49 (ph.) (L. Di Segni and M. Meerson) (in Hebrew) | |
451, fig. 8 (ph.) | |
345, fig. 19 (ph., dr.) | |
386-387, no. 3 (dr.) (ed. pr.) | |
16, no. 12 |
CIIP IV.2 (2018): 3862 (ph., dr.)
Within the inner border of the mosaic carpet of the nave, at the foot of the bema.
Three line inscription in a rectangular frame (45 x ca. originally 370 cm). Left side slightly broken. A decorative element at the end of the first line, on the right. The characters are traced in red tesserae and are 12 cm high. The script is round and particularly elegant. Two abbreviations marks are used: stigma, also used for καί, and a diagonal stroke across the kappa; two lifted abbreviation signs are also partially preserved in line 3. Ligature of ΟΥ. Cruciform psi.
[☩ Ἐπι το]ῦ ὁσιοτάτου (καὶ) μακαριοτάτου [Ἀναστασίου?]
[τ]οῦ ἐπισκ(όπου) (και) τῶν θεοφιλε[σ]τάτων [Ἠ]λίο[υ (καὶ) Σεργ]ίου ?
τῶν χορεπισκ(όπων) (καὶ) Οὐλε[φου (καὶ)] Ἀνιανοῦ [π]ρεσβ(υτέρων) ἐψηφ(ώθη) τὰ ⟨ὧ⟩δε.
[Under th]e most saintly and most blessed [Anastasius?] the bishop, and the most God-loving [E]lias [and Serg]ius? the chorepiscopi and Oule[fos and] Anianos priests, the (halls) here were paved with mosaics.
Mosaic building inscription mentioning several church officials, in the nave.
The name of the bishop is lost, but it must have been long as the gap at the end of line 1 can accomodate at least 9 letters. Considering the date of the proposed date of the inscription and the fact that 'Anab was within the boundaries of Eleutheropolis, the likely candidates are either Gregorius, who attended the synod of Jerusalem in 518, or his successory Anastasius, who signed the acts of the Synod of Jerusalem in 536. We have no names of bishops of Eleutheropolis between 415 and 518, but a predecessor of Gregorius in the late fifth or first years of the sixth century cannot be ruled out. The repetition of the article before the title is rare is rare but not unknown. Also rare, at least in Palestine, is the attribute μακαριώτατος (most-blessed) for a bishop, as usually this term is reserved for a deceased person. However, the formula ὁσιώτατος or ἁγιώτατος καὶ μακαριώτατος (ἀρχι)επίσκοπος appears in several building inscriptions in Transjordan in which the bishop was clearly still alive. The first priest's name is probably the Greek transcription of the Semitic name 'lf - Ολεφος, or the less common Ολεπιος. Ο and ου are often interchangeble in these inscriptions. This priest was probably the same Abba Ulpianus/Olpianus mentioned in inscription 1. The second priest, Anianos, while it resembles the Latin name Annius, Annianus, is in fact another Semitic name, as shown by the appearance of Hanina in the Syro-palestinian inscription 2. ὧδε in line 3 written with an omicron as opposed toan omega.