medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Acindynus, Pegasius, Aphthonius, Elpidephorus, Anempodistus, and their many, many companions (d. ca. 350) are the subject of a legendary, seemingly originally seventh-century Greek-language Passio (two early versions, BHG 21 and 22; a tenth-century elaboration by St. Symeon Metaphrastes, BHG 23; BHG 22 has a partial translation into Latin, BHL 25m). According to this confection Acyndinus, Pegasius, and Anempodistus were courtiers in Persia who were imprisoned under Shapur II for their adherence to Christianity and who were tortured in various ways when they declined to abjure their faith; Aphthonius was that stock character in such Passiones, the torturer or executioner who is so moved either by the constancy of martyrs or by the power displayed in their emerging unscathed from one torment or another that he confesses Christianity and is himself promptly executed. Attempts to execute Acyndinus, Pegasius, and Anempodistus continued after the conversion and removal of Aphthonius. But when they were put into a sack and thrown into a body of water to drown Aphthonius returned from heaven with angels and rescued them briefly before they again fell into Shapur's clutches. The aristocrat Elpidephorus protested the persecution and was martyred together with other high-ranking companions; others followed (some 7000 in all). Ultimately Acyndinus, Pegasius, and Anempodistus suffered death by fire along with some of Shapur's soldiers and with his mother, all of whom had confessed Christianity. Thus far their Passio.
Some period-pertinent images of Acindynus, Pegasius, Aphthonius, Elpidephorus, and Anempodistus:
a) Anempodistus, Pegasius, Acindynus, Aphthonius, and Elpidephorus as depicted (in that order, from left to right) in the earlier eleventh-century mosaics in the narthex of the church of the Theotokos in the monastery of Hosios Loukas near Distomo in Phokis:
http://tinyurl.com/qj8a2x8
Detail view (Anempodistus):
http://tinyurl.com/p3bbsz9
Detail view (Pegasius):
http://tinyurl.com/pk7oysx
Detail view (Acindynus):
http://tinyurl.com/pkffcyh
Detail view (Aphthonius):
http://tinyurl.com/o7vm7sz
Detail view (Elpidephorus):
http://tinyurl.com/puqhrtf
b) Acindynus (in the conch) and Pegasius (above, right) as depicted in the late eleventh-century mosaics in the katholikon of the Daphni monastery, Chaidari (Attika regional authority):
http://tinyurl.com/pc8q8dt
c) Acindynus, Pegasius, and Anempodistus as depicted in the late thirteenth- or very early fourteenth-century frescoes, attributed to Manuel Panselinos, in the Protaton church on Mt. Athos (reduced, grayscale views):
Acindynus (top) and Pegasius:
http://tinyurl.com/2g8ukpw
Anempodistus:
http://tinyurl.com/26pfvuo
d) Acindynus and those with him as depicted (panel at upper right) in an earlier fourteenth-century pictorial menologion from Thessaloniki (betw. 1322 and 1340; Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Gr. th. f. 1, fol. 15v):
http://image.ox.ac.uk/images/bodleian/msgrthf1/15v.jpg
e) Pegasius and Aphthonius as depicted in the earlier fourteenth-century mosaics (betw. 1315 and 1321) in the exonarthex of the Chora church (Kariye Camii) in Istanbul:
Pegasius:
http://tinyurl.com/2a6y3at
Aphthonius:
http://tinyurl.com/2eagzq7
f) Acindynus and companions as depicted (martyrdom) in a November calendar scene in the earlier fourteenth-century frescoes (ca. 1335-1350) in the narthex of the church of the Holy Ascension at the Visoki Dečani monastery near Peć in, depending on one's view of the matter, either the Republic of Kosovo or Serbia's province of Kosovo and Metohija:
http://tinyurl.com/ct2dg7u
g) Aphthonius and Elpidephorus as depicted in the degraded late fourteenth-century frescoes (later 1380s?) in the nave of the church of the Holy Ascension at the Ravanica monastery near Ćuprija in central Serbia:
Aphthonius:
http://tinyurl.com/24a4f8b
Elpidephorus:
http://tinyurl.com/27at43e
h) Acindynus as depicted by Theofanis Strelitzas-Bathas (a.k.a) Theophanes the Cretan) in the earlier sixteenth-century frescoes (1527) of the monastery of St. Nicholas Anapafsas in Kalambaka (Meteora dist.) in northern Greece:
http://tinyurl.com/pmomgl7
i) Acindynus, Pegasius, Aphthonius, and Elpidephorus as depicted in earlier sixteenth-century frescoes (1545-1546) by Theofanis Strelitzas-Bathas (a.k.a. Theophanes the Cretan) in the katholikon of the Stavronikita monastery on Mt. Athos:
Acindynus:
http://ocafs.oca.org/Icons/august/0822akindynos.jpg
Pegasius:
http://www.skete.com/images/products/icons/CS826lg.jpg
Aphthonius and Elpidephorus:
http://www.skete.com/images/products/icons/CS1096lg.jpg
Detail view (Aphthonius):
http://tinyurl.com/25c2zak
Detail view (Elpidephorus):
http://tinyurl.com/2eq7hnc
j) as depicted (martyrdom) in the mid-sixteenth-century frescoes (1546/47) by George / Tzortzis the Cretan in the Dionysiou monastery on Mt. Athos:
http://tinyurl.com/owyf5zq
Best,
John Dillon
**********************************************************************
To join the list, send the message: subscribe 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: unsubscribe 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/medieval-religion
|