SSCN Voumes 1-10, 1994-2004

St. Shenouda Coptic Newsletter

THE LIBRARY OF THE MONASTERY OF ST. JOHN THE LITTLE A COLOPHON FROM A VATICAN-PRESERVED COPTIC MANUSCRIPT (by Hany N. Takla)

The successful excavation seasons of the Scriptorium (1995-1996) in ruins of the Monastery of St. John the Little in Egypt's Wadi 'N Natrun sparked widespread interest in the Monastery and its founder. So far, no remains of the Library has not been excavated. There is however at least one Bohairic-Arabic Manuscript in the Vatican that can be traced directly to this ancient library. This is Vatican Copt. 21, a complete codex of the Liturgy of St. Cyril. It is dated 1059 AM (1343 AD). Its transmission history from the monastery to the Vatican is not definitely known. What is known is that it is mentioned among six Coptic Manuscripts inventoried in MS. Vat. Lat. 7136, from the Papacy of the Roman Catholic Pope Julius II, 1503-1513. Keep in mind that the last time the monastery was mentioned to be inhabited was in 1493 AD. There is another Bohairic colophon of a Horologion, published by Dr. Burmester in 1965, that came from that library. Three Arabic Manuscripts is known to have come from the Monastery and are currently preserved in European Libraries. Below is the Bohairic text of the colophon of Vatican Copt. 21. The text reflects the old style Djinkim, customary of pre-1400 AD Bohairic manuscripts. Editor's modifications to the text is marked with '[ ]' for lacuna, '{}' for errors by scribe, and '<>' for additions by the editor. Further, an underlined text indicates above line scribal additions, and strikethrough text indicates portions of text crossed out by scribe.

(f66v) "cross" In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the equal Trinity: one divinity, we worship Him, we glorify Him for ever Amen He made a completion to this blessed labor. Which is the Anaphora of Saint Gregory Cyril. on the 24th of the month of Amshir: From years of the martyrs 1059: and from a year which is (of ) the sons of Hagar 743 in peace of God Amen:

(f.66v) ~ qen vran m viwt nem ps/ri nem pip na ey ]yriac no mooucioc: oumeynou] n ouwt ten < ou > wst m mof ten] w ou naf. sa e neh a m/n. et- c marwout. e te pai pe ] { a gi a }< ana- vora > n te pi a gioc (f.67r) grigeri kuril- loc. { n } qen pi kd na bot emsir: e bol qen h#a$ n rompi ,r m ` any : nem e bol q#e$n ourompi { n } ete nens/ri n hejer 'm # g $ qen ouhir#/$n/ # n $te v] a m/n: viwt pmmoun#a,oc p$i a gioc piou#/b n te$ v] ouoh s#emsit$f piprecbut#ero$c iwn ps/ri n te ] a gi a n ekkl/ci a n te peniwt n hugoumenoc abba iwn : (f.67v) qen ptwou n sih/t: p safe n te peniwt abba makari: affivrwous n q/tf qen pef- qic < i > m m/i et { r } efermeletan n q/tf ouoh n tefswpi n ouervmeu i naf sa e neh a m/n. afswpi n oujwk e bol m pai a gwn ouoh

St. Shenouda Coptic Newsletter And he who took care of it, the monk father, the holy one, the priest of God and His servant, the presbyter John, the son of the holy church of our hegomen father Abba John (f.67v) in the mountain of Shiet: The wilderness of our Father Abba Makari: He took care of it with his true labor which he meditated in it and it became a memorial for him for ever Amen. #v/ e$taffirwous n# q/tf$

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