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 vii
... fact deceptive. While a 'religious' holy fool alludes to the inscrutability of divine judgement, the 'secular' holy fool hints at his own hidden merits. Typically, a iurodivyi today is a person who is aware that he looks pathetic in ...
... fact deceptive. While a 'religious' holy fool alludes to the inscrutability of divine judgement, the 'secular' holy fool hints at his own hidden merits. Typically, a iurodivyi today is a person who is aware that he looks pathetic in ...
Page 13
... fact. Hence the notions of sin, grace, and sanctity—the essential contexts for discerning the holy fool—are quite different from their equivalents in Christianity. Andrew the Fool, for example, as we shall see (below, p. 158) may fear ...
... fact. Hence the notions of sin, grace, and sanctity—the essential contexts for discerning the holy fool—are quite different from their equivalents in Christianity. Andrew the Fool, for example, as we shall see (below, p. 158) may fear ...
Page 19
... fact the apostle hints that the reverse is the case: he is wise in Christ and not the Corinthian neophytes! Paul's discourse on 'foolishness for Christ's sake' should be understood in the context of arguments—among his Christian ...
... fact the apostle hints that the reverse is the case: he is wise in Christ and not the Corinthian neophytes! Paul's discourse on 'foolishness for Christ's sake' should be understood in the context of arguments—among his Christian ...
Page 25
... fact the concept of naturally caused mental disorder was never repudiated by the Byzantines.31 Demonic possession may have been regarded by the Church as retribution for certain sins (there was no universal opinion on this matter), yet ...
... fact the concept of naturally caused mental disorder was never repudiated by the Byzantines.31 Demonic possession may have been regarded by the Church as retribution for certain sins (there was no universal opinion on this matter), yet ...
Page 50
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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