The Virgin Mary in Byzantium, <i>c</i>.400–1000: Hymns, Homilies and Hagiography

Mary B. Cunningham

doi:10.1017/9781009327244

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The Virgin Mary in Byzantium, c.400–1000

The Virgin Mary in Byzantium, c.400–1000

Hymns, Homilies and Hagiography

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Mary B. Cunningham, University of Nottingham

Publisher:: Cambridge University Press
Online publication date:: August 2022
Print publication year:: 2022
Online ISBN:: 9781009327244
DOI:: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009327244
Creative Commons:: This content is Open Access and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/creativelicenses

Subjects:: Area Studies, History, European Studies, European History 450-1000

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The Virgin Mary assumed a position of central importance in Byzantium. This major and authoritative study examines her portrayal in liturgical texts during the first six centuries of Byzantine history. Focusing on three main literary genres that celebrated this holy figure, it highlights the ways in which writers adapted their messages for different audiences. Mary is portrayed variously as defender of the imperial city, Constantinople, virginal Mother of God, and ascetic disciple of Christ. Preachers, hymnographers, and hagiographers used rhetoric to enhance Mary's powerful status in Eastern Christian society, depicting her as virgin and mother, warrior and ascetic, human and semi-divine being. Their paradoxical statements were based on the fundamental mystery that Mary embodied: she was the mother of Christ, the Word of God, who provided him with the human nature that he assumed in his incarnation. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.

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The Virgin Mary in Byzantium, c.400–1000

Hymns, Homilies and Hagiography

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The Virgin Mary in Byzantium, c. 400–1000
pp i-ii

The Virgin Mary in Byzantium, c. 400–1000 CE - Title page
pp iii-iii

Copyright page
pp iv-iv

Dedication
pp v-vi

Contents
pp vii-vii

Acknowledgements
pp viii-x

Additional material
pp xi-xi

A Note on Capitalisation, Spelling and Recent Publications
pp xii-xii

Introduction
pp 1-35

Chapter 1 - Praise of Mary in Song: The Early Hymnography
pp 36-66

Chapter 2 - From Theotokos to Intercessor: The Early Homiletic Witness (c. 400–600)
pp 67-93

Chapter 3 - Panegyrics and Supplication: Homilies from c. 600 to 1000
pp 94-136

Chapter 4 - Theology in Verse: Middle Byzantine Hymnography
pp 137-178

Chapter 5 - Narratives about the Panagia
pp 179-210

Conclusion
pp 211-218

Bibliographies
pp 219-265

Index
pp 266-276

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The Virgin Mary in Byzantium, c.400–1000

Hymns, Homilies and Hagiography

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