PISTIS SOPHIA. – This is the title given by Schwartz to a Gnostic writing of the 3rd century in the Coptic language, contained in the Codex Askessianus of the British Museum.
The text consists of four books. The first three, unified, deal with the P. S., that is, with the faith that seeks Wisdom. The work is attributed to the Savior, that is, to Jesus himself. The P. S. is an aeon, fallen from heaven into matter, which is restored by Jesus to its first celestial dwelling. The writing contains many references to apocryphal works, among which are also 5 odes of Solomon (v.), as well as apocryphal Gospels and probably also an Apocalisse apocrifa (v. L. H. Puech, in Coptic studies in honor of W. E. Crum, Boston 1950, p. 122). The fourth book is an independent work, dealing especially with penance. It is probably older than the P. S. It may perhaps be possible to situate the P. S. within its Gnostic milieu after the publication of the Gnostic codices in the Coptic language, discovered in 1946 in the region of Nag-Hammadi.
PISTOIA, DIOCESI di – Church of S. Paolo, built toward the end of the 13th century, with a portal from 1327.