Ein 'Avdat - Hermitage

Church/Monastery name: 
Ein 'Avdat - Hermitage
Inscription number: 
1
Selected bibliography: 
10-14, phs. 7-9 (Tsafrir) (in Hebrew) (ed. pr.)
412-413, fig. 5
Abbreviation for Journals and Series
Epigraphical corpora: 

SEG 41 (1991): 1542; 45 (1995): 1974

Inscription type: 
grafitto
invocation/prayer
Location: 

Engraved on Surface 1 of the northern wall in Cave 2.

Physical description : 

Several specially smoothed surfaces engraved with inscriptions were found on the northern wall of Cave 2. Due to the peeling off of the rock and later engravings, only a few lines on Surface 1 (ca. 85x50 cm) can be deciphered. Height of the letters is irregular and between 2-7 cm.

Text: 

(a)      ☩ Ἅγ(ιε)

 

(b)      ☩ Χ(ριστ)έ, βοήθη(σον)

 

(c)      ☩ καὶ Κ̣Λ̣ -

 

(d)      ☩ Ἅγ(ιε) Θεώδορε, βο(ήθησον).

 

(e)      ☩ Κύρ(ιε), βοήθησον

          τὸν δοῦλόν σου

          Ζαχαρίας.

Translation: 

(a)  Saint ...

(b)  Christ, help!

(c)  ... and Kl... 

(d)  Saint Theodore, help!

(e)  Lord, help Thy servant, Zachariah!

Apparatus: 

(c)  Κ̣Λ̣ Tsafrir,  Κ̣Α̣ SEG 41.

Summary: 

Grafitti with invocations of Christ and of Saint Theodore, on the northern wall of Cave 2.

Contents
Titles/epithets of patrons/dedicators: 
servant of God
Personal names: 
Zacharias
Saints names: 
Theodorus
Epithets of saints: 
hagios/hagia
Epigraphical formulae: 
Lord/Christ, help...
Saint X, help...
Epigraphical Abbreviations: 
(d) stigma for Ἅγ(ιε) and small stroke for βο(ήθησον)