Holy Fools in Byzantium and BeyondOUP Oxford, 2006 M04 6 - 492 pages There are saints in Orthodox Christian culture who overturn the conventional concept of sainthood. Their conduct may be unruly and salacious, they may blaspheme and even kill - yet, mysteriously, those around them treat them with even more reverence. Such saints are called 'holy fools'. In this pioneering study Sergey A. Ivanov examines the phenomenon of holy foolery from a cultural standpoint. He identifies its prerequisites and its development in religious thought, and traces the emergence of the first hagiographic texts describing these paradoxical saints. He describes the beginnings of holy foolery in Egyptian monasteries of the fifth century, followed by its high point in the cities of Byzantium, with an eventual decline in the twelfth to fourteenth centuries. He also compares the important Russian tradition of holy fools, which in some form has survived to this day. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 67
Page 16
... John of. 8 Sometimes Socrates was mentioned by Christians as a model of steadfastness: see A. Harnack, 'Sokrates und die alte Kirche', in idem, Reden und Aufsätze, i (Giessen, 1903), 41. 9 D. Krueger, Symeon the Holy Fool: Leontios' Life ...
... John of. 8 Sometimes Socrates was mentioned by Christians as a model of steadfastness: see A. Harnack, 'Sokrates und die alte Kirche', in idem, Reden und Aufsätze, i (Giessen, 1903), 41. 9 D. Krueger, Symeon the Holy Fool: Leontios' Life ...
Page 17
Sergey A. Ivanov. years later Nikephoros Gregoras in his Life of John of Herakleia calls the holy fool a 'pious Cynic' (cf. p. 222). And yet a huge gulf separates the Cynic from the holy fool. While the provocative behaviour of the Old ...
Sergey A. Ivanov. years later Nikephoros Gregoras in his Life of John of Herakleia calls the holy fool a 'pious Cynic' (cf. p. 222). And yet a huge gulf separates the Cynic from the holy fool. While the provocative behaviour of the Old ...
Page 20
... John Chrysostom, In illud 'Quia quod stultum est Dei' (CPG, 4441.14; unpublished), etc. The subject of Pauline 'foolishness for Christ's sake' had wide repercussions: see the sixth–seventh-century papyrus fragment, Epistle found to the ...
... John Chrysostom, In illud 'Quia quod stultum est Dei' (CPG, 4441.14; unpublished), etc. The subject of Pauline 'foolishness for Christ's sake' had wide repercussions: see the sixth–seventh-century papyrus fragment, Epistle found to the ...
Page 22
... John Chrysostom had to say on the subject: When God reveals something, we must accept it in faith, and not make an insolent fuss about it....It is when we restrain the inopportune raving (IŒÆßæøò oıôôþíôÆò) of our own reasoning, when we ...
... John Chrysostom had to say on the subject: When God reveals something, we must accept it in faith, and not make an insolent fuss about it....It is when we restrain the inopportune raving (IŒÆßæøò oıôôþíôÆò) of our own reasoning, when we ...
Page 23
... John Chrysostom, In Epistulam II ad Corinthos Homilia IX (CPG 4429), PG 61, col. 458; idem, Panégyrique de S. Paul v. 19, ed. A. Piedagnel (Paris, 1982), 204; Gregory of Nazianzos, Epistula XVII (CPG, 3032), PG 48, col. 1061, etc. 25 ...
... John Chrysostom, In Epistulam II ad Corinthos Homilia IX (CPG 4429), PG 61, col. 458; idem, Panégyrique de S. Paul v. 19, ed. A. Piedagnel (Paris, 1982), 204; Gregory of Nazianzos, Epistula XVII (CPG, 3032), PG 48, col. 1061, etc. 25 ...
Contents
1 | |
11 | |
2 Insane Saints | 49 |
3 Lechers and Beggars | 66 |
4 Holy Scandal | 104 |
5 The Second Edition of Holy Foolery | 139 |
6 The New Theologians | 174 |
7 Balancing at the Edge | 195 |
10 The Iurodivyi and the Tsar | 285 |
11 Iurodstvo in an Age of Transition | 311 |
12 Iurodstvo Meets Modernity | 345 |
13 The Eastern Periphery | 359 |
14 The Western Periphery | 374 |
Conclusion | 399 |
Bibliography | 415 |
Index | 457 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
According already Andrew appears asked became become began behaviour believe blessed Byzantine called canon century Christ Christ’s sake Christian church clothes cultural death demons early elder Emesa episode example fact father foolishness gave give God’s Greek hagiographer hand Hieromonk holy fool holy foolery Ibid icon insanity Ioann iurodivyi iurodstvo Ivan John late later legend Leningrad Leontios lived look madman manuscripts means mentioned monastery monk Moscow motif naked never ŒÆd once original Paris Paul person playing popular possessed pretended prophet referred regarded righteous Russian saint salos sanctity secret seems sense servants spiritual St Petersburg story Studies Symeon tale tells things took town tradition transl translated tsar turned Vasilii vita walked woman women Zhitie