Historical Memory and Religious Cult in 𝑃𝑎𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜 𝐴𝑔𝑎𝑢𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑢𝑚 𝑀𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑦𝑟𝑢𝑚 by Eucherius of Lugdun († ca. 450)

Authors:

Pages: 125-131
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54664/LXQH6827

Abstract:

A special type of Christian literature from the early centuries is the so-called “suffering” (passio). It is a continuation of the martyr “acta” (acta) and is a kind of “passional” (vita) of martyrs. Such is the 𝑃𝑎𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜 𝐴𝑔𝑎𝑢𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑢𝑚 𝑀𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑦𝑟𝑢𝑚 (Suffering of the Martyrs of Agaunus) by the bishop of Lugdun (Lyon) Eucherius († ca. 450). In the work, the contrasting images of thousands of Christian soldiers, who suffered martyrdom, and their tormentor – Emperor Maximian, are depicted. In the present article, on the basis of the short but rich and meaningful literary text, the Christian attitude to earthly life and, accordingly, to historical memory, is clarified. The attributes of Christian holiness and the specifics of the cult of saints are revealed. The thesis is that Christian holiness builds upon and surpasses historical memory because it transcends the perspectives of earthly life and extends into eternity.

Keywords:

“passio”; Christianity; martyrdom; memory; saints; cultus

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