Vol.I - The Coptic Orthodox Church

146 Ancient Coptic Churches. [CH. m.
rude and ancient characters very much resembling
Cufic.
It is as follows, in three lines :
&> j *
i. e. O Lord, forgive the sins of thy servants, and give
rest to their souls, those for whose sake (is) this
(church) : and
reward in the kingdom
him who has
taken these pains.
This inscription is said to be dedicatory of the
chapel 800 years old. The words of the last line
'
reward, &c.' are those ordinarily employed, the
formula of dedication of any object. On pictures,
crosses, screens, the formula occurs with scarcely
any variation. The word ^Ai naiah in the first
line would seem to imply that the church was built
by a patriarch. For even at the present day the
word '
tanalah '
is dead. The Copts say, '
is used when a patriarch or bishop
'
Al batrak tanalah
patriarch has entered into his rest,' not '
is dead.'
HISTORICAL NOTE ON THE CHURCH OF
ANBA SHANUDAH.
'
the
Shanudah (Arabic), Shanuti (Coptic), or Sanutius
(Latin) is a common name in Coptic history 1 . Of
1
There is a learned dissertation on the origin of the name by
A. Georgius in his Fragmentum Evangelii S. Johannis, p. cliv seq.