Unknown Encomia on the Coptic Saint Shenoute of Atripe (4th/5th Century): Critical Edition, Translation, and Studies of a Newly Discovered Arabic Manuscript

Basic data for this project

Description

Shenoute of Atripe († 450/465) stands out as the most celebrated and influential Coptic writer of late antique Egypt. He embraced monastic life at an early age and eventually rose to become the abbot of two monasteries for men—both of which are still active today—as well as a convent for women. Shenoute was also a gifted preacher and a prolific author, producing nine volumes of Canons, eight volumes of discourses, and a wealth of letters. Sadly, only fragments of his extensive literary output have survived to the present day. A hagiographical account of Shenoute’s life, known as the Vita Sinuthii, has been preserved in its entirety in Bohairic Coptic, Arabic, Ethiopian, and Syriac, with additional fragments surviving in Sahidic Coptic. Each version of the Vita Sinuthii reflects a unique transmission history, shaped by the cultural and linguistic contexts in which it was copied and circulated. During the search for previously unknown sources related to Shenoute of Atripe, the applicant identified a significant Arabic manuscript containing various Vitae or encomia dedicated to Shenoute. This manuscript, likely translated from Coptic, is housed in the manuscript library of the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate in Egypt. It belongs to a recently acquired collection and, as such, has not yet been cataloged in any published sources. This manuscript offers previously unknown material, providing fresh insights into Shenoute’s legacy and the reception of his Vita within Coptic-Arabic literature. It also promises to deepen our understanding of the textual transmission and editorial history of the Vita Sinuthii. The project aims to prepare a critical edition of the manuscript, accompanied by a translation and commentary, to make this valuable resource accessible to the scholarly community.