... as I was, elsewhere –
The Frankfurt Silver Inscription was uncovered by archaeologists in a 3rd-century Roman grave site near Frankfurt, Germany, which provides the earliest archaeological evidence of Christianity north of the Alps. A silver amulet was found at the throat of of a man, 35-45 years old, who's grave dates 230-270CE. Other finds in the grave include an incense burner and pottery. The inscription was on a piece of rolled silver foil in a container worn round the neck.
Because of its age and fragility, researchers could not unroll the foil, but it is possible, by a certain magic called computer tomography, to scan the amulet layer by layer and unroll it digitally. The result is 18 lines of Latin text, exclusively Christian – a rarity for its time.
(In the name?) of St. Titus.
Holy, holy, holy!
In the name of Jesus Christ, Son of God!
The lord of the world
resists to the best of his (ability?)
all seizures(?)/setbacks(?).
The god(?) grants well-being
Admission.
This rescue device(?) protects
the person who
surrenders to the will
of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God,
since before Jesus Christ
bend all knees: the heavenly ones,
the earthly and
the subterranean, and every tongue
confess (to Jesus Christ).
The reference to St. Titus, is to the disciple of Paul.
The invocation "Holy, holy, holy!" is the earliest written source of an ancient Christian prayer, the Trisagion, outside of Scripture (Isaiah 6:3 and Revelations 4:8). It also incorporates a quote from Paul’s letter to the Philippians (2:10-11).
The Frankfurt Silver Inscription was uncovered by archaeologists in a 3rd-century Roman grave site near Frankfurt, Germany, which provides the earliest archaeological evidence of Christianity north of the Alps. A silver amulet was found at the throat of of a man, 35-45 years old, who's grave dates 230-270CE. Other finds in the grave include an incense burner and pottery. The inscription was on a piece of rolled silver foil in a container worn round the neck.
Because of its age and fragility, researchers could not unroll the foil, but it is possible, by a certain magic called computer tomography, to scan the amulet layer by layer and unroll it digitally. The result is 18 lines of Latin text, exclusively Christian – a rarity for its time.
(In the name?) of St. Titus.
Holy, holy, holy!
In the name of Jesus Christ, Son of God!
The lord of the world
resists to the best of his (ability?)
all seizures(?)/setbacks(?).
The god(?) grants well-being
Admission.
This rescue device(?) protects
the person who
surrenders to the will
of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God,
since before Jesus Christ
bend all knees: the heavenly ones,
the earthly and
the subterranean, and every tongue
confess (to Jesus Christ).
The reference to St. Titus, is to the disciple of Paul.
The invocation "Holy, holy, holy!" is the earliest written source of an ancient Christian prayer, the Trisagion, outside of Scripture (Isaiah 6:3 and Revelations 4:8). It also incorporates a quote from Paul’s letter to the Philippians (2:10-11).