Archelaus of Neapolis
Archelaus of Neapolis is described in The Coptic Encyclopedia as a fictional bishop to whom Coptic homilies were attributed, notably a work honoring the Archangel Gabriel.[^1]
Identity and literary setting
Archelaus of Neapolis is an imaginary figure created by Coptic authors during the period of the literary cycles. Various homilies were attributed to him, and the information about his fictional identity derives from these works.1
In this literary tradition, Archelaus is presented as bishop of Neapolis and successor to a certain Nikolaus. The city is not explicitly identified; Nablus in Palestine was probably intended. He is said to have traveled in the Holy Land and built a church in his city dedicated to the Archangel Gabriel.2
His mention in the Coptic-Arabic Synaxarion on 22 Kiyahk also derives from one of the homilies attributed to him.3
Attributed works and manuscripts
One complete homily and a fragment of another are attributed to Archelaus. The fragment, identified as Paris, National Library, Copte 131.1.28 and described as unpublished, offers moral exegesis of passages from Isaiah, particularly Isaiah 5:22.4
The complete homily, In Honor of the Archangel Gabriel, survives in Sahidic and Bohairic. The Sahidic witnesses include Pierpont Morgan Library M 583.1–16 in New York and fragments from the White Monastery, or Dayr Anba Shinudah. The Bohairic witnesses include Vatican Library, Coptic 59.30–49, published by Vis in 1929, and fragments of another codex of Saint Macarius. The redactions substantially agree with one another.5
The homily on Gabriel
In the homily, Archelaus recounts a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, especially to the monastery of Saint Romanus. He claims to have discovered in its library an old book containing Jesus’ revelations to the apostles concerning Gabriel. After returning to Neapolis with Bishop Nikolaus’s help, he has a church built in the archangel’s honor. The remaining narrative recounts miracles attributed to Gabriel that assist the construction and establish the church’s authority.6
These narrative elements are traditional: journeys to the Holy Land and discoveries of old books containing revelations of Jesus occur in other Coptic texts of the same period. The church-building miracles are also comparable to those in a text attributed to Acacius of Caesarea in honor of Saint Mercurius.7
References
Sources
- 1.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 1 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 494)
ARCHELAUS OF NEAPOLIS is an imaginary figure invented by the Coptic authors of the period of the CYCLES. Various homilies are attributed to him. Information on his fictional personality can be drawn only from the content of his homilies
- 2.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 1 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 494)
He is said to have been bishop of Neapolis (it is not specified which, but probably Nablus of Palestine was intended), the successor of a certain Nikolaus; he traveled in the Holy Land and built a church in his town dedicated to the Archangel GABRIEL.
- 3.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 1 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 494)
his mention in the Coptic-Arabic SYNAXARION on 22 Kiyahk also derives from one of these.
- 4.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 1 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 494)
We possess a complete homily attributed to him and a fragment of another (not published; Paris, National Library, Copte 131.1.28) that is an exegesis of a moral character of certain passages of Isaiah (in particular Is. 5:22).
- 5.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 1 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 494)
The complete homily, In Honor of the Archangel Gabriel, exists in Sahidic (New York, Pierpont Morgan Library M 583.1-16, unpublished; fragments of a codex of DAYR ANBA SHINUDAH, or the White Monastery) and in Bohairic (Rome, Vatican Library, Coptic 59.30-49, ed. Vis, 1929, pp. 246-91, fragments of another codex of Saint Macarius). The redactions are in substantial agreement with each other.
- 6.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 1 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 494)
In order to celebrate Gabriel, Archelaus gives an account of a pilgrimage he made to the Holy Land, especially to the monastery of Saint Romanus. In the library of this monastery he found an old book narrating Jesus' revelations to the apostles concerning Saint Gabriel. When, with the help of Bishop Nikolaus, he returned to Neapolis, Archelaus had a church built in honor of the archangel. The rest of the homily consists of an account of the miracles Gabriel worked to help in the building of the church and then to establish its authority.
- 7.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 1 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 494)
The elements of this homily are traditional. The journey to the Holy Land and the discovery of an old book with revelations of Jesus are found in many Coptic texts of the same period. For miracles during the building of a church, see the text attributed to ACACIUS OF CAESAREA in honor of Saint MERCURIUS.
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