Angel of Mercy: The Coptic Reception of the Image of Archangel Michael

This article is devoted to the study of the ideas about Archangel Michael in the heritage of the Egyptian Christians on the basis of Coptic apocryphal, homiletical, hagiographic and magical texts. According to the tradition of the Coptic Church, the main feast in honor of the archangel is celebrated on November 21 and is associated with Michael being placed at the head of the heavenly forces after the fall of Satan. Special sacred attributes like the crown of joy, the mantle of light, the staff of truth emphasize the high status of this archangel. The analysis allows to identify different areas of activity in which the archistrategos is involved. Many of them are attested in different traditions, others are authentic for some of them. A comparison of the Coptic and Greek traditions makes it possible to define more clearly the peculiarities of the Egyptian tradition. According to Coptic texts, Michael heals martyrs during torture, supports bishops in exile, mitigates punishment for sinners in hell, helps ordinary Christians. From the flock, mercy toward the needy is expected. The wide veneration of the archangel by the Copts results from his special patronage over every Christian, as well as over Egypt in general. For three days and nights he specifically prays to God about the flood of the Nile. However, the veneration of Michael shows immoderation opposed by some Coptic writers.

Keywords

Archangel Michael, Coptic tradition, the Middle Ages, Greek tradition, investiture of Michael, flood of the Nile, veil in the Kingdom of Heaven, Michael’s force

Received

19.09.2019

Publication date

24.09.2019

Number of characters

35953

Cite

GOST	Frangulian L. “Angel of Mercy”: The Coptic Reception of the Image of Archangel Michael // Vestnik drevnei istorii – 2019. – V. 79. – Issue 2 C. 343-357 [Electronic resource]. URL: http://ras.jes.su/vdi/s032103910005039-5-1-en (circulation date: 20.04.2024). DOI: 10.31857/S032103910005039-5
MLA	Frangulian, Lilia "“Angel of Mercy”: The Coptic Reception of the Image of Archangel Michael." Vestnik drevnei istorii 79.2 (2019):343-357. DOI: 10.31857/S032103910005039-5
APA	Frangulian L. (2019). “Angel of Mercy”: The Coptic Reception of the Image of Archangel Michael. Vestnik drevnei istorii 79(2), pp.343-357 DOI: 10.31857/S032103910005039-5

100 rub.

When subscribing to an article or issue, the user can download PDF, evaluate the publication or contact the author. Need to register.

Number of purchasers: 3, views: 1489

Readers community rating: votes 0

1. Afinogenov, D.E. (vved., per. s grech., prim.). Khrisipp, presviter Ierusalimskij. Pokhvala arkhangelu Mikhailu. VDI 2, 2009. S. 232–235.

2. Afinogenova, O.N. Kul't arkhangela Mikhaila v Vizantijskoj imperii. Istoriya i istochnikovedenie. SPb. [Diss. kand. ist. nauk. M.: IVI RAN, 2008].

3. Afinogenova, O.N. i dr. Mikhail, arkhangel. V kn.: Pravoslavnaya ehntsiklopediya. T. 45. M., 2017. S. 503–546.

4. Alexander, P. (ed.) 1983: (Hebrew Apocalypse of) Enoch (Fifth to Sixth Century A.D.). A New Translation and Introduction by P. Alexander. In: J.H. Charlesworth (ed.), The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha. Vol. 1. New York, 223–315.

5. Balestri, I., Hyvernat, H. (éd.) 1907: Acta martyrum. I. Textus. (Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium, 43. Scriptores Coptici. Series III, Vol. I). Parisiis.

6. Bolotov, V.V. Mikhajlov den'. Pochemu sobor sv. arkhistratiga Mikhaila sovershaetsya 8 noyabrya? Khristianskoe chtenie 2, 1892. S. 593–644.

7. Brakke, D. 2000: The Egyptian afterlife of Origenism: conflicts over embodiment in Coptic sermons. Orientalia Christiana Periodica 66, 277–293.

8. Budge, E.A.W. (ed.) 1888: The Martyrdom and Miracles of Saint George of Cappadocia. The Coptic texts edited with an English translation by E.A.W. Budge. (Oriental Text Series, I). London.

9. Budge, E.A.W. (ed.) 1894: Saint Michael the Archangel. Three Encomiums by Theodosius, Archbishop of Alexandria, Severus, Patriarch of Antioch, and Eustathius, Bishop of Trake. The Coptic texts with extracts from Arabic and Ethiopic versions, edited, with a translation by E.A.W. Budge. London.

10. Budge, E.A.W. (ed.) 1913: Coptic Apocrypha in the Dialect of Upper Egypt. Edited, with English translations by E.A.W. Budge. (Coptic Texts, III). London.

11. Budge, E.A.W. (ed.) 1914: Coptic Martyrdoms etc. in the Dialect of Upper Egypt. Edited, with English translations by E.A.W. Budge. London.

12. Budge, E.A.W. (ed.) 1915: Miscellaneous Coptic Texts in the Dialect of Upper Egypt. Edited, with English translations by E.A.W. Budge. (Coptic Texts, V). London.

13. Depuydt, L. (ed.) 1991: Homiletica from the Pierpont Morgan Library: Seven Coptic Homilies Attributed to Basil the Great, John Chrysostom, and Euodius of Rome. Vol. 1–2. (Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium, 524–525. Scriptores Coptici, 43–44). Leuven.

14. Durand, G.M. de (éd.) 1976: Cyrille d’Alexandrie. Dialogues sur la Trinité. T. I. Introduction, Dialogues I et II. Texte critique, traduction et notes par G.M. de Durand. (Sources chrétiennes, 231). Paris.

15. Elanskaya, A.I. (vved., per. s grech., prim.). Izrecheniya egipetskikh ottsov. Pamyatniki literatury na koptskom yazyke. (Antichnoe khristianstvo. Istochniki). Vtoroe izdanie. SPb., 2001.

16. Emmel, S. 2005: The library of the monastery of the Archangel Michael at Phantoou (al-Hamuli). In: G. Gabra (ed.), Christianity and Monasticism in the Fayoum Oasis: Essays from the 2004 International Symposium of the Saint Mark Foundation and the Saint Shenouda the Archimandrite Coptic Society in Honor of Martin Krause. Cairo, 63–70.

17. Esbroeck, M. van 1991: Michael the Archangel, Saint. In: A.S. Atiya (ed.), The Coptic Encyclopedia. Vol. 5. New York, 1616–1620.

18. Gabelić, S. 1996: The Archangelos Xorinos, or the Banisher. Dumbarton Oaks Papers 50, 345–360.

19. Golovnina, N.G. Ioann, ep. g. Paral. V kn.: Pravoslavnaya ehntsiklopediya. T. 23. Innokentij – Ioann Vlakh. M., 2010. S. 366–367.

20. Lantschoot, A. van 1946: Fragments coptes d’une homélie de Jean de Paralos contre les livres hérétiques. In: Miscellanea Giovanni Mercati. Vol. 1. Bibbia. Letteratura cristiana antica. (Studi e testi, 121). Città del Vaticano, 296–326.

21. Lafontaine, G. (éd.) 1979: Un éloge copte de Saint Michel, attribué à Macaire de Tkow. Le Muséon 92, 301–320.

22. Lefebvre, G. 1907: Recueil des inscriptions grecques chrétiennes d’Égypte. Le Caire.

23. Hyvernat, H. (éd., trad.) 1886: Les actes des martyrs de l’Égypte.

24. Mango, C. 1984: St. Michael and Attis. Δελτίον της Χριστιανικής Αρχαιολογικής Εταιρείας. [Deltion of the Christian Archaeological Society] 12, 39–62.

25. Meyer, M.W., Smith, R. 1994: Ancient Christian Magic: Coptic Texts of Ritual Power. Princeton.

26. Müller, C.D.G. 1959: Die Engellehre der koptischen Kirche. Untersuchungen zur Geschichte der christlichen Frömmigkeit in Ägypten. Wiesbaden.

27. Müller, C.D.G. (Hrsg.) 1962: Die Bücher der Einsetzung der Erzengel Michael und Gabriel. (Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium, 225–226, Scriptores Coptici, 31–32). Leuven.

28. Munier, H. (éd.) 1918: Les Actes du martyre de saint Isidore. Bulletin de l’institut français d’archéologie orientale 14, 101–190.

29. Papaconstantinou, A. 2001: Le culte des saints en Égypte des Byzantins aux Abbassides. L’apport des inscriptions et des papyrus grecs et coptes. Paris.

30. Peers, G. 1996: Apprehending the Archangel Michael: hagiographic methods. Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies 20, 100–121.

31. Rohland, J.P. 1977: Der Erzengel Michael, Arzt und Feldherr, zwei Aspekte des vor- und frühbyzantinischen Michaelskultes. Leiden.

32. Simon, J. 1934: Homélie copte inédite sur S. Michel et le Bon Larron, attribuée à S. Jean Chrysostome. Orientalia. NOVA SERIES 3, 217–242.

33. Smagina, E.B. Manikhejstvo po rannim istochnikam. M., 2011.

34. Smagina, E.B. (vved., per. s grech., prim.). Misterii Ioanna, apostola i svyatogo devstvennika. Vestnik PSTGU. III: Filologiya 5 (45), 2015. S. 97–110.

35. Stepanova, E.V. Pechati s latinskimi i greko-latinskimi nadpisyami VI–VIII vv. iz sobraniya Ehrmitazha. SPb., 2006.

36. Thayer, J.H. 1889: Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. New York.

37. Vitkovskaya, M. (vved., per., prim.) Apokrificheskie apokalipsisy. SPb., 2001.

38. West, Ch. 2014: St. Michael the Archangel in Late Antiquity. Undergraduate Honors Theses, Paper 737. URL: http://scholar.colorado.edu/honr_theses/737/ (16.03.2018).

39. Youssef, Y.N. 2007: The Archangel Michael and the Patriarchs in exile in the Coptic tradition. In: N. Bosson, A. Boud’hors (éd.), Actes du huitième Congrès international d’études coptes. Paris, 28 juin – 3 juillet 2004. Vol. II. (Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta, 163). Leuven, 645–656.

40. Zanetti, U. 1994: Fêtes des anges dans les calendriers et synaxaires orientaux. In: C. Carletti, G. Otranto (eds.), Culto e insediamenti micaelici nell’Italia meridionale fra tarda antichità e medioevo. Atti del convegno internazionale, Monte Sant’Angelo 18–21 novembre 1992. Bari. 323–349.