to con- tinue an individual existence so as to be numbered as two, and to have its own person impressed upon each of them, which a conjunction of honor cannot possibly do.⁴⁴

§ 11 · The Coptic is a transliteration of Greek Text however the Greek is more developed: ⲙⲓⲁ ⲃⲁⲥⲓⲗⲓⲁ ⲙⲓⲁ ⲇⲉⲥ*ⲡⲟⲧⲓⲁ ⲙⲓⲁ ⲛ̀ⲉⲣⲅⲓⲁ ⲙⲓⲁ ⲫⲩⲥⲓⲥ ⲧⲟⲩ 䘦꘦ ⲗⲟⲅⲟⲩ ⲥⲉⲥⲁⲣⲕⲱⲙⲉⲛⲏⲛ ⲧⲉⲛⲟⲩⲱϣⲧ ⲙ̀ⲙⲟⲥ (μία οὐσία,) μία βασιλεία, μία δεσποτεία, (μία ἐνέργεια), μία ὑπόστασις, μία θέλη- σις, μία φύσις τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου σεσαρκωμένη καὶ προσκυνουμένη. · In his Ὁμολογία to the Emperor Juvian, Apollinarius summed up his Christological teaching in this famous statement: ‘Οὐ δύο φύσεις τὸν ἕνα Θεόν, ἀλλὰ μίαν φύσιν τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου σεσαρκωμένην.’⁴⁵ Saint Cyril of Alexandria identiﬁed the ‘φύσις’ and the ‘ὑπόστασις’ in such way that he interchanged their use also in basic texts of his Christological teaching as in this famous phrase. He certainly ignored its Apollinaric origin because the Ὁμολογία Πίστεως of Apollinarius to the emperor Juvian has spread falsely with the name of Saint Athanasius the Great.⁴⁶

§ 12 · The beginning of the stanza is inspired from the Nicene Creed.

⁴² See the Syriac prayer of fraction. See also Abd-al-Masih, ⲡⲓϫⲱⲙ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ ⲡⲓⲉⲩⲭⲟⲗⲟⲅⲓⲟⲛ ⲉⲑⲟⲩⲁⲃ ⲉⲧⲉ ⲫⲁⲓ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲓϫⲱⲙ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ ϯϣⲟⲙϯ ⲛ̀ⲛⲁⲛⲁⲫⲟⲣⲁ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ ⲡⲓⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲃⲁⲥⲓⲗⲓⲟⲥ ⲛⲉⲙ ⲡⲓⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲅⲣⲏⲅⲟⲣⲓⲟⲥ ⲛⲉⲙ ⲡⲓⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲕⲩⲣⲓⲗⲗⲟⲥⲛⲉⲙ ϩⲁⲛⲕⲉⲉⲩⲭⲏ ⲉⲩⲟⲩⲁⲃ [the book of the holy Euchologion which is the book of the three Anaphorae of Saint Basil, Saint Gregory and Saint Cyril and other holy prayers] (Cairo: Ain Shams Printing House, 1902), 736–741. ⁴³ For the etymology of Prosopon, see G. Graf, Verzeichnis Arabischer Kirchlicher Termini, CSCO 147 (Louvain: Imprimerie Orientaliste, 1954), 21. ⁴⁴ Allen and Hayward, Severus of Antioch, 35. ⁴⁵ (Πρὸς Ἰοβιανόν, 1), Φειδᾶς, Ἐκκλησιαστικὴ Ἱστορία Α΄, 585. ⁴⁶ Φειδᾶς, Ἐκκλησιαστικὴ Ἱστορία Α΄, 600. Fraction Prayer Attritubed to Severus of Antioch 17 · There is a quotation from 1 Tim 6: 12. · The stanza concludes with πατήσας τὸν θάνατον from the Troparion of Resurrec- tion which is recited in both Coptic liturgical rite as well as Byzantine tradition.

§ 13 · The text is a direct from Ps. 107 [106]: 16. This citation is used by Severus in his letter.⁴⁷ · Part of this text resembles to text of Athanasius: ‘ἀνέστη γὰρ ὁ κύριος τριήμερος ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν σκυλεύσας τὸν ᾅδην’,⁴⁸ and ‘πάντως τὸν αἰχμάλωτον Ἀδάμ, καὶ τὴν συναιχμάλωτον Εὔαν τῶν ὀδυνῶν λύσαι πορεύεται ὁ Θεὸς’.⁴⁹ · The participle ἀνακαλεσάμενος used here is middle voice, and the middle voice shows that our Lord in recalling Adam did it in His own interest.

§ 14 · This conclusion is recurrent in many prayers of Fraction in the Coptic rite.

ᴄᴏNᴄᴌᴜSIᴏNS The text could be divided into the following points:

· Biblical quotations mainly from the New Testament. · Other liturgical and patristic quotations. · Theological doctrines.

These three main points are the general style of Severus of Antioch. Severus was also a great liturgist as he was thought to have composed several texts.⁵⁰ The attribution of these texts to Severus is probable. The Bohairic text is an addition not only in

⁴⁷ Brooks, A Collection of Letters of Severus of Antioch I, 18. ⁴⁸ Athanasius, Profecti in pagum, 8, 8, 1–2. For both lines, see ‘᾿Επειδὴ γὰρ ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀνεβίω Χριστὸς, πατήσας τὸν θάνατον, καὶ σκυλεύσας τὸν ᾅδην’, Glaphyra ad Pent.; PG 69, c. 676. ⁴⁹ Epiphanius, Homilia in Divini Corporis, PG 43, c. 452; Geerard, CPG, num. 3768. For part of this homily survived in Coptic, see H. De Vis, ‘Homélie cathédrale de Marc, patriarche d’Alexandrie’, Le Muséon 34 (1921), 179–216. ⁵⁰ Y. N. Youssef, ‘Hymns of Severus of Antioch and the Coptic Theotokia’, in Y. N. Youssef and J. D’Alton (eds), Severus of Antioch, His Life and Times, Texts and Studies in Eastern Christianity 7 (Leiden: Brill, 2016), 183–198; id., ‘Another Allusion to a Marian Work Attributed to Severus of Antioch’, in W. Mayer, P. Allen and L. Cross (eds), Prayer and Spirituality in the Early Church, vol. 4: The Spiritual Life (Syndey: St Pauls Publications, 2006), 101–112; id., ‘Severus of Antioch in the Coptic Theotokia’, in B. Neil, G. D. Dunn and L. Cross (eds), Prayer and Spirituality in the Early Church, vol. 3: Liturgy and Life (Sydney: St Pauls Publications, 2003), 93–108; id., ‘Prayers attributed to Severus of Antioch’, Oriens Christianus 96 (2012), 165–176; id., ‘Severus of Antioch in the Coptic Liturgical Books’, Journal of Coptic Studies 6 (2004), 141–150. 18 Youhanna Youssef & Sameh Soliman liturgy but also in patristics.⁵¹ It also shows that the Bohairic is not dependent on Sahidic but mainly from a Greek text that has some similarity with the surviving text. It seems that the translator from Greek to Coptic for unknown reason was not able to translate the whole text, so he kept the original as it is (as it stands).

Youhanna Nessim YᴏᴜSSᴇF is Associate Professor of St Athanasius College, University of Divinity, and Research fellow of Centre for Early Christian Studies, Australian Catholic University, Australia. Sameh Farouk SᴏᴌIᴍᴀN is Assistant Professor of Byzantine Literature, Department of Classical Studies, Faculty of Arts, Cairo University, Egypt.

⁵¹ For another point of view, see T. Orlandi, ‘Patristica Copta e Patristica greca’, Vetera Christianorum 10 (1973), 327-341; id., ‘Testi patristici in lingua Copta’, in A. Quacquarelli (ed.), Complementi interdis- ciplinari di Patrologia (Roma: Città Nuova Editrice, 1989), 457–502. Fraction Prayer Attritubed to Severus of Antioch 19

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