medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Dear Paul (and other friends),
The practice known as incubation was particularly widespread in classical Greece (especially in the cult of Aesculapius), and 'more recently' in the Mediterranean basin (as far as I'm aware). The main aspects of incubation were: night sleep in a holy place; visionary dreams during that sleep; and resulting curative miracles. Some sources include:
Author : Deubner, Ludwig, 1877-1946.
Title : De incubatione capita quattuor; accedit Laudatio in miracula Sancti Hieromartyris Therapontis e codice Messanensi denuo edita.
Published : Lipsiae, In Aedibus B.G. Teubneri, 1900.
Author : Ehrlich, Ernst Ludwig.
Title : Der Traum im Alten Testament.
Published : Berlin, Töpelmann, 1953.
Author : Meier, C. A. (Carl Alfred), 1903-
Title : Ancient incubation and modern psychotherapy [by] C. A. Meier. Translated by Monica Curtis.
Published : Evanston, Northwestern University Press, 1967.
[There is a 2003 (third) edition of this, entitled *Healing dream and ritual: ancient incubation and modern psychotherapy* (Einsiedeln : Daimon ; Enfield : Airlift, 2003).]
Author : Sophronius, Saint, Patriarch of Jerusalem, ca. 560-ca. 638.
Title : Los Thaumata de Sofronio : contribución al estudio de la incubatio cristiana / por Natalio Fernández Marcos.
Published : Madrid : Instituto Antonio de Nebrija, 1975.
An article on the subject:
Author: SANSTERRE, Jean-Marie
Title of Article: Apparitions et miracles ŕ Ménouthis: de l'incubation paďenne ŕ l'incubation chrétienne.
Further Information: Discusses cures and attempted cures at this site c.20 km E. of Alexandria, Egypt
Title of Publication: Apparitions et miracles. Ed. Alain DIERKENS (Problčmes d'histoire des religions, 2). Pp. 190. Bruxelles: Editions de l'Université de Bruxelles
Volume, (year), pages: -, (1991), 69-83
In central Italy, very recent (if not actual) incubation has been noted at the church of Santa Maria della Libera in Pratola Peligna. In the nearby hermitage of San Venanzio in Raiano, there is a very narrow passage leading under the altar of the chapel (to tie back to our earlier discussion). And I think one can infer from the wording of Pope Celestine V's bull celebrating his papal coronation that incubation might be at work -- to celebrate this event on the feast of the beheading of John the Baptist, he decreed: 'Ut igitur ipsius decollationis festivitas in dicta ecclesia precipuis extollatur honoribus et populi Domini devota frequentia tanto devotius et ferventius honoretur, quanto inibě que rentium Dominum supplex postulatio gemmas Ecclesie donis micantes spiritualibus sibi reperiet in eternis tabernaculis profituras, omnes vere penitentes et confessos qui a vesperis cuiusdem festivitatis vigilie usque ad vesperas festivitatem ipsam immediate sequentes ad premissam ecclesiam accesserint annuatim de omnipotentis Dei misericordia et beatorum Petri e Pauli apostolorum eius auctoritate confisi a baptismo absolvimus a culpa et pena quam pro suis merentur commississ omnibus et delictis.'
Sweet dreams ...
George
--
George Ferzoco
University of Leicester
University Road
LEICESTER LE1 7RH
UNITED KINGDOM
tel +44 (0)116 252 2654
fax +44 (0)116 252 3633
e-mail [log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: medieval-religion - Scholarly discussions of medieval religious culture on behalf of Paul Chandler
Sent: Tue 2006-01-31 22:42
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [M-R] doors
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Diana Wright wrote:
> medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>
> Again, this is a practice still done at particular churches in Greece.
>
> DW
>
Could you tell us more? Is the ideal to remain awake or to sleep? If to
sleep, is there any association with dreams or visions? Is the practice
associated with a church as such, or with particular shrines or tombs or
icons of particular saints?
The cathedral at Chartres, so I heard on a tour, has side aisles
slightly sloped for easy cleaning after groups of pilgrims had been
accomodated there for great feasts. Is that true, does anyone know, and
was this purely pragmatic overflow accomodation when the Holiday Inn was
full, or was there particular spiritual significance in spending the
night inside the church?
**********************************************************************
To join the list, send the message: join medieval-religion YOUR NAME
to: [log in to unmask]
To send a message to the list, address it to:
[log in to unmask]
To leave the list, send the message: leave medieval-religion
to: [log in to unmask]
In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to:
[log in to unmask]
For further information, visit our web site:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/medieval-religion.html
|