Pilgrimage to a Greek Island Shrine

In modern Greece, the festival dedicated to the ‘Dormition’ of the Panagia (‘the All-Holy One’), who is the Virgin Mary, is celebrated on 15 August. On Tinos, in the island group of the Cyclades in the Aegean Sea, this fertility- and healing-festival dedicated to the Dormition of the Panagia is particularly important due to several reasons. The Church of the Panagia, Euangelistria (‘the Annunciation’), owes its fame to a miraculous holy icon (image) of the Annunciation, which was unearthed in a field in 1823. Since then, the miracles worked by this icon have made Tinos a centre of Pan-Orthodox worship, and pilgrimages are particularly made to this greatest shrine of Greek Orthodoxy during the Dormition. The Dormition of the Panagia is also an important ideological manifestation for the ‘new Greek nation-state of 1821’, as demonstrated through several ceremonies during the festival, particularly the procession when the icon is carried from the church to the harbour. The festival is also a significant occasion to study gendered spheres, as well as the relationship between various Greek population groups. This article is based on several periods of fieldwork, carried out from 1990 to the present, involving research into the festival dedicated to the Dormition of the Panagia on Tinos, and it explores some of the main elements of this festival, within a current socio-economic and political framework

Mannlige verdier i antikken og deres tilsynekomst kontra fravær i De eleusinske mysteriene

Den følgende artikkelen er i to deler. Første delen behandler mannlige verdier i antikkens Hellas, ut fra en komparativ innfallsvinkel som nytter materiale fra lignende moderne mediterrane samfunn, først og fremst forestillingene knyttet til ’ære og skam’. Den andre delen diskuterer hvordan disse verdiene kommer til syne eller legges til side i De eleusinske mysteriene. Det betyr at selv om det følgende hovedsakelig fokuserer på mannlige verdier, gjennom definisjon og beskrivelse av disse, må også de kvinnelige verdiene i samfunnet behandle

FROM MODERN GREEK CARNIVALS TO THE MASKS OF DIONYSOS AND OTHER DIVINITIES IN ANCIENT GREECE

Za suvremene Grke: “Karneval bez maski je kao kruh bez brašna”. Maske su tradicionalno bile važan dio religijskih svetkovina u antičkoj i modernoj Grčkoj, osobito onih vezanih uz tijek agrikulturne godine, ponajprije proljetni ekvinocij, dok moderna sezona karnevala prije perioda Korizme nije zamijenila antičke svetkovine posvećene Dionizu, koji je uz Demetru, bio ključno božanstvo poljoprivrednika. Maskiranje se prakticiralo i početkom svibnja, prije žetve te kasnije prije sjetve i sredinom zime. Prema jednom od antičkih izvora, Pauzaniji, svećenik za vrijeme godišnjih rituala posvećenih Demetri stavlja masku božice i udara zemlju štapom kako bi probudio sile podzemlja i zemlju učinio plodnom. Značajke antičkih i suvremenih svetkovina pod maskama u članku se uspoređuju s naglaskom na dodirnim točkama. Istražuje se snaga maski općenito, kao npr. u vezi s Meduzom i drugim antičkim mitskim likovima te upućuje na važnost maskiranja i životinjskih maski u obredima prijelazaAccording to the modern Greeks: “Carnival without masks is like bread without flour”. Masks have traditionally been an important part of the religious festivals in ancient and modern Greece, particularly at the celebrations which are performed in connection with the most important phases during the agricultural year, first and foremost around spring equinox, when the modern carnival season before the Lenten period has replaced the ancient festivals dedicated to Dionysos, who along with Demeter, was the primary deity of the farmer, but people are also masquerading in the beginning of May before the grain harvest, and later before sowing and in mid-winter. One of our ancient sources, Pausanias tells that at the yearly rituals dedicated to Kidarian Demeter, the priest puts on the mask of the goddess, and beats the earth with rods, to wake up the powers of the underworld and make the earth fertile. The article will compare some significant ancient festivals where masks were important with their modern parallels as celebrated during carnival in Greek Macedonia, where I have conducted fieldwork in several villages. I will also explore the power of the mask in general such as in connection with Medusa and other ancient mythical figures, and discuss the importance of masquerading and animal disguise during rites de passages generally, both in the cycle of nature and the life of humans

Greske kvinner, kropp og makt. Feltarbeid på kulter knyttet til kvinnesfæren som utgangspunkt for en dekonstruksjonistisk lesning av mannsideologier nå og før

By taking the statements in ancient Greek sources produced by men literally, it has been claimed that ancient women’s religious activities were performed under male dominance, or ‘appropriated’. So was the female body. The article argues that these statements need to be reconsidered. Based on studies in the same ancient sources, combined with results from fieldworks carried out on contemporary Greek religious festivals, a comparison is made with similar ancient festivals through an analysis of the fertility-cult, which is important in the festivals. This is a useful way to try to consider the female part of society, since women are the central performers of the actual cult that plays an important role within the official male value-system. This is the value-system that the festivals and the society, which they refl ect, traditionally have been considered from. The absence of the female value-system leaves previous analyses one-sided and incomplete. Therefore, a comprehensive analysis requires the female point of view to be included. Hence, the article argues for the importance of changing our approach when working with ancient culture. Taking account of the female sphere, which still exists in Greece, provides us with a basis for considering the female part of society. But, by so doing, the offi cial male perspective, which is similar to the Western male perspective generally applied within Greek studies, has to be deconstructed

FROM MODERN GREEK CARNIVALS TO THE MASKS OF DIONYSOS AND OTHER DIVINITIES IN ANCIENT GREECE

Za suvremene Grke: “Karneval bez maski je kao kruh bez brašna”. Maske su tradicionalno bile važan dio religijskih svetkovina u antičkoj i modernoj Grčkoj, osobito onih vezanih uz tijek agrikulturne godine, ponajprije proljetni ekvinocij, dok moderna sezona karnevala prije perioda Korizme nije zamijenila antičke svetkovine posvećene Dionizu, koji je uz Demetru, bio ključno božanstvo poljoprivrednika. Maskiranje se prakticiralo i početkom svibnja, prije žetve te kasnije prije sjetve i sredinom zime. Prema jednom od antičkih izvora, Pauzaniji, svećenik za vrijeme godišnjih rituala posvećenih Demetri stavlja masku božice i udara zemlju štapom kako bi probudio sile podzemlja i zemlju učinio plodnom. Značajke antičkih i suvremenih svetkovina pod maskama u članku se uspoređuju s naglaskom na dodirnim točkama. Istražuje se snaga maski općenito, kao npr. u vezi s Meduzom i drugim antičkim mitskim likovima te upućuje na važnost maskiranja i životinjskih maski u obredima prijelazaAccording to the modern Greeks: “Carnival without masks is like bread without flour”. Masks have traditionally been an important part of the religious festivals in ancient and modern Greece, particularly at the celebrations which are performed in connection with the most important phases during the agricultural year, first and foremost around spring equinox, when the modern carnival season before the Lenten period has replaced the ancient festivals dedicated to Dionysos, who along with Demeter, was the primary deity of the farmer, but people are also masquerading in the beginning of May before the grain harvest, and later before sowing and in mid-winter. One of our ancient sources, Pausanias tells that at the yearly rituals dedicated to Kidarian Demeter, the priest puts on the mask of the goddess, and beats the earth with rods, to wake up the powers of the underworld and make the earth fertile. The article will compare some significant ancient festivals where masks were important with their modern parallels as celebrated during carnival in Greek Macedonia, where I have conducted fieldwork in several villages. I will also explore the power of the mask in general such as in connection with Medusa and other ancient mythical figures, and discuss the importance of masquerading and animal disguise during rites de passages generally, both in the cycle of nature and the life of humans

Emotion and Identity in Connection with Greek Death-Cult, Modern and Ancient

U članku se razmatraju emocije i identitet povezani s grčkim kultom smrti kako bi se pokušale objasniti određene suvremene političke pojave u mediteranskom području. U tom je području kult mrtvih zajednički kulturni obrazac. Zašto je taj kult toliko žilav? Što je kult smrti i kako se on očituje? U članku se razmatra njegova trajna važnost u dijelu grčkoga kulturnog prostora, gdje je autorica provela nekoliko terenskih istraživanja. Kako bi se pojasnila dugotrajnost ovoga kulturnog obrasca, raspravlja se o karakterističnim aspektima povezanim s kultom smrti u grčkoj tradiciji: rasprava se temelji na usporedbi svetkovina posvećenih preminulim osobama i domaćih posmrtnih obreda sa starim izvorima. Slijedom toga daje se analitički pregled odnosa između kulta smrti posvećenog pokojniku u antičkom i suvremenom društvu, kako se očituje kroz tužaljke, ukope i naknadne rituale sjećanja. Suvremeni kućni obredi koje ljudi izvode za svoje mrtve utječu na službene ideološke rituale, i obrnuto, kućni obredi odražavaju njihovu javnu izvedbu. Proučavanje suvremene prakse kulta, otkriva mnoge paralele sa službenim kultom u starini, i navodi na načine kojima moderni rituali mogu baciti novo svjetlo na antičke rituale i obrnuto. U članku se nastoji pokazati kako se nove ideologije moraju prilagoditi starim ritualima i vjerovanjima i kako su javni i kućni rituali povezani. Naposljetku, sugerira se kako te sličnosti mogu predstavljati zajednički način izražavanja u širem kontekstu u čijem je središtu mediteransko kulturno značenje emocija.The article examines emotion and identity in connection with Greek death-cult in an attempt to clarify certain contemporary political phenomena in the Mediterranean area. The cult of the dead is a common cultural pattern in the area. Why is this cult so persistent? What is death-cult and how does it manifest itself? The article delves into its lasting importance in the Greek part of the cultural area, where the author has conducted several fieldworks. To illustrate the persistence of this cultural pattern, the characteristic aspects connected with death-cult in Greek tradition are discussed: The comparison is based on festivals, which are dedicated to deceased persons and domestic death-rituals combined with ancient sources. Based on them an analytical survey of the relationship between the death-cult dedicated to deceased mediators in ancient and modern society, as it is manifested through laments, burials and the following memorial rituals is made. The modern domestic rituals people perform for their own dead influence the official ideological rituals, and vice versa, the domestic rituals reflect public performances. A study of modern cult practices reveals many parallels with the official cult of the ancients, and suggests ways in which modern rituals can throw new light upon the ancient rituals and vice versa. The article seeks to demonstrate how new ideologies must adjust to older rituals and beliefs and how public and domestic rituals are connected. The article finally suggests how these similarities might represent a common way of expression within a larger context in which the Mediterranean cultural meaning of emotion is central

Emotion and Identity in Connection with Greek Death-Cult, Modern and Ancient

U članku se razmatraju emocije i identitet povezani s grčkim kultom smrti kako bi se pokušale objasniti određene suvremene političke pojave u mediteranskom području. U tom je području kult mrtvih zajednički kulturni obrazac. Zašto je taj kult toliko žilav? Što je kult smrti i kako se on očituje? U članku se razmatra njegova trajna važnost u dijelu grčkoga kulturnog prostora, gdje je autorica provela nekoliko terenskih istraživanja. Kako bi se pojasnila dugotrajnost ovoga kulturnog obrasca, raspravlja se o karakterističnim aspektima povezanim s kultom smrti u grčkoj tradiciji: rasprava se temelji na usporedbi svetkovina posvećenih preminulim osobama i domaćih posmrtnih obreda sa starim izvorima. Slijedom toga daje se analitički pregled odnosa između kulta smrti posvećenog pokojniku u antičkom i suvremenom društvu, kako se očituje kroz tužaljke, ukope i naknadne rituale sjećanja. Suvremeni kućni obredi koje ljudi izvode za svoje mrtve utječu na službene ideološke rituale, i obrnuto, kućni obredi odražavaju njihovu javnu izvedbu. Proučavanje suvremene prakse kulta, otkriva mnoge paralele sa službenim kultom u starini, i navodi na načine kojima moderni rituali mogu baciti novo svjetlo na antičke rituale i obrnuto. U članku se nastoji pokazati kako se nove ideologije moraju prilagoditi starim ritualima i vjerovanjima i kako su javni i kućni rituali povezani. Naposljetku, sugerira se kako te sličnosti mogu predstavljati zajednički način izražavanja u širem kontekstu u čijem je središtu mediteransko kulturno značenje emocija.The article examines emotion and identity in connection with Greek death-cult in an attempt to clarify certain contemporary political phenomena in the Mediterranean area. The cult of the dead is a common cultural pattern in the area. Why is this cult so persistent? What is death-cult and how does it manifest itself? The article delves into its lasting importance in the Greek part of the cultural area, where the author has conducted several fieldworks. To illustrate the persistence of this cultural pattern, the characteristic aspects connected with death-cult in Greek tradition are discussed: The comparison is based on festivals, which are dedicated to deceased persons and domestic death-rituals combined with ancient sources. Based on them an analytical survey of the relationship between the death-cult dedicated to deceased mediators in ancient and modern society, as it is manifested through laments, burials and the following memorial rituals is made. The modern domestic rituals people perform for their own dead influence the official ideological rituals, and vice versa, the domestic rituals reflect public performances. A study of modern cult practices reveals many parallels with the official cult of the ancients, and suggests ways in which modern rituals can throw new light upon the ancient rituals and vice versa. The article seeks to demonstrate how new ideologies must adjust to older rituals and beliefs and how public and domestic rituals are connected. The article finally suggests how these similarities might represent a common way of expression within a larger context in which the Mediterranean cultural meaning of emotion is central

Keiserkult: fremmed kult i det romerske samfunn?

It has been claimed that, originally, the divinity of the living emperor was alien to traditional Greek and Roman religion. This article tries to show that elements which are introduced with a foreign cult - the cult of the living emperor - may be latent in the traditional cult - the cult of the dead, the ancestor-cult, the need for a present benefactor and subsequently a cult to him - which then become relevant. The socalled foreign cult of the emperor, in this way, filled a gap. Even if this new god was foreign in relation to the traditional gods, i.e. his name, the essence in the cult might on the other hand be something which was aalready present. The way of approaching the problem is from a comparative analysis of ancient Graeco-Roman soiety and present-day society in southern Italy and Greece. The comparison is based on certain religious festivals

Praznik, posvečen prikazovanju sveti (agia) ali blaženi (osia) pelagiji in drugi rituali

The local festival dedicated to the Anniversary of the Vision of Agia (Saint) Pelagia or Osia (Venerable, Blessed, Saint) Pelagia is celebrated on the Greek island of Tinos and is dedicated to one of the most recent Orthodox saints, Saint Pelagia, a nun that was sanctified in 1971. After the great Greek War of Liberation (1821) broke out, the pious nun Pelagia had several mystical visions that lead to the discovery of the miraculous icon of the Annunciation. *** Lokalni festival, namenjen obletnici Videnja agie (svetnice) ali osie (častite, blažene, svetnice) Pelagije, praznujejo na grškem otoku Tinosu in je posvečen eni najnovejših pravoslavnih svetnic, leta 1971 za sveto razglašeno redovnico Agio Pelagijo. Po izbruhu grške osvobodilne vojne (1821) je imela pobožna redovnica Pelagija več mističnih videnj, ki so vodila v odkritje čudežne ikone Oznanjenja