The X-Files: Chrēstos / Christos / Χρειστος

[Peter Kirby]

MAMA IV 320 (ca. late 3rd century), Asia Minor: Phrygia

Διογένους
   καὶ
Ἀπφιας
Χρειστιανῶν.

Of Diogenes and Aphia, Christians (Χρειστιανῶν)

source: https://inscriptions.packhum.org/text/269758?hs=51-58

[Peter Kirby]

IGLSyr 21,5.1 323 [ca. 344/345], Greater Syria and the East: Arabia

Ἰουλιανοῦ τόδε μνῆμα, μακ|ρῷ βεβαρημέν<ου> ὕπν<ῳ>,
ᾧ Ἄγαθος δείματο πατὴρ κατὰ | δάκρυ<ον> εἴ<βω>ν,
κοιμητηρίου παρὰ τέρμα κοι|νοῦ λαοῦ Χρειστοῦ
ὄφρ’ αὐτὸν ἀείδοιεν ἀμεῖνω|ν εἰς ἀεὶ λαὸς
ἀμφά{ι}δια {²⁶ἀμφάδια}²⁶, Ἀγάθῳ πάροιθεν | πρεσβυτέρῳ
πιστὸν ἐόντ’ ἀγαπητόν, ἐτέω|ν ιβʹ ὄντα.
ἔ-
τ-
ο(υς)
σ-
λ-
θʹ.

This is the tomb of Julianos, laid to rest in a long sleep, to whom Agathos, a devoted father, with tears, made this inscription at the burial place, near the common cemetery of the people of Christ [λαοῦ Χρειστοῦ], so that the people might sing praises to him forever, on both sides, beside the elder Agathos, faithful and beloved, who lived for 12 years.

In the year 239*.

source: https://inscriptions.packhum.org/text/341849?hs=218-225

* Based on an epoch starting March 22nd, 106 CE, i.e. the Bostran era: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bostran_era

[Peter Kirby]

IG II² 13492 (ca. 4th century), Attica (IG I-III): Attica

Εὐγένιος ὧ-
δε κῖμε, ἀδερ-
φοί.
ἡ χάρις τοῦ
Χριστο̣[ῦ μεθ’]
[ὑμῶν].

"Eugenios. Come here, brothers. The grace of Christ be with you."

source: https://inscriptions.packhum.org/text/345723?hs=116-122

[Peter Kirby]

SEG 33:491 (ca. 400 or 405), Northern Greece (IG X): Epeiros, Illyria, and Dalmatia

Αὐρ(ήλιος) Παλλάδιος υἱὸς Βελιαβου Δαμα[σκηνὸς τῆς]
Φοινίκης ἔνθα κῖτε ζήσας ἔτη μεʹ πισ[τεύ]-
ων ἐν Χριστῷ· ἐν εἰρήνῃ ἐπαύσατο [τῇ]
πρὸ δεκατεσσάρων καλανδῶν Μαρτ[ί]-
ων ὑπατίᾳ Στιλιχῶνος λαμπροτάτ[ου].

Aurelius Palladius, son of Beliabos, from Damascus of Phoenicia, where he lived for 40 years, having faith in Christ (ἐν Χριστῷ); in peace, he rested on the [day] before the fourteenth of the Kalends of March, during the consulship of Stilicho, the illustrious.

source: https://inscriptions.packhum.org/text/194311?hs=144-150

[Peter Kirby]

RIChrM 227 (ca. 4th century), Northern Greece (IG X): Macedonia

Χ̣ριστέ, βωήθι το͂ δούλου σου Πρίσκου σὺν παντὶ τοῦ οἴκου αὐτοῦ.

"Christ, help your servant Priskos along with all his household."

source: https://inscriptions.packhum.org/text/151630?hs=19-26

[Peter Kirby]

RIChrM 126bis (ca. 4th century), Northern Greece (IG X): Macedonia

φωνή.
θυσία.
Ἀβραᾶς.
Ἰσάχ.
[δ]ένδρον.
Δανιήλ.
λέων.
περιστέρα.
Θέκ[λα].
πῦρ.
Χριστός.

Voice. Sacrifice. Abraham. Isaac. Tree. Daniel. Lion. Dove. Thecla. Fire. Christ.

source: https://inscriptions.packhum.org/text/151527?hs=295-301

[Peter Kirby]

SGLIBulg 35 (ca. 4th century), Thrace and the Lower Danube (IG X): Thrace and Moesia Inferior

σταυρὸς ἐγὼ [θ]εό[τε]υκτός εἰ̣[μι σωτῆρος. Ἰησοῦ]
χεῖρα δέμω τανύ[σ]ας μερόπ[ων σωτήριον οἶκον],
ἀθανάτου βούλησιν ἐς οὐρά[νιον τέλος ὀρθῶν]
εἰ δόμον ἡμέτερον ποθέ[εις ἐσδῦναι, ὁδεῖται],
οὐδοῦ ἐπεμ<βε>βαὼς μυθήσα[σθαί μοι ἀπάρχου]·
"σταῦρε μάκαρ, ποθέω σε· σὺ γὰ[ρ παραμύθιον ἄθλοις]·
ἐν σοὶ γὰρ Χριστοῦ δέμας ἄφθ[ιτον ἐγκεκρέμαστο],
[ὃ]ς παῖς ὢν λόγος ἀθανάτου βρο[τέοισιν ἐφάνθη]".
ἴσιθι πιστεύων ὁμοούσ[ιον εἶναι Ἰησοῦν]
κυδαλίμης τριάδος κτίσεώ[ς τ’ ἄκτιστον ἑταῖρον].
εἰ δ’ ἕτερα φρονέεις, ἐκ[τὸ]ς προθ[ύρων σέ μένειν δεῖ]
εὐχωλῆς ἕνεκα ἠδ’ ἀλλοίαις ἐπ’ ἀμοιβαῖς [Δαρ]δανὶς Ῥοδο[κλέους καθιέρωσεν].

I am a cross, the work of God,
[the] hand [that] tames the tumultuous abode of mortals,
[fulfilling] the immortal will to the heavenly end of the upright.
If you desire to enter our home, [the path] is revealed,
5 having stepped boldly, do not attempt to fabricate lies to me.
"Blessed cross, I long for you; for you provide consolation;
for in you, the indestructible form of Christ (Χριστοῦ) is suspended,
[He] who, being the servant, appeared to mortals as the immortal word."
Believe, acknowledging that Jesus
10 is of the same essence, the uncreated companion of the glorious Trinity.
But if you think otherwise, you must remain outside the gates
for the sake of supplication and other prayers, [Dardanis] Rhodocleus consecrated them in exchange.

source: https://inscriptions.packhum.org/text/167565?hs=378-384

[Peter Kirby]

IC I xxii 65 (ca. 4th century), Aegean Islands, incl. Crete (IG XI-[XIII]): Crete

God's servant, for his own salvation, he gave a half. Christ (Χριστὲ), help your servant, reveal to him.

Antax[ios], for [his] salvation, and for [the] whole house [of] his, he gave a half.

source: https://inscriptions.packhum.org/text/199600?hs=115-121

[Peter Kirby]

TAM V,2 1406 (ca. 358-378?), Asia Minor: Lydia

ἴχνεσιν ἀποστόλων ἐπιβὰς ἀνὴρ ὧδε ἐν σαρκεί τε μὴ κατὰ σάρκα ἱερατευ-
σάμενος καὶ ταύτῃ μακάρων ἀτραποὺς ἐλθὼν ἐνθάδε σκῆνος ἐνθέου ψυχῆς ἀπολέλυπεν,
πολὺς μὲν λάμψας ἀσκήσει, πολὺς δὲ ἀγάπῃ γενάμενος ἐπίσκοπος θεῖος· ὃς δὴ καὶ κατὰ πά-
σης αἱρέσεως ὁπλισάμενος τὴν ἀληθῆ τῶν πατέρων τῆς καθολικῆς ἐκλησίας διεσώσατο <πίστιν>,
Μακεδόνιος οὗτος, λαμπρὸν ἐντάφιον ἐπὶ τέλει καὶ τὸ κατὰ τοῦ ἀνομοίου δαί[μονος]
ἐν πολλοῖς τοῖς ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ διωγμοῖς ἀπενενκάμενος κλέος.

Setting foot in the footsteps of the apostles, this man, though in the flesh, not according to the flesh,
serving as a priest and having traveled blessed paths, has now departed to this tent of divine soul,
shining brightly in asceticism, and becoming a divine bishop through abundant love;
who, having armed himself against every heresy, preserved the true faith of the fathers of the catholic church.
This is Macedonius, illustrious in his burial, who, in the struggle against the lawless spirit,
in many persecutions for the sake of Christ (Χριστοῦ), achieved renowned glory.

source: https://inscriptions.packhum.org/text/264840?hs=596-602

[Peter Kirby]

MAMA X 8 (ca. early 3rd century), Asia Minor: Phrygia

[․․․]οι̣ῳ τ̣ῷ
ἑα̣υτῶν συν-
γενῖ ἐκ τῶν
ἰδίων ἐποίη-
σαν Χριστια-
νοὶ Χριστια❦-
νῷ.

... to their own relatives, from their own, Christians (Χριστιανοὶ) made [him] a Christian (Χριστιανῷ).

source: https://inscriptions.packhum.org/text/2 ... %2C108-114