CURRENTLY SOLD OUT

Celibate Marriages in Late Antique and Byzantine Hagiography: The Lives of Saints Julian and Basilissa, Andronikos and Athanasia, and Galaktion and Episteme by Dr Anne P. Alwis (Hardcover, 2011)

Celibate Marriages in Late Antique and Byzantine Hagiography explores the puzzling phenomenon of celibate marriage as depicted in the lives of three couples who achieved sainthood. Marriage without intercourse appears to have no purpose, especially in Christian antiquity, yet these three tales were copied for centuries. What messages were they promoting? What did it mean to be a virgin husband and a virgin wife? Including full translations, this volume sets each life in its historical context, and by examining their individual and shared themes, the book shows that the tension raised by pitting marriage against celibacy is constantly debated. It also highlights the ingenuity of Byzantine hagiographers as they attempted to reconcile this curious paradox. This book addresses a gap in late Antique and Byzantine hagiographic studies where primary sources and interpretative material are very rarely presented in the same volume. By providing a variety of contexts to the material a much more comprehensive, revealing and holistic picture of celibate marriage emerges.

Author
Dr Anne P. Alwis
Publication Name
Celibate Marriages in Late Antique and Byzantine Hagiography: The Lives of Saints Julian and Basilissa, Andronikos and Athanasia, and Galaktion and Episteme
Format
Hardcover
Language
English
Subject
History
Publication Year
2011
Type
Textbook
Number of Pages
352 Pages

Best Selling in School Textbooks & Study Guides

Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Best Selling in School Textbooks & Study Guides

Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Save on School Textbooks & Study Guides