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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”.
66 Youhanna Nessim Youssef
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.
Salām (Salutation) of Anba Shenoute 67
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.
68 Youhanna Nessim Youssef
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.
Salām (Salutation) of Anba Shenoute 69
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.
70 Youhanna Nessim Youssef
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.
Salām (Salutation) of Anba Shenoute 71
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.
72 Youhanna Nessim Youssef
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 (Salutation) of Anba Shenoute 73
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.
74 Youhanna Nessim Youssef
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.
Salām (Salutation) of Anba Shenoute 75
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.
76 Youhanna Nessim Youssef
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 77
78 Youhanna Nessim Youssef