IMC 2009: Sessions

Session 1628: Heresy and Orthodoxy in the Cult of Saints

Organiser:	Sara Ellis Nilsson, Institutionen för historiska studier, Göteborgs Universitet
Moderator/Chair:	Anders Fröjmark, Högskolan i Kalmar
Paper 1628-a	Saint Alban: An Orthodox Martyr for Britain (Language: English) Michael Garcia, Institute for Medieval Studies, University of Leeds Index terms: Archaeology - General, Ecclesiastical History, Hagiography
Paper 1628-b	Promoting Orthodoxy: Scandinavian Saints and the Christianisation (Language: English) Sara Ellis Nilsson, Institutionen för historiska studier, Göteborgs Universitet Index terms: Ecclesiastical History, Hagiography, Liturgy
Paper 1628-c	From Saints' Cults to Magic Spells (Language: English) Åslaug Ommundsen, Senter for middelalderstudier Index terms: Daily Life, Hagiography, Lay Piety
Abstract	This session explores the elements of heresy and orthodoxy in the cult of saints from various regions of medieval Europe. The first paper examines how the cult of saints might have been introduced to Britain in the context of conflicts between orthodoxy and heresy, and how this compares to the development of saints' cults across late antique Europe. The second paper addresses how the promotion of certain cults of saints in Scandinavia was instrumental in the instruction of proper orthodoxy to the newly converted. In some cases the requests for aid from saints took the form of magic spells rather than prayers. The third paper looks at saints in magic spells from medieval Scandinavia.