Vita Andreae, auctore Epiphanio mon. CP.
Standard abbreviation: Life Andr.
Other titles: none
Clavis numbers: ECCA 557; CANT 233
Category: Apocryphal Acts
Related literature: Acts of Andrew, Encomium on Andrew by Nicetas of Paphlagonia, Hypomnema on Andrew by Symeon Metaphrastes, Life of the Virgin by Alexander the Monk, List of the Apostles and Disciples by Pseudo-Epiphanius of Salamis, Story of Andrew.
Compiled by: Tony Burke, York University
Citing this resource (using Chicago Manual of Style): Burke, Tony. “Life of Andrew, by Epiphanius the Monk.” e-Clavis: Christian Apocrypha. Accessed DAY MONTH YEAR. https://www.nasscal.com/e-clavis-christian-apocrypha/life-of-andrew-by-epiphanius-the-monk/.
Created December 2021. Current as of Janury 2024.
1. SUMMARY
Life Andr. by Epiphanius, a monk from the convent of Callistrates in Constantinople, was composed around 820 and then revised by the same author sometime before 843. Epiphanius wrote his text because he believed there was no adequate text available about Andrew. He obtained his information from travels around the south and east coasts of the Black Sea and from several written accounts, including the List of Apostles and Disciples by Pseudo-Epiphanius, and certain “apocryphal.” texts.
The story begins with some details about Andrew and Peter based in part on the New Testament Gospels. After the ascension, Andrew, Peter, Matthias, and Caius (one of the 70) and some other disciples set off to Antioch, and from there preach in Tyana in Cappadocia and Ancyra in Galatia. Then they move on to Sinope, where they come into conflict with cannibals—incorporating here portions of Acts Andr. Mth., though here the cannibals are identified as Jews. After Andrew frees Matthias and others from imprisonment, Peter and Andrew separate, with Peter heading west and Andrew east. Here Epiphanius presents the itinerary from Ps.-Epiphanius and follows the route to Scythia and Colchis, telling stories of Andrew’s activities along the way. In one episode set in Amisos, Epiphanius presents a description of Andrew: he was not small, but tall, a little hunched over, with a large nose and high eyebrows.
Andrew takes a pause in his travels to return to Jerusalem for Easter. Then he travels to Antioch with Peter, John, Philip, and Bartholomew. Andrew and John move on to Ephesus and then Andrew is ordered by the Lord to go to Bithynia, where he enters the city of Nicaea and remains there for two years, cleansing demons from temples and establishing a church. From Nicaea the journey goes to Nicomedia, Chalcedon, Amastris, and then back to Sinope where some further elements of Acts Andr. Mth. are recounted. From there Andrew travels along the northern coast from Heracleia to Trapezus, then south to Neocaesarea and Amusatos. Then he sets out again for Jerusalem to celebrate Easter.
After Pentecost, Andrew, Simon the Canaanite, Matthias, and Thaddaeus go to Edessa to Abgar. Thaddaeus remains there and Andrew and the others move to the eastern coast of the Black Sea to Iberia, the Phasis River, and Suania, a country whose men were ruled by women. Matthias stayed there with his disciples, teaching. Andrew and Simon move on to other cities and also encounter the mysterious Sacae and Sogdians. Eventually Andrew journeys back to Sinope, where he consecrates Philologus as bishop, and then to Byzantium and Argyropolis, where he appoints Stachys, one of the seventy, as bishop and consecrates a church on the Acropolis to the Theotokos. After crossing the cities of Macedonia, he comes to Patras. From here, Epiphanius reports events from the various accounts of Andrew’s martyrdom, including the healing of Maximilla, Andrew’s arrest by Aegeates, and his crucifixion and burial.
Named historical figures and characters: Abgar, Aegeates (proconsul), Agapetus, Alcman, Andrew (apostle), Aphrodite, Apion, Apollo, Aristobulus, Astarchus, Barnabas, Bartholomew (apostle), Caius, Callistus, Diana, Domatius, Drakontios (bishop), Evodius (disciple), Hyrcanus II, Iphidama, John (the Baptist), John (son of Zebedee), John (father of Peter and Andrew), Marcianus, Mary (Virgin), Matthaias (apostle), Maximilla (wife of Aegeates), Onesiphorus (of Ankyra), Pancratius, Paul (apostle), Peter (apostle), Philologus (bishop), Philip (apostle), Sacae, Simon (the Canaanite/Zealot), Sogdians, Sosius, Stachys, Stratocles, Thaddaeus (apostle), Tychicus (bishop), Wife of Peter.
Geographical locations: Abasgia, Achaea, Amastra, Amastris, Amisos, Amusatos, Ankyra, Antioch, Argyropolis, Bithynia, Black Sea, Byzantium, Chalcedon, Cherson, Edessa, Ephesus, Herakleia, Iberia, Jerusalem, Laodicea, Lycia, Macedonia, Mount Olympus, Nicaea, Nicomedia, Nikopsis, Odyssopolis, Patras, Phasis River, Phrygia, Phusta, Pisidia, Salaniam, Scythia, Sebastopolis, Sinope, Suania, Theodosia, Thrace, Trapezunt, Tyana, Zaliskos.
2. RESOURCES
“Andrew the Apostle.” Wikipedia (see particularly the subsection “Georgia”).
3. BIBLIOGRAPHY
3.1 Manuscripts and Editions
3.1.1 Church Slavic (translation of BHG 95b)
St. Petersburg, Central State Historical Archive, Svj. Pravitel’stvuju’ščij Sinod 1504, fols. 225–252 (15th cent.) = de Santos Otero 7
St. Petersburg, National Library of Russia (F. 573), Petersburgskaja Duchovnaja Akademija (Sofisjskaja biblioteka), 1359 fols. 517–531 (16th cent.) = de Santos Otero 10
St. Petersburg, National Library of Russia (F. 573), Petersburgskaja Duchovnaja Akademija (Sofisjskaja biblioteka), 1336 fols. 204–218 (16th cent.) = de Santos Otero 11
St. Petersburg, National Library of Russia (F. 573), Petersburgskaja Duchovnaja Akademija (Sofisjskaja biblioteka), 1355, fols. 202–225 (16th cent.) = de Santos Otero 12
St. Petersburg, National Library of Russia (F. 573), Petersburgskaja Duchovnaja Akademija (Sofisjskaja biblioteka), 1395, fols. 58v–93 (17th cent.) = de Santos Otero 23
Moscow, Russian State Library (F. 304), Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius 669 (1616), fols. 338–350 (15th cent.) =de Santos Otero 34 (used in Vinogradov’s Greek edition)
Moscow, Russian State Library, 1319, fols. 740v–747v (15th cent.) (used in Vinogradov’s Greek edition)
Moscow, Russian State Library (F. 173), Moskovskaja D. Akademija Volokolamsk 194 (592) (15th/16th cent.) = de Santos Otero 35
Moscow, Russian State Library (F. 37), T. F. Bol’šakov 20, fols. 324–345 (16th/17th cent.) = de Santos Otero 40
Moscow, Russian State Library (F. 304), Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius 671 (1620), fols. 217–45 (1629) =de Santos Otero 44
Moscow, Russian State Library (F. 37), T. F. Bol’šakov 112, fols. 72–120 (17th cent.) = de Santos Otero 45
Moscow, State Historical Museum, P. I Ščukin 372, fols. 24–57 (17th cent.) = de Santos Otero 46
Moscow, State Historical Museum, A. S. Uvarov 1055 (280), fols. 41–82v (17th cent.) = de Santos Otero 48
Moscow, State Historical Museum (F. 80370), 798 (176), fols. 1634–1645 (16th cent.) = de Santos Otero 61
Moscow, State Historical Museum (F. 80370), 786 (988), fols. 1272v–1281v (16th cent.) = de Santos Otero 63
St. Petersburg, National Library of Russia (F. 717), Solovetsky Monastery 622 (507), fols. 288–308v (16th cent.) = de Santos Otero 65
St. Petersburg, National Library of Russia (F. 717), Solovetsky Monastery 650 (815), fols. 3–27 (17th cent.) = de Santos Otero 68
St. Petersburg, National Library of Russia (F. 351), Kirillo-Belozerskij Monatery 47 (1124), fols. 193–224v (15th cent.) = de Santos Otero 69
St. Petersburg, National Library of Russia (F. 351), Kirillo-Belozerskij Monatery 53 (1130), fols. 10–33v (15th cent.) = de Santos Otero 70
de Santos Otero, Aurelio. Die handschriftliche Überlieferung der altslavischen Apokryphen. 2 vols. PTS 20 and 23. Berlin: De Gruyter, 1978–1981 (manuscripts listed, vol. 1, pp. 69–83 and vol. 2, pp. 243–44).
Thomson, Francis J. Review of Aurelio de Santos Otero, Die handscriftliche Überlieferung der altslavischen Apokryphen, vol. 1. Slavonic and East European Review 58.2 (1980): 256–68 at 258 (with corrections to de Santos Otero).
3.1.2 Greek
3.1.2.1 Recension A (BHG 94d, 95b, 95d); Pinakes
A Mount Athos, Monē Megistēs Lauras, Δ 56 (Eustratiades 139), fols. 46r–73v (11th cent.) ~ Pinakes; text starts at ch. 10 after chs. 1–7 of Story Andr.
E Escorial, Real Biblioteca, Υ.II.6 (gr. 314), fols. 226v–246r (12th cent.) = BHG 95b; without title; ending has similarities with Encom. Andr.; Pinakes
M Meteroa, Monē Metamorphōseōs, 549, fols. 29r–34v (10th cent.) = BHG 95b; Pinakes
m Meteora, Monē Metamorphōseōs, 81, fols. 162v–163r + Monē Metamorphōseōs, 513, fols. 24r–31v (17th cent.)= BHG 95b; Pinakes; copy of M
P Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, gr. 1510, fols. 1r–19v (10th/11th cent.) ~ BHG 94d; brief ending
Escorial, Real Biblioteca, Σ.III.9 (13th cent.) =BHG 95c; Pinakes
Mount Athos, Monē Batopediou, 767 (1823) ~ Pinakes
Mount Athos, Monē Megistēs Lauras, B 19 (Eustratiades 139), fols. 1–56 (12th cent.) ~ Pinakes
Meteora, Monē Barlaam, 129, fols. 367r–386v (16th cent.) ~ Pinakes
Meteora, Monē Metamorphōseōs, 515, fols. 24–31 (17th cent.) = BHG 95d; Pinakes
Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Ott. gr. 418, fols. 311v–312v (15th/16th cent.) ~ Pinakes
3.1.2.2 Recension B (BHG 102, 102b); Pinakes
S Mezzojuzo, Biblioteca dell’Istituto “A. Reres,” 2 (Mioni 95), fols. 189r–199v (14th cent.)
K Mount Athos, Monē Koutloumousiou, 38, fols. 74r–88v (Lambros 3107) ~ Pinakes
L Mount Athos, Monē Megistēs Lauras, B 19 (Eustratiades 139), fols. 55v–96r (11th cent.) ~ Pinakes
V Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vat. gr. 824, fols. 105v–123v (11th cent.) ~ ending (42–43) replaced with Story Andr. 23–38; Pinakes
Mount Athos, Monē Ibērōn, 1491, fols. 223–226 (19th cent.) ~ Pinakes
Dressel, Albert. Epiphanii monachi et presbyteri edita et inedita. Paris and Leipzig: Brockhaus et Avenarius, 1843 (editio princeps of the text based on Vat. gr. 824, pp. 45–82).
Kahl, Gerhard. “Die geographischen Angaben des Andreasbios (BHG 95b und 102).” PhD. diss., Stuttgart, 1989 (new edition of Rec. A drawing on SKLV, part 3, pp. 1–29).
Migne, Jacques Paul. Patrologiae cursus completus: Series graeca. Vol. 120. Paris: Cerf, 1880 (reproduction of edition by Dressel, cols. 216–60).
Vinogradov, Andrey. Греческие предания о св. апостоле Андрее. [Greek Legends about St. Apostle Andrew]. Библиотека “Христианского Востока” 3. St. Petersburg: St. Petersburg University Press, 2005 (overview, pp. 38–46; manuscript descriptions, 67–80; edition of Rec. A, pp. 117–56, Rec. B, pp. 157–85; Russian translation, pp. 281–319).
3.2 Modern Translations
3.2.1 English
Cunningham, Mary B. Epiphanios the Monk: Life of Mary, the Theotokos, and Life and Acts of St Andrew the Apostle. Translated Texts for Byzantinists 13. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 2023 (pp. 105–46).
MacDonald, Dennis. R. The Acts of Andrew and the Acts of Andrew and Matthias in the City of the Cannibals. SBLTT 33. Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1990 (English translations of the Sinope, pp. 200–201, and Nicaea episodes, pp. 207–209).
3.2.2 French
Summary in Flamion (see below).
3.2.3 German
Summary in Lipsius (see below).
3.2.4 Russian
Vinogradov, Andrey. Греческие предания о св. апостоле Андрее. [Greek Legends about St. Apostle Andrew]. Библиотека “Христианского Востока” 3. St. Petersburg: St. Petersburg University Press, 2005 (pp. 281–319).
3.3 General Works
Alasania, Giuli. “Twenty Centuries of Christianity in Georgia.” IBSU International Refereed Multi-Disiplinary Scientific Journal 1 (2006): 117–29.
Diekamp, Franz. Hippolytos von Theben: Texte und Untersuchungen. Münster: Aschendorff, 1898 (pp. 143–45).
Flamion, Joseph. Les Actes apocryphes de l’apôtre André: Les Actes d’André et de Matthias, de Pierre et d’André et les textes apparentés. Leuven: Bureau du recueil, 1911 (pp. 70–78).
Lanzillota, Fernando Lautaro Roig. “Cannibals, Myrmidonians, Sinopeans or Jews? The Five Versions of the Acts of Andrew and Matthias and Their Sources.” Pages 221–43 in Wonders Never Cease: The Purpose of Narrating Miracle Stories in the New Testament and its Religious Environment. Edited by Ed. M. Labahn and B. J. Lietaert Peerbolte. Library of New Testament Studies 288. London: T. & T. Clark, 2006.
____________. “The Apocryphal Acts of Andrew: A New Approach to the Character, Thought, and Meaning of the Primitive Text.” PhD. diss, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, 2004 (see pp. 6, 83–84, 100–103).
Lipsius, Richard A. Die apokryphen Apostelgeschichten und Apostellegenden. 2 vols. in 3. Braunschweig, 1883–1890 (see vol. 1:567–84).
Peterson, Peter M. Andrew, Brother of Simon Peter: His History and his Legend. NovT Sup 1. Leiden: Brill, 1958. Repr. 1963 (pp. 18–19).
Prieur, Jean-Marc. Acta Andreae. 2 vols. CCSA 5–6. Turnhout: Brepols, 1989 (vol. 1, pp. 15, 18–20).
____________. “Les Actes apocryphes de l’apôtre André: Présentation des diverses traditions apocryphes et état de la question.”ANRW II 25,6 (1988): 4384–4414 (at 4401–4402).