Origins of the Byzantine Cult of Mary

The aim of the proposed project is to investigate the origins and character of the Byzantine cult of Mary by surveying all sources up to the end of Iconoclasm (843). Chronologically the emphasis will be on the sixth century, especially on the age of Justinian, but the whole early Byzantine period, beginning with the foundation of the new capital and ending with Iconoclasm, will be surveyed. It is evident from Byzantine sources that after Iconoclasm the cult of Mary became extremely popular and that she was regarded as the intercessor of the Roman Empire. However, the sources do not reveal the logic behind the idea of Mary`s intercession. Whilst scholarly literature acknowledges and emphasizes Mary`s intercessory role, the full dimensions of this function in the Byzantine social context have never really been explored. The sources attribute its origin to an historic event at which Mary acted as intercessor for Constantinopolitans (626). Scholarly consensus offers the explanation that the cult of Mary arose in the Hellenistic world of Late Antiquity as a compensation for the cults of ancient goddesses. This is an unsatisfying - indeed at best complementary - theory for a Christian cult. It is obvious that we have no clear picture of the original character of the cult of Mary in Byzantium. Our working hypothesis proposes that the intercessory function of Mary was the primary social factor promoting the emergence of her cult. The argument, which will form the basis of the study, is composed of two interconnected themes: ancient belief in intercession and eschatology. The project proceeds from phenomena which are recognizable in Byzantine sources and acknowledged in the scholarly literature. Our previous project FWF project, "The Image of the Woman and the Cult of Mary", demonstrates that in Byzantine sources all acts, thoughts and emotions convey reflections of social status, implicitly, if not explicitly. This dimension of reality from Byzantine times is found, for instance, in the hymnography of Romanos Melodos (d. probably before 562). The method to be employed will on the whole be the conventional textual analysis used in Byzantine studies. However, the approach to the sources is drawn from various realms of the Byzantines` world of experience: religious, theological, political, social and cultural. In addition, systematic and critical questioning of the social aspect will employ the cross-reading technique used in gender studies. The results will clarify that dimension of the life of early Byzantines which they themselves took for granted but which is missing for us. Thus both the question, why they felt that they needed Mary`s intercession to the degree that it characterizes Byzantine culture as a whole, and the implications of this need for their mentality and behaviour will be presented for scholarly discussion. The prevailing "goddess theory" is challenged, and further, the reasons for the differences between the Marian cults of East and West illuminated.

The aim of the proposed project is to investigate the origins and character of the Byzantine cult of Mary by surveying all sources up to the end of Iconoclasm (843). Chronologically the emphasis will be on the sixth century, especially on the age of Justinian, but the whole early Byzantine period, beginning with the foundation of the new capital and ending with Iconoclasm, will be surveyed. It is evident from Byzantine sources that after Iconoclasm the cult of Mary became extremely popular and that she was regarded as the intercessor of the Roman Empire. However, the sources do not reveal the logic behind the idea of Mary`s intercession. Whilst scholarly literature acknowledges and emphasizes Mary`s intercessory role, the full dimensions of this function in the Byzantine social context have never really been explored. The sources attribute its origin to an historic event at which Mary acted as intercessor for Constantinopolitans (626). Scholarly consensus offers the explanation that the cult of Mary arose in the Hellenistic world of Late Antiquity as a compensation for the cults of ancient goddesses. This is an unsatisfying - indeed at best complementary - theory for a Christian cult. It is obvious that we have no clear picture of the original character of the cult of Mary in Byzantium. Our working hypothesis proposes that the intercessory function of Mary was the primary social factor promoting the emergence of her cult. The argument, which will form the basis of the study, is composed of two interconnected themes: ancient belief in intercession and eschatology. The project proceeds from phenomena which are recognizable in Byzantine sources and acknowledged in the scholarly literature. Our previous project FWF project, "The Image of the Woman and the Cult of Mary", demonstrates that in Byzantine sources all acts, thoughts and emotions convey reflections of social status, implicitly, if not explicitly. This dimension of reality from Byzantine times is found, for instance, in the hymnography of Romanos Melodos (d. probably before 562). The method to be employed will on the whole be the conventional textual analysis used in Byzantine studies. However, the approach to the sources is drawn from various realms of the Byzantines` world of experience: religious, theological, political, social and cultural. In addition, systematic and critical questioning of the social aspect will employ the cross- reading technique used in gender studies. The results will clarify that dimension of the life of early Byzantines which they themselves took for granted but which is missing for us. Thus both the question, why they felt that they needed Mary`s intercession to the degree that it characterizes Byzantine culture as a whole, and the implications of this need for their mentality and behaviour will be presented for scholarly discussion. The prevailing "goddess theory" is challenged, and further, the reasons for the differences between the Marian cults of East and West illuminated.