medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
From: Ann Ball <[log in to unmask]>
> In a message dated 10/13/2004 11:44:25 AM Central Daylight Time,
> [log in to unmask] writes:
>> sounds like an example of "Humiliation [or Coercion] of Saints", a
not-uncommon phenomenon, apparently.
>> though it seems that this one took place outside of the context of a
religious establishment.
> It was definitely not in a religious establishment so isn't part of the
humiliation of relics.
a distinction without a difference, i would submit.
Geary goes into great lenth about the "liturgy of humiliation", etc., as
practiced in secular and regular ecclesiastic institutions.
it seems that what we have here, with these Italian peasants, is a kind of "ad
hoc" ritual which parallels the "higher", more formal, "liturgical" practices
of the instutional religion.
clearly the idea and purpose is the same --to coerce the saint into doing his
work, thus restoring the proper relationship between the secular and sacred
realms.
>In the same drought they threw St. Joseph into a field and told him he would
have to stay there until it rained.
yep.
Humiliation.
the fact that it was a "statue" rather than a relic is entirely irrelevant, it
seems to me.
the peasants just didn't have access to the latter.
>I read it, probably in Weiser, and will look up the certs it if is of
interest to anyone.
>Can't this minute
no, you should get to work.
c
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