Holy Fools in Byzantium and Beyond

by Sergey A. Ivanov and  . 

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...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0199272514
• ISBN13: 9780199272518
• Release Date: June 2006
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 496 Pages
• Weight: 1.82 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 5.8" x 8.7"