Saint Archellides
Saint Archellides is described as a Roman noble who became a monk in Palestine; his life survives in Sahidic Coptic narrative and poetry. Sources differ on his feast day.[^1][^4][^6][^7]
Also known as: Archellides · Archellites
Overview
Saint Archellides was a Roman noble who became a monk in Palestine. His surviving life is a fictitious religious narrative, apparently composed directly in Coptic around the seventh century, rather than an established historical biography.14
The Account of His Life
According to the narrative, Archellides came from a noble and devout family in Rome. Educated by philosophers, he was sent to continue his studies in Athens and Beirut. Encountering a corpse during his journey moved him to vow virginity and enter the Palestinian monastery of Saint Romanus, where he became respected for his asceticism and wisdom.2
His mother, left without news of him, opened a hostel for travelers. After twelve years, she learned his whereabouts from passing merchants, gave her possessions to the poor, and traveled to the monastery. Archellides refused to meet her and, when she persisted, prayed for death. In the story, she finally saw him after he had died; she then prayed to die herself, and her prayer was granted.3
Literary Transmission
The life survives in Sahidic Coptic in a complete codex, Pierpont Morgan Library M 579.1, and in fragments from Dayr Anba Shinudah. It is attributed to a historian named Eusebius, whom the composer apparently identified with Eusebius of Caesarea; this attribution lacks an apparent basis.1
Archellides and his mother also appear in a Sahidic semidramatic composition consisting of the principal characters’ speeches. This version explicitly explains his refusal to see his mother by a vow never again to look upon a woman’s face. The source considers possible accompanying mimic action but leaves the question unresolved.7
Commemoration
Archellides’ feast day is disputed. It is given as 13 Tubah, but also as 14 Tubah. He is likewise commemorated on 14 Tubah as an ascetic of Saint Romanos Monastery.156
References
Sources
- 1.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 1 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 496)
ARCHELLIDES SAINT, a Roman noble who became a monk in Palestine (feast day: 13 Tubah). The account of his life has been preserved in Sahidic in a complete codex (New York, Pierpont Morgan Library M 579.1) and in various fragments from DAYR ANBA SHINUDAH (ed. Drescher, 1947), and is attributed to one Eusebius, a historiographer of Rome who, in the mind of whoever composed it, was obviously the same person as EUSEBIUS OF CAESAREA, without apparent reason for such an attribution.
- 2.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 1 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 496)
We are told that Archellides came from a noble and very pious family of the city of Rome. He is educated by "philosophers" and sent to complete his education in Athens and Beirut. Along the way he meets a corpse and is so struck by this that he takes a vow of virginity and goes to the Palestinian monastery of Saint Romanus. He is accepted by the monks, performs great acts of asceticism, and is also respected for his wisdom.
- 3.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 1 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 496)
Without any news of him, his mother is very sad; she opens a hostel where she takes care of wayfarers. After twelve years some passing merchants discuss Archellides, and his mother learns where he is. She gives her belongings to the poor and sets out. When she reaches the monastery, she asks to see her son, who refuses her an audience [presumably because he has vowed not to look at the face of a woman]. The mother insists, and in his difficulty Archellides prays intensely for death. His mother thus manages to see him, although he is already dead; she prays that she too may die, and her prayer
- 4.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 1 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 496)
The text is one of the fictitious stories not linked to a Cycle and seems to have been composed directly in Coptic in about the seventh century.
- 5.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 7 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 121)
ARCHELLIDES (feast day: 14 Tubah), a Roman noble who became a monk.
- 6.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 7 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 362)
MONTH OF TUBAH (DECEMBER-JANUARY) 1 Tubah-27 Dec. Martyrdom of Saint Stephen the Archdeacon … 14—9 Saint Archellides, ascetic of Saint Romanos Monastery
- 7.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 6 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 723)
The semidramatic compositions have for their subjects King Solomon, the two workmen Theodosius and DIONYSIUS, who end up in the positions of emperor and archbishop, respectively, and ARCHELLIDES and his mother. … He refused to see her in spite of all her entreaties, for he had vowed never again to look at a woman's face. … The way in which the drama unfolds raises the question whether it was accompanied by some mimic action, for it contains only the speeches of the main characters. Alternatively, it must be assumed that the plot of the drama was so well known that the listeners were able to fi
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This article was drafted from the sources listed above with AI assistance and reviewed by an editor before publication.