Khirbet ed Deir - Severianus

Church/Monastery name: 
Khirbet ed Deir - Severianus
Inscription number: 
4
Selected bibliography: 
383-385, no. 4 (ph.) (ed. pr.)
506, no. 1003
101-103, no. 4 (ph.)
51, no. 61
Abbreviation for Journals and Series
Epigraphical corpora: 

SEG 37 (1987): 1496

CIIP IV.2 (2018): 3820 (ph.)

Inscription type: 
funerary
invocation/prayer
Location: 

In the mosaic pavement of the chapel, facing the apse, in front of the burial cave.

Physical description : 

Three-line inscription, in black tesserae, within a tabula ansata (95 x 31 cm), in the eastern part of the chapel floor, below the conch motif near the apse. Letters 6 cm high. Lines separated by yellow strips (1 cm wide), like Inscription no.1. Unmarked abbreviated words, reversed stigma before the tau for τήν in line 1, and after the tau for τ(αῖς) in line 3, diagonal stroke over the leg of the kappa, for καί.

Text: 

Ἅγιοι πρεσ(βύτεροι) πρεσβε(ύετε) τὴν

εἰρήνην τῷ τόπῳ τού-

ῳ κ(αὶ) τ(αῖς) ψυχαῖς ἡμῶν.

Translation: 

Holy presbyters (fathers?), interecede for peace for this place and for our souls.

Apparatus: 

Feissel (ΒΕ) suggested restoring ΠΡΕΣ as π(ατέ)ρες, "fathers."

Commentary: 

The inscription suggests that this was the tomb of the priests of the monastery. Simple monks were probably buried elsewhere.

Date: 
late 5th - early 6th cent.
Summary: 

Funerary inscription in the mosaic pavement of the chapel in front of the burial cave.

Contents
Ecclesiastical titles: 
presbyter
Epithets of clergy/monks: 
father
Epigraphical Abbreviations: 
reversed stigmas, diagonal strokes