Wikimedia Commons · Public domain · Hover to magnify, click for fullscreen
Original filePGM Christliches 9 - Christian Protective Amulet with Lord's Prayer
About This Work
This document is a formal transcription of a now-lost Greek papyrus fragment, likely used as a personal phylactery or protective charm. The text invokes God the Father and Jesus Christ on behalf of a petitioner named Silvanos, son of Sarapion, seeking deliverance from the 'demon of fascination' and various illnesses. The layout mimics the original script, noting features like the right-leaning uncial hand and the introductory Christian cross.
This text belongs to the tradition of the Papyri Graecae Magicae (PGM), specifically the 'Christliches' or Christianized amulets. It illustrates the syncretic overlap between early Christian liturgy and the late antique magical tradition, where prayer and divine names were utilized as ritual technologies for spiritual and physical protection.
Inscriptions(German)
Papyrus. No 954. Original verbrannt. – Aus Herakleopolis Magna. – Nach rechts geneigte Unciale. – Etwa VI. Jahrh. n. Chr. Publiciert von U. Wilcken im Archiv f. Papyrusforsch. I S. 431 ff. Ein christliches Amulett. † Δέσποτα θ(ε)ὲ παντοκράτωρ ὁ πατὴ[ρ] τοῦ κ(υρίο)υ καὶ σ(ωτῆρ)ος ἡμῶν [Ἰ]ησο(ῦ) Χριστο(ῦ) κ[α]ὶ (?) ἅγιε Σερῆνε εὐχαριστῶ ἐγὼ Σιλουανὸς υἱὸς 5 Σαραπίωνος καὶ κλίνω τὴν κεφαλήν [μο]υ κα<τ>ενώπιόν σου αἰτῶν καὶ παρακαλῶν, ὅπως διώ- ξῃς ἀπ’ ἐμοῦ τοῦ δούλου σου τὸν δαίμονα προβασκανίας καὶ 10 τὸν κ... ε. πᾳς (?) καὶ τὸν τῆς ἀηδίας κα[ὶ] (?) πᾶσαν δὲ νόσον 1 θ̅ς̅ Pap. – 2 δ̅ο̅ δαιμων Cop. – 6 καὶ ἐνώπιον Cop. verte
Translation
† Master, God Almighty, the Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and holy Serene, I, Silvanus, son of Sarapion, give thanks and I bow my head before you, asking and beseeching that you drive away from me, your servant, the demon of envy and the... and that of loathsomeness and every disease.
Connected Texts
Papyri Graecae Magicae (PGM)
This text is a standard entry in the corpus of Greek magical papyri, cataloged as PGM P9.
Provenance & Source
Object
religious
Digital Source
Unknown · Public domain
Linked Data
AI AI-cataloged fields generated by gemini-3-flash-preview on April 4, 2026. Getty identifiers are AI-inferred and may require verification.