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
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Page 4
... madman: 'he is privileged to ridicule, burlesque and defile the most sacred and important ceremonies...licensed to behave as no ordinary mortals would dream of behaving'.9 In some respects the Native American clown is remarkably like ...
... madman: 'he is privileged to ridicule, burlesque and defile the most sacred and important ceremonies...licensed to behave as no ordinary mortals would dream of behaving'.9 In some respects the Native American clown is remarkably like ...
Page 7
... madman (or, more broadly, than any other trouble-maker or delinquent) yet who is accorded notably high status in society. He is seen—accurately or otherwise—as a righteous man who assumes a guise of irrationality for ascetic and ...
... madman (or, more broadly, than any other trouble-maker or delinquent) yet who is accorded notably high status in society. He is seen—accurately or otherwise—as a righteous man who assumes a guise of irrationality for ascetic and ...
Page 12
... madman (4 Kgdms. 9:11; Hos. 9:7; Jer. 29:26).2 Yet despite these affinities the Old Testament prophet differs fundamentally from the holy fool, and his distinctness is rooted in Middle Eastern culture. Whereas the sanctity of the holy ...
... madman (4 Kgdms. 9:11; Hos. 9:7; Jer. 29:26).2 Yet despite these affinities the Old Testament prophet differs fundamentally from the holy fool, and his distinctness is rooted in Middle Eastern culture. Whereas the sanctity of the holy ...
Page 14
... madman is epileptos. With regard to feigned madness we can note the episode in which David, arriving at the court of the potentially hostile King Anchus, is anxious to protect himself, so: he changed his appearance before him, and ...
... madman is epileptos. With regard to feigned madness we can note the episode in which David, arriving at the court of the potentially hostile King Anchus, is anxious to protect himself, so: he changed his appearance before him, and ...
Page 28
... madman: Now I will explain to you about the madman. If you see that he despises himself, that he has neither house nor wife nor wealth, nor even clothes or food except for the day, then say: 'This is for me, this is what I must imitate ...
... madman: Now I will explain to you about the madman. If you see that he despises himself, that he has neither house nor wife nor wealth, nor even clothes or food except for the day, then say: 'This is for me, this is what I must imitate ...
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