Jerusalem (Mount of Olives) - St. Mary on Mt. of Olives

Church/Monastery name: 
Jerusalem (Mount of Olives) - St. Mary on Mt. of Olives
Inscription number: 
1
Selected bibliography: 
V (1902): 164-169, no. 31 B (ed. pr.)
103, no. 158
316-319, no. 341
Abbreviation for Journals and Series
Epigraphical corpora: 

CIIP I.2 (2012): App. 18* (ph.)

Inscription type: 
epitaph
Location: 

Findspot: Unearthed by local workers somewhere on the Mount of Olives. No details on the precise findspot were known to Clermont-Ganneau.

Pres. loc.: SBF Museum, Jerusalem.

Physical description : 

The inscription is incised on a roughly dressed stone, under a large cross. Round letters, lunate sigma, v-shaped upsilon.

Meas.: h 103, w 55, d 13 cm; letters 3-4 cm.

Text: 

              ☩

     Ἐτάφ˹η˺ τῇ

     (πεντηκο)στ˹ῇ˺ ὁ δ˹ί˺κ˹αι˺-

     ος Ἰοσήπιο-

4   ς κ˹αὶ˺ ἱερεὺς

     κ˹αι˺νοῦ κτί<σ>-

     ματος φα-

     νέν˹τ˺ος

8   ἀνγέλου.

Translation: 

The righteous Joseph, (who was) also a priest of the new foundation of the “Appeared Angel”, was buried on the day of Pentecost.

Apparatus: 

L.2  ΕΣΤΙ = ε´ + (κο)στι = (πεντηκο)στ˹ῇ˺

Commentary: 

Clermont-Ganneau judged the inscription very late, because of the vulgar spelling. The legend of the apparition of an angel to the Virgin to announce her forthcoming death was located on the Mount of Olives, but in Clermont-Ganneau’s opinion the chapel erected to commemorate it was not earlier than the 8 c. and possibly later.

Summary: 

Epitaph of Joseph, priest of the new foundation of the “Appeared Angel”, incised on a roughly dressed stone.

Contents
Actions: 
was buried
Ecclesiastical titles: 
hiereus (priest)
Epithets of clergy/monks: 
righteous (dikaios)
Personal names: 
Joseph
Epigraphical Abbreviations: 
ε´(κο)στι = πεντηκοστῇ