The Serres Icon of Saints Theodores
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Ivan Drpić
Abstract
In the later Middle Ages, the Old Metropolis of Serres in Eastern Macedonia was home to a highly venerated icon of Saints Theodore Teron and Theodore Stratelates. This article uncovers the history of this lost image, explores aspects of its cult, and reconstructs its artistic form and the manner in which it was displayed by bringing together the available textual and visual evidence. The article draws primarily upon three sources: the ekphrasis of the Metropolis and the collection of miracles of Saints Theodores composed by a local scholar, Theodore Pediasimos (fl. early 14th century), and a previously neglected epigram on the icon penned by the South Italian writer and diplomat Nicholas-Nektarios of Otranto (ca. 1155/1160 -1235). In tracing the “social life” and transformations of the Serres icon, this study also addresses larger topics such as the formation of image cults and their relation to the cults of saints, the practice of offering precious- metal icon revetments as votive gifts, and the practice of composing liturgical hymns dedicated to icons.
© 2013 by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co.
Articles in the same Issue
- Titelei
- Maximus Confessor’s polemics against Tritheism and his Trinitarian teaching
- Eustratios of Nicaea on thunder and lightning
- Ausgewählte Lesefrüchte zur byzantinischen Lexikographie
- The Serres Icon of Saints Theodores
- Anselm of Havelberg’s use of authorities in his account of the Filioque
- Scoli metrici a Pindaro in Terra d’Otranto: il Laurentianus Plut. LXXII, 14 ed il Vaticanus gr. 1019
- The Sacred Arsenal and the manuscripts Monac. gr. 229 and Paris. gr. 1301
- Die Datierung und die Funktion einer Kleinbronze mit paganen und christlichen Merkmalen
- Syriac sources for Byzantinists: an introduction and overview
- Δηλώσω σοι γὰρ τὰς αὐτοῦ πράξεις (DAG1.13) / A note on the order of clitic pronouns and particles in the Grottaferrata Digenis Akritis
- Ein wiederentdecktes Argyrobull des Despotes Theodoros Palaiologos
- Was Michael Attaleiates present at the battle of Mantzikert?
- II. ABTEILUNG
- III. ABTEILUNG. Bibliographische Notizen und Mitteilungen
- Totentafel
- Autoren- und Herausgeberverzeichnis zur Bibliographie Band 105, Heft 1 und 2
Articles in the same Issue
- Titelei
- Maximus Confessor’s polemics against Tritheism and his Trinitarian teaching
- Eustratios of Nicaea on thunder and lightning
- Ausgewählte Lesefrüchte zur byzantinischen Lexikographie
- The Serres Icon of Saints Theodores
- Anselm of Havelberg’s use of authorities in his account of the Filioque
- Scoli metrici a Pindaro in Terra d’Otranto: il Laurentianus Plut. LXXII, 14 ed il Vaticanus gr. 1019
- The Sacred Arsenal and the manuscripts Monac. gr. 229 and Paris. gr. 1301
- Die Datierung und die Funktion einer Kleinbronze mit paganen und christlichen Merkmalen
- Syriac sources for Byzantinists: an introduction and overview
- Δηλώσω σοι γὰρ τὰς αὐτοῦ πράξεις (DAG1.13) / A note on the order of clitic pronouns and particles in the Grottaferrata Digenis Akritis
- Ein wiederentdecktes Argyrobull des Despotes Theodoros Palaiologos
- Was Michael Attaleiates present at the battle of Mantzikert?
- II. ABTEILUNG
- III. ABTEILUNG. Bibliographische Notizen und Mitteilungen
- Totentafel
- Autoren- und Herausgeberverzeichnis zur Bibliographie Band 105, Heft 1 und 2
