Nancy, it's a pleasure for me to read of your interests. The last one you mention
-- regarding the role of the dead in folklore -- is one I've been attracted to as
well, though I've never dedicated any research to it. Well, a LITTLE research:
I've worked on hagiography regarding St Peter of Morrone, and in his
'autobiography' there's an episode that to me is quite curious, where Peter's
dead father appears to Peter's godmother ('commater') to declare how happy he is
that Peter's mother is sending the boy to school. The passage has made me wonder
whether there was, in folklore (or theology, for that matter), the notion of
spiritual discernment on the part of godparents, but I've never been able to find
out whether this was the case. If you have encountered this elsewhere, could you
let me know? Thanks! -- George
George Ferzoco tel ++ 44 (0)116 252 2654
Director of Studies for Italian fax ++ 44 (0)116 252 3633
University of Leicester e-mail [log in to unmask]
School of Modern Languages
LEICESTER LE1 7RH UNITED KINGDOM
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