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 22
... Fathers of the Church saw danger in this kind of intellectual smugness, and urged the wisdom of humility. Thus, Basil of Caesarea urges: 'cast off any conceit about your intelligence'.21 And this is what John Chrysostom had to say on ...
... Fathers of the Church saw danger in this kind of intellectual smugness, and urged the wisdom of humility. Thus, Basil of Caesarea urges: 'cast off any conceit about your intelligence'.21 And this is what John Chrysostom had to say on ...
Page 23
... Fathers of the Church were happy to use the word idiotes with reference to Christians (especially the apostles), the word did not then have its present meaning. In classical Greek it was a neutral designation for people who led ...
... Fathers of the Church were happy to use the word idiotes with reference to Christians (especially the apostles), the word did not then have its present meaning. In classical Greek it was a neutral designation for people who led ...
Page 29
... fathers, then of the monastic community or koinobion. The very word monachos, in the sense of 'solitary', was coined in Egypt in the early fourth century.43 'Foolery for Christ's sake' is mentioned quite often in the numerous anecdotes ...
... fathers, then of the monastic community or koinobion. The very word monachos, in the sense of 'solitary', was coined in Egypt in the early fourth century.43 'Foolery for Christ's sake' is mentioned quite often in the numerous anecdotes ...
Page 30
... father's house: He ran into his house, saying'come out and meet the recluse'. And when from a distance the holy man saw them coming out with lamps, he guessed the reason, and he took off his clothes and threw them into the river and ...
... father's house: He ran into his house, saying'come out and meet the recluse'. And when from a distance the holy man saw them coming out with lamps, he guessed the reason, and he took off his clothes and threw them into the river and ...
Page 31
... 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 provocation: it ...
... 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 provocation: it ...
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