SAINT VICTOR OF TABENNESE

(feast day: 18 Babah). Saint Victor is known as abbot general of the Tabennesiotes (see MONASTICISM, PACHOMIAN) and local abbot of PBOW. According to the Coptic sources, he was present at the Council of Ephesus (431) with Saint CYRIL and Saint SHENUTE. According to the same sources, he was the natural son of Emperor Theodosius II (408-450), which explains the favor he enjoyed with the emperor. With the support of the emperor, he began to build a church named for Saint PACHOMIUS at Pbow, but died both before Theodosius and before the dedication of this church, which was organized by his successor Martyrius.

Victor was celebrated at the White Monastery (DAYR ANBA SHINUDAH), as is shown by the typika preserved at Leiden (Insinger 39, ed. Pleyte and Boeser, p. 215), Cologne (Westermann, no. 10206), and Vienna (K9735).

An Arabic manuscript recounts the consecration of the church, which was begun by Apa Victor and was completed by his successor Martyrius (Lantschoot).

BIBLIOGRAPHY

• Lantschoot, A. van. “Allocution de Timothée d’Alexandrie.” Le Muséon 47 (1934):13-56.
• Pleyte, W., and P. A. A. Boeser. Manuscrits coptes du Musée des antiquités des Pays-Bas à Leide. Leiden, 1897.
• Westermann, W. L. Upon Slavery in Ptolemaic Egypt. New York, 1929.

RENÉ-GEORGES COQUIN