Original - The Coptic Orthodox Church

64
the solemnity of promises. And at their going to church,
suffer them not to walk singly, rather their sister r or their
mother shall walk with them, that they may communicate
R f . \2oa and (so) return* unto their houses. On the vigil of every
feast shall the whole people stay in the church, with chanting
and hymns. 3 Whoso hath a virgin daughter, let him not
take her with him unto the church with her people; but he
shall go with her unto a virgins nunnery / and deliver her
unto the mother, who shall teach her the order of the singingtones
u. With them shall she pass the night watching and
shall (then) return unto her house.
( 99)- w As for the monasteries of virgins, we have already
said unto you 4 at another time that no one of the virgins shall
stay in the church by night
but rather in their monasteries.
Neither shall they enter into singing houses nor into any of the
places of vice, to be used for luster, but shall be kept within
their monasteries.
If a rich woman shall desire to remain the night in
o
prayer because of a day of judgement upon
her son or
her husband, she may do so, lest any soul c should take
hurt. Rather let the will of God be done on every side. 3
And the woman shall go, with believing women, to a
monastery of virgins and shall remain all the night with
the nuns, while these pray for her and for her household b
r M. brother.
/ M. s reading shows that this //GVJJ (cf. Amelineau, Gcogr. 256 261)
[W.E.C.]
u This rests on conjecture 5 the readings of R. and M. give no sense.
?v R. Contents: Of the virgins and of who of the believing women shall
go unto them.
x The Coptic verb here added without Arabic translation may be for
*
7rpoiizuAi%eiv (For the change T/JO-, TAou- cf. von Lemm, A7. Kopt. Stud.
XV, p. 50) [W.E.C.] c R. lest the souls.
/> R. house.
3 Cf. Ladeuze, Etude sur le cenob. pakhomien (1898) 289.
* Cf. 92, R.f. 117*.
* Cf. KRQ. 169, 17.