Papyrus Fragment (Likely Aramaic/Hebrew)

Neues Museum

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Easter Letter

It was traditionally the right of the patriarch of Alexandria to calculate the date of Easter and to announce it to the whole of the Christian world. The Easter Letter on this papyrus scroll is addressed to the abbot of the Shenoute monastery in the upper Egyptian village of Atripe near Akhmim. The announcement of the date of Easter is preceded by a sermon of the patriarch about the nature of Christ.

Jewish Life in Egypt

Jewish settlements in Egypt are known from at least the First Persian occupation (6th/5th century BC) until Roman times. Especially the finds from Elephantine bear witness to Jewish life and belief (4–8, 11). The rebuilding of the Jahu-temple is reflected in the correspondence with Jerusalem (9, 10) and a donors’ list (3). For the appointment of a priest in the temple of Khnum the Persian satrap was involved (1–2).

Judentum in Ägypten

Seit der Ersten Perserzeit (6./5. Jh. v. Chr.) bis in römische Zeit sind jüdische Siedlungen in Ägypten bekannt. Zeugnis von jüdischem Leben (4–8, 11) und Glauben geben vor allem die Funde aus Elephantine wie etwa der Briefwechsel mit Jerusalem (9, 10) und eine Spendensammlung (3) für den Wiederaufbau des Jahu-Tempels. An der Einsetzung eines Priesters am Chnumtempel war die persische Verwaltung beteiligt (1–2).

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Supplementary images:

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Papyrus with ancient script

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Source:  Berlin, Germany