Holy Fools in Byzantium and Beyond

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 fourteenthcenturies. He also compares the important Russian tradition of holy fools, which in some form has survived to this day.

Ivanov shows himself to be keenly attuned to all the main questions presented by the phenomenon of holy folly, as well as thedecisive role of the hagiographer...he always manages to add something new, to say something fresh...Still, this book is a gift. Throughly researched, well documented, chock-full of insights- and, one should add, exquisitely translated-it is the best exsisting monograph on the subject., A rich and fascinating book, Ivanov's volume remains indispensible, ...fascinating historical study., Sergey Ivanov's wide-ranging study... is a welcome new addition to the recently launched series Oxford Studies in Byzantium

Sergey A. Ivanov is Senior Research Associate, Institute of Slavic and Balkan Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences.