Spatial Dynamics of the Late Antique Cult of Mary : A Reaction to Nestorianism in the Levant?
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| Year of publication | 2024 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
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| Description | It is well established among historians that the Christian cult of Saint Mary witnessed its largest boom in the 5th century. Both material evidence (such as inscriptions and depictions) and literary evidence (especially titles used for this saint) point to quantitative and qualitative changes in the character of this cult. The processes of the 5th century shaped it for all subsequent periods. One of the classical hypotheses regarding this phenomenon sees it as a consequence of the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD, which condemned the so-called Nestorianism – a Christological teaching that distinguished between the human and divine natures of Christ, asserting that Mary gave birth only to his human nature and therefore could be called Christotokos (Christ-bearer) but not Theotokos (God-bearer). In reaction to this doctrine, the cult of Mary as Theotokos was supported by official church authorities of the Roman Empire after 431. This hypothesis is traditionally supported by quotations from late antique theological texts, and especially by the use of the title Theotokos everywhere after 431. This presentation deals with the spatial dynamics of that cult: Where exactly is it attested? What types of evidence can be seen here? Which titles are used for Mary? How do its attestations differ in various regions and languages? Was the cult of Mary situated mostly in large cities and centers of administration (and thus spreading from above) or elsewhere? How widespread was it proportionally in comparison with other cults of saints in various regions? The spatial approach can reveal many specifics of the cult of Mary in comparison with other cults of saints in late antiquity, as well as many regional specifics of the cult itself. |
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