Session 6: Female Sanctity (including Imperial Sanctity)
Saints and Holy (Wo)Men
in Byzantine Literature and Art
Dr. Christodoulos PAPAVARNAVAS
(Austrian Academy of Sciences)
©CHRISTODOULOS PAPAVARNAVAS
SAINTS AND HOLY (WO)MEN IN BYZANTINE LITERATURE AND ART
Session 6: Female Sanctity (including Imperial Sanctity)
Discussion of the article “The Literary Portrait of Byzantine Female Saints” by
N. Delierneux
After reading the article, you should be able to answer the following questions:
• Men vs. Women in Byzantium: What was the opinion of Byzantines on female nature and how could
women reach spiritual advancement and holiness? (p. 363)
• 1. ‘Female Sanctity within the Monastery’ (p. 364-371): What are the qualities and virtues that an
ascetic or monastic woman should have based on the various examples provided by Delierneux?
• Which are the most important stages in the life of Makrina that demonstrate her spiritual progress and
holiness?
• Why is Theodora an unusual case of a monastic woman?
• What do we learn here about the Life of Irene of Chrysobalanton (BHG 952) which we have already
examined in a previous session?
©CHRISTODOULOS PAPAVARNAVAS
SAINTS AND HOLY (WO)MEN IN BYZANTINE LITERATURE AND ART
Session 6: Female Sanctity (including Imperial Sanctity)
Discussion of the article “The Literary Portrait of Byzantine Female Saints” by
N. Delierneux
After reading the article, you should be able to answer the following questions:
• What does distinguish holy cross-dressers from other nuns? Specify the unusual features presented in
the Life of Matrona (BHG 1221).
• 2. ‘Saintly Hermits’ (p. 371-373): What is the ascetic profile of a female hermit based on the examples
provided by Delierneux? Which well-known example of a female hermit is mentioned here and why is it
believed to have widely influenced the Byzantine audiences?
• 3. ‘Saintly Wives’ (p. 373-376): How is the ideal of celibacy reconciled with marriage in the Lives of holy
wives? Which are the different aspects of the reconciliation between these contrasting ideas?
©CHRISTODOULOS PAPAVARNAVAS
SAINTS AND HOLY (WO)MEN IN BYZANTINE LITERATURE AND ART
Session 6: Female Sanctity (including Imperial Sanctity)
Discussion of the article “The Literary Portrait of Byzantine Female Saints” by
N. Delierneux
After reading the article, you should be able to answer the following questions:
• 4. ‘Imperial Sanctity’ (p. 376-378): Which examples of imperial women are investigated here? What
does make the concept of sanctity in the Lives of holy empresses different? Consider the possible
authors, the time of composition of the relevant Lives and the respective historico-political
circumstances of the time.
• 5. ‘Female Martyrs’ (p. 379-380): Which categories of female martyrs are mentioned here? Explain.
How would you categorize the Passion of Perpetua and Felicity (BHG 1482) which was examined in a
previous session?