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. |
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Page 25
... asked whether the possessed should receive the sacraments, he answered: 'If somebody suffers from black bile to the extent that he looks as if he is possessed by the devil, he should not be prevented; if one is indeed possessed, then he ...
... asked whether the possessed should receive the sacraments, he answered: 'If somebody suffers from black bile to the extent that he looks as if he is possessed by the devil, he should not be prevented; if one is indeed possessed, then he ...
Page 31
... asked, 'Father, why have you done this? Everybody said that the you were possessed by a demon.' And he replied, 'That is what I wanted to hear.'49 This example shows that the anchorite does not (or not yet) initiate the act of ...
... asked, 'Father, why have you done this? Everybody said that the you were possessed by a demon.' And he replied, 'That is what I wanted to hear.'49 This example shows that the anchorite does not (or not yet) initiate the act of ...
Page 35
... asked permission to visit all the monks], Silvanus said to his attendant: 'See that you do not take them to that madman, lest they be led astray (ðæeò ôeí óÆoeí KŒå ̃Øíïí, ¥íÆ ìc óŒÆíäÆoØóŁï ̃ıóØ).' [But the holy elders declared that ...
... asked permission to visit all the monks], Silvanus said to his attendant: 'See that you do not take them to that madman, lest they be led astray (ðæeò ôeí óÆoeí KŒå ̃Øíïí, ¥íÆ ìc óŒÆíäÆoØóŁï ̃ıóØ).' [But the holy elders declared that ...
Page 43
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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 |
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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