Elton O. S. MEDEIROS

Original title: O Sonho da Cruz: a tradição cristã bizantina na Inglaterra anglo-saxônica e a tradução do poema original ao português

Published in Senses and sensibilities in classical and medieval worlds

Keywords: Anglo-Saxon England, Christianity, Literature, Old English, Society.

One of the main symbols of the Christian tradition is the Holy Cross on which Christ was executed. However, unlike the conception of an instrument of torture, in the tradition that was developed, the Cross emerges as a symbol of victory, conquest over death, and the primary symbol of worship since the beginning of the Christian Era and during the Early Middle Ages. In the current article we intend to analyze the presence of the cult of the Cross in Anglo-Saxon England and its link with the Byzantine Christian tradition, mainly in the field of material culture and in the religious literature of the period. We also bring, in the end of this article, the complete translation of the poem The Dream of the Rood to Portuguese.

Ruy de Oliveira ANDRADE FILHO, João Paulo CHARRONE

Original title: A santidade nas hagiografias de Venâncius Fortunatus

Published in Monastic and Scholastic Philosophy in the Middle Ages

Keywords: Christianity, Hagiography, Problem, Sanctity, Venantius Fortunatus.

We chose to do a quick presentation about the authenticity of hagiographies of Venantius Fortunatus. Then began a debate on the concept of holiness and medieval saint. After this discussion, which this author worked with two main models of holiness: the acetic-monastic and episcopal. The first model is present in hagiographies devoted to Patern and Radegund. In these descriptions abound this lifestyle choice: the pursuit of withdrawal from the world, the martyrdom, miracles and temptations related to this kind of choice. However, their hagiographies have, in most cases, the model of episcopal sanctity. In this model, the sanctity appears as a condition for becoming a bishop, and more, the miraculous virtue is clearly a feature of such positions.

Eirini ARTEMI

Published in

Keywords: Christianity, Qu’ran, Theotokos, Virgin Mary.

The Holy Virgin Mary or Theotokos is a very significant person for Christians. She is the mother of the enfleshed (sesarkomenos) Son of God. Theotokos thus refers to the Incarnation, when the Second Person of the Holy Trinity took on human nature in addition to his pre-existing divine nature, this being made possible by the cooperation of Virgin Mary. Theotokos is not only the mother of God, but the mother of every Christian. The Christians and mainly Orthodoxs and Roman Catholics think that the Virgin is a very significant part of their religion, of their life. Christians do not “worship” the Virgin Mary. They “venerate” her and show her great honor. She has the all-merciful power of driving away from us, at her sign, the sub-celestial spirits of evil–those ever-vigilant and ardent sowers of enmity and malice among men. She is the highest of all creatures, the Mediatrix for the whole race of mankind. Strive to train everyone in the spirit of humility, for she was humbler that any mortal, and only looks lovingly upon the humble. The Quran, the holy book for Muslims honor holy Virgin Mary too. Muslims think that Virgin Mary is the mother of Prophet Christ. For them, Christ is not God. The Archbishop of Albania Anastasios who was teaching about the religion of Muslims supports that Muslims honour Holy Virgin more than some Christian Confessions of Protestants and some “christian” heresies as Jehovah witness. Also, it is indicative of this honorary position, which in the Quran the name of Mary is found in 33 out of 114 chapters (sura). The 33 chapter is devoted to Mary. Of course in this paper, we will examine the texts of the Holy Scriptures for the Theotokos, and the texts of Quran for Her.