The heavenly feast in the medieval Coptic literature

Abstract

The article deals with the heavenly feast. This is a narrative found at least in two Coptic encomia, viz. to the Archangel Michael and to Four Living Creatures (Revelation 4:6-8). The publication comprises a translation into Russian of a narrative from the encomium to the Archangel Michael. The episode follows the same pattern. Eachdinner companion or a group of them (who in this given instance are Biblical characters or just Saints) is questioned about the reason for being so joyful at the feast. They respond with a story about how the Archangel Michael or the Four Living Creatures (namely those honoured at the feast) helped them. As a rule they quote a passage from the Scriptures or the Biblical Apocrypha, including those which have been lost. In conclusion, the Author traces the description (called in the article as "scheme") of the heavenly feast back to those Biblical passages, which deal with the liturgical and/ or Messianic joyful feast. The Author suggests that this kind of a narrative could well be a simplified form of the Ancient Greek philosophical dialogue.