DOI Heft:
Nr. 3-4
DOI Artikel:Dobrzeniecki, Tadeusz; Muzeum Narodowe w Warszawie [Mitarb.]: St. Anne from Faras in the National Museum in Warsaw
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18903#0069
8. The founder of a mural — Turtura, detail, Rome, Catacombe of Comodilla (after
A. Grabar, Friihchristliche Kunst, Miinchen, 1969)
9. The head of the Virgin, Rome, Sta. Maria in Domnica, detail (after G. Mathiae, Mosaici
medioevali.., op. cit.)
The earliest mention of St. Anne comes from the Greek apocryphal Protoevangelium jacobi,
the earliest manuscript of which is a papyrus from the papyri collection in the Bibliotheca
Bodmeriana (Cologny-Geneva)38. On the basis of its palaeography, spelling, grammar and its
affinity with the papyrus of the Gospel according to John in the same collection, it has been
attributed to the 3rd century. The results of this research provided a new ground for the de-
termination of the history of the text and the theological appreciation of the work, which was
popular and translated into Syrian, Slav, Coptic, Armenian, and Arabie39. It had profound
influence on liturgy, iconography and theology, at first in the Eastern Church. It had the greatest
importance to the cult of St. Anne.
The author of this apocryphal text used the Old and the New Testament to a broad extent;
and by employing the parallelism of characters and scenes, he made St. Anne resemble Hannah,
Samuel's mother.
This similarity is largely based on Hannah's heard prayer: Hannah rose in deep distress,
and stood before the Lord and prayed to Him, weeping bitterly... 'O Lord of Hosts, if thou
38. Papyrus Bodmer V, Nalivite de Marie, publie par M. Testuz, charge dc cours a l'Universite de Geneve. Bibliotheca Bodme-
riana 1958 (cited henceforth as P. Bodm. V). The first translation of the apocryphal text was done by P. Postel SJ, and
the editor of the text in 1552 entitled it Proloevangelium Jacobi, expressing his belief that the text ascends to Apostle
James.
39. The meaning of P. Bodm. has been cxpressively disscused by O. Perler, „Das Protoevangelinm des Jakol.us nach dem
Papyrus Bodmer V", Freiburger Zeitschrift fiir Philosophie und Theologie, VI, 1959, p. 23—35 (cited henceforth as Perler
Bodm. V).
59
A. Grabar, Friihchristliche Kunst, Miinchen, 1969)
9. The head of the Virgin, Rome, Sta. Maria in Domnica, detail (after G. Mathiae, Mosaici
medioevali.., op. cit.)
The earliest mention of St. Anne comes from the Greek apocryphal Protoevangelium jacobi,
the earliest manuscript of which is a papyrus from the papyri collection in the Bibliotheca
Bodmeriana (Cologny-Geneva)38. On the basis of its palaeography, spelling, grammar and its
affinity with the papyrus of the Gospel according to John in the same collection, it has been
attributed to the 3rd century. The results of this research provided a new ground for the de-
termination of the history of the text and the theological appreciation of the work, which was
popular and translated into Syrian, Slav, Coptic, Armenian, and Arabie39. It had profound
influence on liturgy, iconography and theology, at first in the Eastern Church. It had the greatest
importance to the cult of St. Anne.
The author of this apocryphal text used the Old and the New Testament to a broad extent;
and by employing the parallelism of characters and scenes, he made St. Anne resemble Hannah,
Samuel's mother.
This similarity is largely based on Hannah's heard prayer: Hannah rose in deep distress,
and stood before the Lord and prayed to Him, weeping bitterly... 'O Lord of Hosts, if thou
38. Papyrus Bodmer V, Nalivite de Marie, publie par M. Testuz, charge dc cours a l'Universite de Geneve. Bibliotheca Bodme-
riana 1958 (cited henceforth as P. Bodm. V). The first translation of the apocryphal text was done by P. Postel SJ, and
the editor of the text in 1552 entitled it Proloevangelium Jacobi, expressing his belief that the text ascends to Apostle
James.
39. The meaning of P. Bodm. has been cxpressively disscused by O. Perler, „Das Protoevangelinm des Jakol.us nach dem
Papyrus Bodmer V", Freiburger Zeitschrift fiir Philosophie und Theologie, VI, 1959, p. 23—35 (cited henceforth as Perler
Bodm. V).
59