Originality of Twelve Apparitions of Archangel Michael according to Coptic Tradition
Frangulian Lilia Rubenovna
Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Moscow State Linguistic University
Submitted: 18.07.2022
Abstract. The aim of this article is to analyze a passage from a Coptic text about Archangel Michael and the Penitent thief, which recounts the twelve days of the year associated with the archangel’s participation in certain events. The classification of his apparitions allows us to divide them into three groups: ones of the Old Testament, of the New Testament and non-biblical. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the comparative analysis of the event described in the Coptic text and the account of it in the Bible or in Coptic sources. The notes from the Copto-Arab Synaxarium have been also studied in terms of the coincidence/incidence of information about Archangel Michael on the marked day. Such a study has not been carried out so far. As a result, it has been proven that, firstly, the author most freely transmitted the Old Testament plots making certain changes in them. Secondly, the days of remembrance according to the Coptic text under study did not become official and their local nature can be assumed. Finally, the author of this Coptic text did not mention such an important subject as the victory of Archangel Michael over Satan, which may be due to his rejection of the veracity of this story.
Key words and phrases: архангел Михаил, коптская традиция, копто-арабский Синаксарь, Библия, император Константин, Archangel Michael, Coptic tradition, Copto-Arabic Synaxarium, Bible, Emperor Constantine
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