GAZOPHILACIUM (Gazophylakion). - From γάζα (cf. Acts 8:27; which in Persian means "treasure") and φυλάκιον (= "to guard"): in the Septuagint, in the Gospels, in Josephus and Strabo it indicates the place where the treasure of the temple of Jerusalem was kept and, by metonymy, the treasure itself.

The treasure of the sanctuary, established by Moses, increased by gifts of the faithful and of sovereigns, underwent various vicissitudes and plunderings (Ex. 30:11-16; I Macc. 1:21-24; II Macc. 3:5, 21). In the temple restored by Herod the Great the g. must have been located in rooms to the right of the court of the women. According to the Talmud, in the g. there were 13 flared trunks, with an upper opening in the shape of a trumpet (šūphārāth), where the faithful threw their gifts.

Jesus taught in the g., that is, in its vicinity (Jn. 8:20). He praised the widow who threw into the g. two small coins (leptā), "all that she possessed," unlike the vain rich who threw in much but "out of their surplus" (Mk. 12:41-44; Lk. 21:1-4).

Bibliography

BIBL.: H. Lesdère, Gazophylase, in DB. III, coll. 133-38.

Pietro De Ambrosi

@incollection{ec5_gazofilacio_gazophulakon, author = {De, Ambroggi Pietro}, title = {Gazofilacio (ΓΑΖΟΦΥΛΆΚΩΝ)}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {V}, pages = {1972}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1950}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/gazofilacio-gazophulakon} }

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Gazophilacium (Gazophylakion)

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