St Cyril of Alexandria and the Mysteries of Isis in De Adoratione
In his long, untranslated treatise De adoratione, Cyril of Alexandria interacts with the mysteries of Isis in two places. In one place he describes a ritual involving female initiates dressed in linen holding sistra and mirrors, and in another he describes the rotating of torches as a purification r...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Cambridge Univ. Press
2023
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| In: |
The journal of ecclesiastical history
Year: 2023, Volume: 74, Issue: 4, Pages: 703-719 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Cyrillus, Alexandrinus 380-444, De adoratione et cultu in spiritu et veritate
/ Isis worship
/ Mystery
/ Purity
/ Ritual
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| IxTheo Classification: | AG Religious life; material religion BC Ancient Orient; religion CC Christianity and Non-Christian religion; Inter-religious relations KAB Church history 30-500; early Christianity |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (kostenfrei) Volltext (kostenfrei) |
| Summary: | In his long, untranslated treatise De adoratione, Cyril of Alexandria interacts with the mysteries of Isis in two places. In one place he describes a ritual involving female initiates dressed in linen holding sistra and mirrors, and in another he describes the rotating of torches as a purification ritual, albeit without naming Isis in either. These passages enrich our understanding of the mysteries of Isis, and of Cyril's engagement with the cult beyond his purported actions at Menouthis. The passages also suggest why and how Alexandrian Christians engaged in Isiac practices, and show Cyril the bishop constructing a pastoral response to these practices. |
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| ISSN: | 1469-7637 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: The journal of ecclesiastical history
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1017/S0022046923000593 |