Some Notes on Medieval Coptic Hagiography

Abstract

Fourteenth-century Coptic saints such as Barsuma al-Uryan (d. 1317) and Ruways (d. 1404) are well known and venerated even today in modern Egypt. The fourteenth century produced many saints in the Coptic Church, and their lives and miracles were faithfully recorded as anonymous Lives. Each consists of a Life and Miracles, which were written shortly after their deaths. For this reason, these sources are replete with information regarding the daily life in Mamluk Egypt.
 However, these sources have received limited academic attention, although in the recent years, some individual saints’ Lives have been successfully used as historical sources. The reliability of the historical evidence may vary from one Life to another. Some Lives could be heavily biased, some more dependable as a record of everyday life. Further, some of the actions of a saint that were deemed peculiar to him could be a common trait among the saints from the same period.
 Therefore, in order to use these Lives as historical sources, there is a need to assess this hagiographical genre as a whole. First, I will point out the basic elements of the sources. Second, I will introduce some newly discovered manuscripts and also new saints’ Lives which were previously unknown. This will widen the scope of this genre. Third, I will analyze the motives and background of the compilation of the saints’ Lives.
 In this way, I wish to gain evidence of the little-known literary activity of the Coptic Church in the fourteenth century and present the potential of the Lives as historical sources not only for the Coptic Church but also for Middle Eastern history.