Nessana - SS. Sergius and Bacchus (North church)

Church/Monastery name: 
Nessana - SS. Sergius and Bacchus (North church)
Inscription number: 
13
Selected bibliography: 
154, no. 45 (dr.) (ed. pr.)
263, no. 385
780-781, no. 300, fig. 350
Abbreviation for Journals and Series
Inscription type: 
invocation/prayer
Location: 

On a chalk fragment found in Room 8.

Physical description : 

Room 8, adiacent to the martyrium, was entered through a courtyard opening immediately to the west of the Entrance Hall. The inscription is written in rectangular changing to oval script, with letters an average 3 cm high, on a fragment of chalk (30x27 cm) broken in two and much worn. The monogram ȣ is consistently used for the diphthong ΟΥ. Crosses mark the beginning and the end of the text.

Text: 

       ☩ Ἅγιε Σέργι(ε) βοήθι-

       σον τοῦ [δού]λου σοῦ

       Θεοδώρου ΠΑΤ

4     Ε . Θ . . Ν̣Α̣Υ̣Τ̣ȣ

       ἔτ(ους) υπα´. ☩

Translation: 

Holy Sergius, help thy servant Theodore ... Year 481.

Apparatus: 

Ll.3-4: Παν|έμ(ου) θκ´ ἰνδ(ικτιῶνος) δ´ του ?  Kirk–Welles.

Commentary: 

Year 481 corresponds to 586/7 AD. If Welles' suggested reading is accepted, the date would correspond to 18 July 586, in the 4th indiction.

Two more invocations found on chalk fragments in Room 8 are of Saints Sergius and Stephen (Kirk–Welles, no. 46) and of Christ and Saint Sergius (no. 47).

Given date: 
year
Date: 
18 July (?) 586
Summary: 

Dated invocation of Saint Sergius on behalf of Theodore, on a chalk fragment found in Room 8, 18 July (?) 586.

Contents
Titles/epithets of patrons/dedicators: 
servant of God
Personal names: 
Theodorus
Saints names: 
Sergius
Epithets of saints: 
hagios/hagia
Epigraphical formulae: 
Saint X, help...
Epigraphical Abbreviations: 
ΟΥ in ligature