Sanktuarium św. Menasa w Abu Mena (Egipt) – archeologia a tradycja literacka

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to confront hagiographie sources concerning the person of St. Menas, the Egyptian martyr from the period of emperor Diocletian’s rule, which contain the information about the development of the cult of this saint in Egypt, with the results of archaeological excavations in Abu Mena, where the sanctuary with the tomb of the martyr was. The most valuable literary source from which one can learn about the life of the saint are Coptic texts found in 1910 in the village of el-Hamouli in the oasis of Fajum. Besides the story of the saint’s life, a discription of his martyrdom and an account of the miracles he worked, there is a hymn (encomium) in honour of the saint, which gives the information about the sanctuary of the saint in Abu Mena and its history. Archaeological excavation carried on in Abu Mena in the years 1905-1907 and 1961-1969 have confirmed the information contained in the literary texts. Five stages of the development of the sanctuary have been distinguished and the remains of the church built over the martyr’s tomb by the patriarch of Alexandria Athanasius (326-373) and its enlarged version raised by the patriarch Theophilus (384-412) were uncovered. Also other churshes in the town as well as numerous buildings serving the pilgrims coming to the Sepulchre (baths, a system of water-supply, inns, stores, etc.) were found.