Pseudo Celestinus

Let us not permit to remain in our hearts any restraint in respect of any man, on the festival of Saint Victor, in order that God and His angel may be in our midst when we are celebrating his festival, lest he condemn us as enemies.

On the contrary, let us break asunder every bond of violence, and every bond of enmity, and every bond of wickedness in respect of each other, in order that God and His holy angel shall be at peace with us.

And here, at this point, we must give pause to our discourse, because the time is come when we must perform the service of the Holy Offering.

It is true that our discourse hath run to an inordinate length, but (the people) were thirsty for the waters of the word of God, and for (the narrative of) the mighty deeds of the saint.

And it shall happen for us that Saint Victor, whose festival we celebrate this day, shall make entreaty to God on our behalf, that He may forgive us out sins, and may bless the God-loving Emperor, and all the orthodox people,

through Jesus the Christ, our Lord, to Whom be glory, and to His Good Father; and to the Holy, and vivifying, and consubstantial Spirit, now and always for ever and ever and world without end.

Bless us! Amen. So be it!

This book (was copied through) the zeal and care of the most God-loving deacon Pourot (?).

He undertook the preparation thereof, and he presented it to the church of Saint Victor of Tebo, that is of Apollinopolis, according to the speech of the Alexandrians.

May God preserve for life and health (or, salvation) the God-loving brother . . , . Pourot, and make him to be worthy of the joy of the kingdom which is in the heavens. May he live to the full the angelic life which he hath assumed, even as did our fathers, the ancestors (of our) community, and may he (pour out) his blessing upon us, and upon all the saints likewise! Amen.

May the Lord Jesus the Christ, Who is in very truth our Veritable God, preserve for life and salvation the most Godfearing arch-presbyter Apa Abraham, the president and director of the Monastery of Saint Mercurius of Tebo, and may he (pour out) his blessing upon us.

May the Lord preserve for life and salvation all the fathers and sons of the monastery, and make us worthy of their blessing. May He incline (?) their hearts to pray for me before our King, the Christ. May He forgive me my sins, which are many, and may He shew mercy unto me in the day of my visitation,

to me Joseph the least of all men and the most miserable, the son of the blessed Sisinnios, the Archdeacon of the Catholic Church of Saint John the Baptist in the city of Sne.

May the Lord give peace unto him,

and to Zokrator, the least of all men, the deacon, the son of Joseph the deacon. Pray for me Amen.

Written on the eighteenth day of the month Parmouti, in the six hundred and sixty-seventh year of Diocletian (a.d. 951).