Material Christianity in the Early Medieval Household
Julia M. H. Smith
Tu autem cum oraveris, intra in cubiculum tuum, et clauso ostio, ora Patrem tuum abscondito: Pater tuus, qui videt abscondito, reddet tibi. (‘But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door. Pray to Father private, Father, who sees concealed places, will reward you’: Matt. 6: 6) Manuscript D.V.3 Biblioteca Nazionale of Turin is a fat, late eighth-century volume martyr narratives. Produced at Soissons, probably nunnery Notre-Dame, it may be no coincidence that eighteen its forty texts concern female martyrs. A further four address familial groups which wives or mothers play prominent roles. The earliest Latin version passion St Adrian ( BHL 3744) among them: one many late, ‘novel-esque’ accounts martyrdom, constructed out clichéd formulae predictable tropes for post-persecution audiences, like others genre. Lacking any historical verisimilitude about age persecutions, characteristic this group hagiographies offering valuable insights domestic Christianity was composed: brings sharp focus links between women material within antique household, theme essay pursues Carolingian period.
Studies in Church History