An early 18th century collection of Christian miracle tales in Arabic

(Sophronios et al.). [The life of St Mary the Egyptian, who was one of the prostitutes in the city of Alexandria, and other miracle tales].

€ 12.500,00

Preserved in its original binding, complete with leather ties: an Arabic manuscript of Christian miracle tales. The six sections of this manuscript open with the story of St Mary of Egypt and her years of penance in the desert to repent for the lustfulness of her youth, and continues through the Story of Job, a work on the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the story of St George, and finally the Wonders of the Archangel.

These miracle tales, especially those discussing saints, were associated with Eastern Orthodox feast days, and were read as part of the veneration of the saint. The first story, following the life of Mary of Egypt, closely matches the Greek tradition of the text. This Greek work is apocryphally attributed to the theologian and writer Sophronios (ca. 560-638 CE), who served as patriarch of Jerusalem from 634 to 638. Translations such as these were in high demand among Arabic-speaking Christians of the Levant and Egypt under Ottoman rule, and were made for monasteries and wealthy Christian laypersons alike.