Article
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The Sacrality of Queen in the Norman Sicily. The pattern of Ordo coronationis
Mirko VAGNONI
Original title: La sacralità della regina nella Sicilia normanna. Il caso dell’Ordo coronationis
Published in Mulier aut Femina. Idealism or reality of women in the Middle Ages
Generally historians have given little attention to the sacrality of the Norman queens of Sicily. Certainly, there are few sources on this subject but this paper wants to study this topic analysing a very important text for the representation of power: the Ordo coronationis written in the Norman Sicily and that describes the ritual for the coronation of a queen.
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The Virgin Mary, Theotokos, and Christ, true God and true man. The mystery of Incarnation according to Cyril of Alexandria
Eirini ARTEMI
Published in Mulier aut Femina. Idealism or reality of women in the Middle Ages
The 5th century controversy of Bishop Nestorius of Constantinople and Bishop Cyril of Alexandria centred on the Person of Jesus Christ: To what extent is Jesus human? To what extent divine? And to what extent and how are His humanity and divinity united? Christ has two natures. Jesus Christ is both fully human and fully divine. If Jesus was only human, Cyril urged, and God was elsewhere, the Incarnation, the Word became flesh (human indeed), would be meaningless. On the other hand Nestorius refused that Jesus is a God too, when he questioned the use of Τheotokos (Θεοτόκος) in the veneration of Mary, the mother of Jesus. This led to a greater dispute about his Christology, specifically, his conception of the unity of the divine and human natures of Christ. In this controversy Cyril of Alexandria became his most outspoken opponent. Cyril underlined that Christ is human and God at the same time. He has two natures in the unity of person (Hypostasis). Cyril emphasized the unity of Christ and his divinity, he held that Christ “was at once God and man,” and without “any mixture or blending.” In this way he preserved the distinction between the two natures which became so important in the definition of Chalcedon. Cyril urged that Jesus Christ is at once God and man, and he is “in the likeness of men” since even though he is God he is “in the fashion of a man”. He is God in an appearance like ours, and the Lord in the form of a slave.
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The war in the Crónica del Rey Don Pedro by the Chancellor López de Ayala
Cecilia Devia
Original title: La guerra en la Crónica del Rey Don Pedro del Canciller López de Ayala
Published in The chivalry and the art of war in the Ancient and Medieval World
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The Bellvm Africvm and the construction of the image of Julius Caesar Imperator
Michele Eduarda Brasil de Sá
Original title: O Bellvm Africvm e a construção da imagem do Imperator Júlio César
Published in The chivalry and the art of war in the Ancient and Medieval World
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Redemption Theology in Mystical Convent Drama: “The Already and the Not Yet” in Hildegard of Bingen’s Ordo virtutum and Marcela de San Félix’s Breve festejo
Alisa J. TIGCHELAAR
Original title: A Teologia da Redenção no Drama do Mosteiro Místico: “O já e o ainda não” no Ordo virtutum de Hildegarda de Bingen e no Breve Festejo de Marcela de San Félix
Published in Emotions in the Ancient and Medieval Mediterranean World
This study most centrally explores the distinctly corporeal divinity that is revealed through mystical paradigms in two plays by female religious: Hildegard of Bingen’s (1098-1179) Ordo virtutum and a play convincingly attributed to Marcela de san Félix (1605-87), Breve festejo que se hizo para nuestra Madre priora y a alegrar la comunidad la noce de los reyes deste año 1653. It highlights and analyzes the fact that, in both plays, various triadic relationships point to the essential presence of the second person of the Trinity in the mystical Godhead. The central argument is that a particularly Christocentric mystical divinity has theological connotations which bear investigation against the general problematization of the corporeal element in the mystical relational and theological economy through the seventeenth century. The paper articulates why a particularly human mystical divinity might have been undervalued in the Christian practice of mysticism from Medieval times onward, and exegetes why the bias toward transcendence over immanence in mysticism might even be regarded as theologically incomplete in the light of (Catholic) Christian redemption theology. It ends by showing how the “already and not yet” is alluded to in both plays, and draws some relevant theological conclusions which stand in answer to the transcendent deity usually privileged in mysticism, hearkening to other works by both Bingen and san Félix to substantiate the theology which can arguably be attributed to them. Along the way, relevant aspects of different understandings of emotions–among them the concept of the humors, the Aristotelian understanding of the relationship between the (Christian) virtues and the emotional realm, and the central role of eros in the mystical practice and the theological implications of the same–will be raised, according to the theme of this particular volume.
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Querimonia desolacionis terre sancte – The fall of Acre and the Holy Land in 1291 as an emotional element in the Tradition of Teutonic Order
Shlomo LOTAN
Original title: Querimonia desolacionis terre sancte – A perda de Acre e da Terra Santa em 1291 como um elemento emocional para a tradição da Ordem Teutônica
Published in Emotions in the Ancient and Medieval Mediterranean World
The fall of Acre to the Muslim forces in 1291 was one of the devastated events in the history of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem. The fall of main Crusader city in fact the capitol of the Latin Kingdom, was the last military episode in long history of the Crusader resistance in the Holy Land. The fall of Acre had a decisive influence on the Christian population, the Church and the nobility throughout Europe. It created also a forceful impact on the Military Orders, affecting their capability and strength. This article will focus on one of the main Military Orders in the Holy Land - the Teutonic Order, and on the manner in which the fall of the Holy Land had influenced the empowering of its tradition. Major chronicles of the Teutonic Order, written in the first half of the fourteenth century by its brethren Peter von Dusburg and Nicolaus von Jeroschin show it clearly. This critical event in which the Teutonic Knights also participated is treated as a central event. Despite the time that elapsed from the fall of the Latin Kingdom and the long distance from the Teutonic fighting in the Baltic region, this crucial event in the Holy Land had become a symbol destined as a lament (Klage in German). This lament represented an emotional and sense of pain caused by the great loss the suffering associated with the fall of the Holy Land. This article will further accentuate the assertion that even among the members of the Teutonic Order within the borders of Christianity in the Baltic region, well separated from Christian activity in the Mediterranean basin, the fall of the Holy Land had been fundamental. It had dominated the emotional state in the Teutonic order, affecting its evolving traditions. In had become the means throughwhich the Teutonic Order had expressed solidarity with the pain caused by the loss of the Holy Land, the place where their traditions began and was further shaped their medieval heritage.
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The Emotions on the Barcelona Streets of the Fifteenth Century
Cláudia Costa BROCHADO
Original title: As emoções nas ruas barcelonesas do século XV
Published in Emotions in the Ancient and Medieval Mediterranean World
The relationships between the citizens of fifteenth century Barcelona were often turbulent, especially between couples. The conflicts that occurred sometimes resulted in legal proceedings. The statements submitted for these cases were a visible expression of the emotions and conflicts involved. This article presents some of these legal proceedings through partial transcriptions, with the aim of getting as close as possible to the feelings and emotions of the people of Barcelona at the end f the Middle Ages.
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The degrees of knowledge to the mystical vision in the thought of Nicholas of Cusa (1401-1464)
José GONZÁLES RÍOS
Original title: Los grados de conocimiento hacia la visión mística en el pensamiento de Nicolás de Cusa (1401-1464)
Published in Mystic and Millenarianism in Middle Ages
The speculation on the topic of vision (visio), and in it around the mystical vision (visio mystica), is rich in the system of thought of Nicholas of Cusa. It is permanently present in his sermons, letters and in the rest of his theological and philosophical work. While there are various ways to address it, we propose considering it from his metaphysics of the human mind (mens human) point of view, and in it through the consideration of the degree of knowledge what the mind gradually transit in the conjectural searching of vision of the first principle from which she and all proceeds. To this end, we will address the topic of the mystical vision by considering first, the elements that Cusano gives in the context of his early sermons (before 1440). Second, through the presentation of the degrees of knowledge of the human mind, as they appear in the first great metaphysical systematization of knowledge in the books of De coniecturis (1442/3).Third, we discuss the topic in his work De visione Dei (1453). Analyzing this elements we hope to show that the topic of the mystical vision in the thought of Nicholas of Cusa is inseparable from his metaphysics of the human mind.
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The image of the throne in Ibn Gabirol and the Merkabah mysticism
Cecilia Cintra CAVALEIRO DE MACEDO
Original title: A imagem do trono em Ibn Gabirol e a mística da Merkabah
Published in Mystic and Millenarianism in Middle Ages
The subject of the Throne is common to the three abrahamic monotheistic religions and it is an important presence in medieval thought. Specifically in Judaism it has a prominent place, since the first great trend in Jewish mysticism is characterized by the contemplation of the Merkabah (Charriot/Throne) images described from the vision of Prophet Ezekiel. At the same time, many medieval Jewish philosophers also mention the subject. Although the philosophical work of Ibn Gabirol is characterized by the absence of religious references, there is one single passage in the Fons vitae that seems to refer to the Throne. In this article we will try to improve the interpretation of this passage from the Fons vitae by verifying the presence of the Merkabah mystical images in Ibn Gabirol poetry in the light of the indications from the mystical literature and the Jewish imaginary.
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Religious conflict in the fifth century through two parallel views – The sack of Rome in 410 AD in two literary works: De Reditu suo of Rutilio Namaziano and The City of God, of St. Augustine
Lilian Regina Gonçalves DINIZ
Original title: O conflito religioso no século V por meio de duas visões paralelas – O saque de Roma, de 410 d.C., em duas obras literárias: De Reditu suo, de Rutilio Namaziano, e A Cidade de Deus, de Santo Agostinho
Published in Relations between History and Literature in Ancient and Medieval World
This article wants to analyze the event known as The Sack of Rome, occurred on 410 DC, using two contemporary works: De Reditu Suo, of the pagan poet Rutilio Namaziano and The City of God, written by the bishop Agostine from Hipona. The choice of these authors aimed to draw a religious parallel that illustrates the theological conflict that existed in that time. It will be initially presented the historical context preceding the period in question, known as Late Antiquity. Will be presented the political, social, economic and military questions, in order to understand the religious and social conflict caused by the rise of Christianity and the consequent decline of paganism. Is important to remember that this article is not intended to be a theological or literary thesis about the works that we are studying here. It is only a superficial historical view of an extremely wide and rich period, too complex to be treated in a few pages.
