How Greece was Christianized DOCUMENTARY

Kings and Generals
19 Feb 202216:20

Summary

TLDRThis video explores the Christianization of Greece, beginning with Apostle Paul's missionary journeys and the formation of early Christian communities. It delves into the slow and complex process of conversion, influenced by the Edict of Milan and Emperor Constantine's conversion. Despite initial resistance, especially in Athens and rural areas, Christianity gradually supplanted paganism. The script also discusses the transformation of sacred sites, the adaptation of local deities, and the eventual decline of pagan practices, highlighting the last pagan community in Mani and the philosophical efforts of Georgius Gemistus Pletho.

Takeaways

  • 😇 Christianity's introduction to the Roman Empire, including Greece, was a gradual process that significantly altered social, economic, and political aspects of society.
  • 🌟 The Apostle Paul's missionary journeys to Greece in 49 AD marked the beginning of Christianity there, establishing the first Christian communities in Europe.
  • 🏛 The conversion of Dionysius, a member of the Athenian Areopagus, to Christianity and his subsequent role as the first bishop of Athens highlights the early spread of the faith.
  • 🕊 Despite the Edict of Milan in 313 and Constantine's conversion, Christianity did not immediately replace paganism; the process took centuries and faced resistance.
  • 🏙️ Urban centers were more receptive to Christianity than rural areas, where pagan practices persisted into the Middle Ages in some regions.
  • 🛕 Factors like Greece's economic status, strong philosophical schools, and lack of monasteries until the 8th century hindered the rapid spread of Christianity.
  • 🧙‍♂️ Monastic efforts played a crucial role in converting rural populations, as seen in the rapid Christianization of western Asia Minor.
  • 🎭 The Neoplatonic Academy of Athens, a significant intellectual center promoting pagan beliefs, was shut down, indicating the decline of paganism.
  • 🏛️ The Parthenon's conversion into a Christian church and the reuse of pagan materials with Christian symbols exemplify the physical transformation of sacred sites.
  • 🗝️ The Maniots, or Maniates, were among the last pagan communities in Greece, with some accounts suggesting they clung to their old beliefs into the Middle Ages.
  • 📜 Georgius Gemistus Pletho, a late Byzantine philosopher, advocated for a return to the worship of classical Hellenic Gods, reflecting a nostalgia for the past.

Q & A

  • How did Christianity first appear in the Roman Empire and its impact?

    -Christianity first appeared in the Roman Empire as a result of the Apostle Paul's missionary journeys around 49 AD to places like Philippi, Thessaloniki, and Veria, where he preached the Gospel of Christ and formed the first small Christian communities in Europe. This led to a significant upheaval in the social, economic, and political life of the empire, changing it forever.

  • What was the role of the Edict of Milan in the spread of Christianity?

    -The Edict of Milan in 313 granted religious freedom, which was a monumental event that boosted Christianity's popularity and led to many mass conversions. It facilitated the spread of Christianity by removing legal barriers to its practice.

  • Why was the Christianization of Greece a slow process?

    -The Christianization of Greece was a slow process due to various factors such as Greece's economic and political secondary position in the empire, the strong presence of academies and philosophical schools that cultivated pagan beliefs, and the lack of monasteries until the 8th century.

  • Who was Dionysius and how did he contribute to the spread of Christianity in Athens?

    -Dionysius was a member of the Athenian Areopagus, the judicial council, who converted to Christianity according to church tradition. After his conversion, he became the first bishop of Athens, playing a key role in the establishment of the Christian community there.

  • What was the significance of the Neoplatonic Academy of Athens in the context of paganism?

    -The Neoplatonic Academy of Athens was an important intellectual center that propagated pagan beliefs through its teachings. Its closure was a significant event in the decline of paganism and the rise of Christianity in the region.

  • How did the Eleusinian mysteries contribute to the persistence of paganism in Greece?

    -The Eleusinian mysteries were a set of religious rites that attracted visitors from all over Greece and were so popular that they persisted even after the rise of Christianity. The rites included famous individuals and Neoplatonic philosophers, indicating the continued influence of pagan practices.

  • What measures were taken by Christian authorities to suppress pagan practices?

    -Christian authorities took several measures to suppress pagan practices, including the banning of public sacrifices by Constantine the Great and Theodosius I, the closure of pagan temples, and the destruction or repurposement of pagan sites and artifacts.

  • How were pagan temples and sites repurposed during the Christianization process?

    -Pagan temples and sites were often converted into Christian churches or basilicas. For example, the Parthenon was converted into a Christian church, with the temple being reoriented, remodeled, and inscribed with Christian symbols to 'purify' it.

  • What was the role of monks in the Christianization of rural areas in Greece?

    -Monks played a significant role as the 'frontline soldiers of Christ,' traveling to villages, bearing many dangers to preach the Gospel, and convert the local population. Their zealous efforts contributed to the spread of Christianity, especially in areas like western Asia Minor.

  • How did the Maniots, a community in the Mani peninsula, resist Christianization?

    -The Maniots, or Maniates, were one of the last pagan communities in Greece. They resisted full Christianization until the reign of Emperor Basil, and even then, accounts from a century later suggest that they did not fully embrace the new religion, as evidenced by the activities of monks like Nikon the Metanoeite.

  • Who was Georgius Gemistus Pletho, and what was his stance on the religious transition from paganism to Christianity?

    -Georgius Gemistus Pletho, also known as Plethon, was a prominent philosopher of the late Byzantine era. In his work 'Nomoi,' he rejected Christianity and advocated for a return to the worship of the classical Hellenic Gods, reflecting a desire to preserve the old religious traditions.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 Christianization of Greece and the Role of Apostle Paul

The first paragraph introduces the transformative impact of Christianity on the Roman Empire, particularly in Greece, starting with Apostle Paul's missionary journeys around 49 AD. It discusses the gradual growth of Christianity, the significance of the Edict of Milan in 313, and the challenges faced by the new faith in a region with strong pagan traditions. The paragraph also highlights the role of monasteries and monks in spreading Christianity, despite economic and political factors that initially limited its reach.

05:02

🏛 Paganism's Persistence and the Christian Transformation of Athens

This paragraph delves into the persistence of paganism in Athens during the 4th century, with major religious festivals like the Panathenaia and the Eleusinian mysteries. It describes the influence of Neoplatonic philosophers and the gradual shift towards Christianity, despite the ban on animal sacrifices by Constantine the Great and Theodosius I. The paragraph also details the eventual Christianization of sacred sites, including the conversion of the Parthenon into a church and the reorientation of religious practices.

10:02

⛪️ The Conversion and Repurposing of Pagan Temples in Greece

The third paragraph focuses on the physical transformation of pagan temples into Christian churches throughout Greece. It describes the architectural changes made to these structures, such as reorientation and the addition of Christian elements like altars and iconostases. The paragraph also touches on the fate of pagan sculptures and the strategies used to 'purify' them for Christian use. It discusses the broader context of temple destruction and the rise of Christian basilicas and crosses as symbols of the new faith's dominance.

15:08

🔥 The Last Pagan Community and the End of Paganism in Greece

The final paragraph discusses the last pagan community in Greece, the Maniots, and their eventual Christianization. It mentions the efforts of monks like Nikon the Metanoeite and George the Hagiorite in converting the local population. The paragraph also highlights the figure of Georgius Gemistus Pletho, who advocated for a return to the worship of classical Hellenic Gods, reflecting a bygone era. The summary concludes with an invitation for viewers to stay updated with future content on the channel.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Christianity

Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. It is one of the largest religions in the world. In the video's context, Christianity's emergence in the Roman Empire, particularly in Greece, led to significant social, economic, and political changes. The script discusses how the early Christian communities formed and the gradual process of Christianization that took place over centuries.

💡Roman Empire

The Roman Empire was a historical empire that existed from the 1st century BC to the 5th century AD, covering a vast territory in Europe, Africa, and Asia. The video script highlights how the introduction of Christianity in the Roman Empire, including Greece, resulted in a major upheaval and transformation of the empire's social fabric.

💡Greece

Greece is a country in southeastern Europe known for its ancient civilization and significant contributions to philosophy, science, and the arts. The video discusses the process of Christianization in Greece, detailing how the new religion gradually replaced the ancient pagan beliefs and practices.

💡Apostle Paul

Apostle Paul, originally known as Saul of Tarsus, was an influential early Christian leader and missionary. In the video, Apostle Paul's travels to Greece, specifically to Philippi, Thessaloniki, and Veria, are mentioned as key events in the formation of early Christian communities in Europe.

💡Edict of Milan

The Edict of Milan was a decree issued in 313 by the Roman Emperors Constantine the Great and Licinius, granting religious freedom to all religions within the Roman Empire, particularly Christianity. The video script notes that this edict, along with Constantine's conversion to Christianity, significantly boosted the popularity of Christianity and led to mass conversions.

💡Pagan

Pagan refers to a follower of polytheistic or animistic religions, often associated with ancient or pre-Christian beliefs. In the video, paganism is discussed in the context of the religious practices that were prevalent in Greece before the spread of Christianity, and how they persisted in some areas even after the introduction of Christianity.

💡Neoplatonic Academy of Athens

The Neoplatonic Academy of Athens was a philosophical school in Athens that propagated pagan beliefs and was an intellectual center of its time. The video script mentions the closing of this academy as a significant event in the suppression of paganism and the promotion of Christianity.

💡Eleusinian Mysteries

The Eleusinian Mysteries were a set of ancient Greek religious rites and initiations that celebrated the goddesses Demeter and Persephone. The video discusses the popularity of these mysteries and their significance in the pagan religious practices of ancient Greece, noting their eventual suppression by the Christian authorities.

💡Parthenon

The Parthenon is a former temple on the Athenian Acropolis, dedicated to the goddess Athena, and is considered an iconic symbol of ancient Greek architecture. The video script describes how the Parthenon was converted into a Christian basilica, illustrating the physical transformation of sacred sites as part of the Christianization process.

💡Maniots

The Maniots were inhabitants of the Mani peninsula in Greece, known for being one of the last pagan communities in the region. The video script highlights the Maniots as an example of the persistence of pagan beliefs and practices even into the Middle Ages, despite the widespread adoption of Christianity.

💡Georgius Gemistus Pletho

Georgius Gemistus Pletho was a prominent philosopher of the late Byzantine era who advocated for a return to the worship of classical Hellenic Gods, rejecting Christianity. The video script mentions him as a notable figure in the history of Greek paganism, emphasizing his role in the intellectual resistance to Christianization.

Highlights

Christianity's introduction to the Roman Empire caused a significant upheaval in social, economic, and political life.

Greece's Christianization began with Apostle Paul's missionary journeys, forming the first Christian communities in Europe around 49 AD.

The Edict of Milan in 313 and Constantine’s conversion were pivotal in boosting Christianity's popularity and leading to mass conversions.

Christianity faced resistance in Greece due to economic, philosophical, and lack of missionary presence.

Monks played a crucial role as the frontline soldiers of Christ, converting local populations despite dangers.

Pagan practices in some areas of Greece persisted into the Middle Ages, showing the tenacity of the Old Religion.

The Neoplatonic Academy of Athens, an intellectual center propagating pagan beliefs, was shut down.

Despite the growth of Christianity, Athens remained largely pagan due to religious festivals and the influence of Neoplatonic philosophers.

The Eleusinian mysteries were a popular pagan festival that attracted widespread participation, including famous individuals and philosophers.

Pagan renaissance under Emperor Julian was short-lived, and his reign was marked by a grim prophecy of paganism's decline.

The destruction of Eleusis by Alaric and his Goths in 396 marked a significant defeat for the Old Gods.

Ancient sites were repurposed for Christian use, with practices like inscribing crosses to purify materials of pagan spirits.

The Parthenon's conversion to a Christian basilica involved significant architectural changes to conform to Christian standards.

The Christian population's growth and pagans' dwindling numbers led to the conversion of numerous temples throughout Greece.

Pagan sacred sites faced destruction or transformation, with some temples repurposed as Christian churches.

Local pagan deities and rites underwent Christianization, with the replacement of gods by saints and the adoption of Christian terminology.

A small pagan community, the Maniots, survived into the Middle Ages, maintaining some pagan traditions.

Georgius Gemistus Pletho, a late Byzantine philosopher, advocated for a return to the worship of classical Hellenic Gods.

Transcripts

play00:05

As with every major religion, the  appearance of Christianity in the  

play00:09

Roman Empire led to an upheaval of an enormous  proportion and changed the social, economic,  

play00:15

and political life of the empire forever. However,  this change started out slowly and started growing  

play00:21

only after a certain number of Greeks converted  from their ancient beliefs to the new religion.  

play00:27

But how was Greece Christianized? Our  video will try to answer this question.

play00:32

In those days the stars in the sky  held great divine significance,  

play00:36

and even today they’re a special sight to  behold. That’s why the sponsor of this video  

play00:41

Under Lucky Stars, provides beautiful  star maps from a chosen time and place,  

play00:45

to commemorate an important point in your life.  It features all of the stars and constellations  

play00:50

that were above you at your chosen moment on  a high-quality print map. These make excellent  

play00:56

personalised gifts, with your choice of fifteen  designs, custom message and title, and size,  

play01:01

on museum-quality art paper, plus one of  six frames. They’re durable too, designed to  

play01:07

last for generations. NASA Astrophysicists have  verified the accuracy of their mapping methods,  

play01:13

and Under Lucky Stars support the International  Dark Sky Association, committed to protecting our  

play01:19

view of the cosmos from light pollution and space  debris. Surprise a loved one, or celebrate one of  

play01:25

your special moments, with Under Lucky Stars.  Plus, we can offer an exclusive discount. Go to  

play01:30

underluckystars dot com slash kings and generals,  and use our code kingsandgenerals to get 10% off.

play01:39

The history of Christianity in Greece  begins with Apostle Paul who around 49 AD  

play01:45

traveled to Philippi, Thessaloniki, and  Veria, preached the Gospel of Christ,  

play01:49

and formed the first small Christian communities  in Europe. On his second journey he preached at  

play01:55

Athens, where according to church tradition he  converted a member of the Athenian Areopagus,  

play02:01

the judicial council, named Dionysius, who after  his conversion became the first bishop of Athens.  

play02:08

The formation of these early Christian communities  however didn’t mean that the entire population  

play02:13

became Christian overnight. Christianization would  be a long process that would last centuries and  

play02:20

oftentimes it took more than preaching to convince  the followers of the Old Gods to abandon them. 

play02:26

The Edict of Milan in 313 that granted religious  freedom and Constantine’s conversion were  

play02:32

monumental events that boosted Christianity’s  popularity and led to many mass conversions,  

play02:38

though the new religion was already popular in  the previous centuries, mainly at urban centers  

play02:44

and had remarkable growth rates even at times of  persecutions. But contrary to what some Christian  

play02:50

sources claim their victory wasn’t complete in  the 4th century and paganism, especially in the  

play02:56

area of Greece, showed some tenacity and signs  of life during the 4th, 5th and 6th centuries.  

play03:02

In some extreme cases, pagan practices remained  in some areas well into the Middle Ages. 

play03:08

Christianity’s progress in Greece  was inhibited by a number of factors.  

play03:13

Greece was an economic backwater and held a  secondary position to the Empire’s economic  

play03:19

and political life compared to the Eastern  provinces. There was thus less incentive  

play03:24

from central authorities to dispatch numerous  missionaries to convert the local populace.  

play03:29

The many and strong academies and philosophical  schools were also a prohibiting factor as they  

play03:35

cultivated pagan beliefs and finally the lack of  monasteries until the 8th century with the notable  

play03:42

exception the area around Thessaloniki, which not  coincidentally had a larger Christian following.  

play03:49

The monks might not have been able to convert the  people with a simple wololo, but they were pious  

play03:54

and exceptionally zealous and thus constituted  the perfect frontline soldiers of Christ,  

play04:00

traveling to villages and bearing many dangers to  preach the Gospel and convert the local population  

play04:06

and their effectiveness could be seen in the way  and speed with which they converted western Asia  

play04:11

Minor though it should be noted that rural pagan  populations existed there even at the time of  

play04:17

Justinian I. It seems that paganism still exerted  some influence in his time if we are to believe  

play04:24

the magnitude and harshness by which contemporary  sources like John Malalas and John of Ephesus  

play04:29

describe Justinian’s pagan persecutions. However,  these accounts should be taken with a grain of  

play04:35

salt as they tend to exaggerate events either  for personal gain or to depict Justinian in a  

play04:41

darker tone; for example John of Ephesus claims  that he converted around 70 to 80 thousand pagans  

play04:48

in Asia Minor alone. Most notable act especially  concerning our focus on the region of Greece was  

play04:55

the shutting of the Neoplatonic Academy of Athens,  an important intellectual center of the time that  

play05:01

through its teaching propagated pagan beliefs. Athens might have been one of the first cities  

play05:07

with a Christian community but by the 4th  century it remained pagan to a large degree  

play05:13

thanks to the great religious festivals like  the Panathenaia and the Eleusinian mysteries and  

play05:18

because it was the beating heart of Ancient Greek  paideia housing many Neoplatonic philosophers. 

play05:25

For the festivities dedicated to the patron  goddess of the city, Athena, the Panathenaia,  

play05:30

we know they took place well into the 4th  century, from the orator Himerius who in 362  

play05:36

served as personal secretary to Emperor Julian  the Apostate. Himerius declares how nice it was  

play05:43

to see the festival and to talk about it with  the Hellenes and also gives a description of  

play05:47

the procession but he isn’t the only source. An  inscription from the late 4th or early 5th century  

play05:54

informs us that a sophist, possibly Plutarch of  Athens, a Neoplatonic philosopher who was the  

play06:00

leader of the Platonic Academy, paid three  times for the sacred ship of the goddess.  

play06:05

A major difference between the ancient Panathenaia  and those held in the 4th century would have been  

play06:11

the lack of animal sacrifice as it was banned by  Constantine the Great first and later Theodosius  

play06:17

I reiterated this law. The ban on public  sacrifices at least in the time of Theodosius  

play06:24

aimed more to suppress public ceremonial.  Private sacrifices seemed to be above the law  

play06:29

and continued to take place especially in cities  like Athens that had a large pagan following,  

play06:35

though eventually, legislation became stricter. More popular than the Panathenaia seemed to be the  

play06:42

Eleusinian mysteries that attracted visitors not  only from Athens but from all of Greece. In fact,  

play06:48

they were so popular that the Christian  Bishop Asterius of Amasea in his Encomium  

play06:53

on All the Martyrs complains that the entirety  of Athens and Greece gathers to celebrate them.  

play06:59

Among the big crowd were famous individuals and  especially Neoplatonic philosophers who supported  

play07:05

mystic cults. Even Emperor Julian had become an  initiate of the mysteries and had performed secret  

play07:12

rites with the Eleusinian Hierophant. The pagan  renaissance under Julian’s reign wouldn’t last  

play07:17

long however, and this fact seems to have  been known to people with religious authority.  

play07:23

We are informed from the works of the philosopher  and historian Eunapius that he himself had asked  

play07:29

the Hierophant about the future of Eleusis and  paganism in general to which the man replied  

play07:34

with a grim prophecy. He stated that he was the  last legitimate Hierophant, his successor would  

play07:40

not be an Athenian of the family of Eumolpidae but  a Thespian who was a priest of Mithras and had no  

play07:47

right to touch the high priest’s throne. He also  foretold that during this fake Hierophant's time  

play07:53

the temples would be raised to the ground and  religious tradition would no longer be observed.  

play07:59

If such a prophecy truly occurred it is  probable that the Eumolpidaed Hierophant  

play08:04

who likely was Nestorius, one of Julian’s  councilors, had in mind that it would be  

play08:09

the local Christians that would bring the  downfall of the temples and the Old Religion.  

play08:15

In fact, it would be Alaric and his  Goths that would destroy Eleusis in 396.  

play08:20

But where the Old Gods died the  New God would come into place.  

play08:25

The Christians completely demolished the ancient  site and reused stones and sculptures for the  

play08:30

construction of new buildings including a small  church dedicated to St. Zachariah. A standard  

play08:37

practice that was followed when repurposing pagan  materials was the inscription of crosses, Chi-Ros,  

play08:43

and other Christian symbols so as to purify them  out of the demonic pagan spirits that once lived  

play08:49

in them. Naturally, this practice couldn’t  be exempt from the Christian site at Eleusis. 

play08:55

A more well-known repurposement of an  ancient temple to a Christian basilica  

play09:00

was that of the temple of Athena, the Parthenon.  We are not sure for the exact date the temple was  

play09:05

converted to a church but surviving pieces of the  early basilica are dated to the 5th and early 6th  

play09:12

centuries. We know however that it was still in  use in 432 by the writings of Marinus who recorded  

play09:19

that his teacher Proclus, after arriving in Athens  from Alexandria he immediately went to the temple  

play09:25

only to find the doorkeeper closing it. Three  years later Emperor Theodosius II ordered the  

play09:31

closure of the temple for good when he decreed  that all pagan temples on the Eastern part of the  

play09:37

Empire should be closed. It is very likely however  that the closure of the Parthenon was postponed  

play09:43

and not put into practice until much later,  with possible dates being the years 481 to 484  

play09:50

during the reign of Emperor Zeno who too  ordered the closure of the remaining temples. 

play09:56

When the Parthenon passed into Christian hands it  had of course to conform to Christian architecture  

play10:02

and was remodeled accordingly. Like all  Christian churches it had to face the  

play10:07

east so it was reorientated and the entrance was  placed on the building’s west side. The Christian  

play10:13

altar and iconostasis were put next to an apse  where the earlier pronaos was once located.  

play10:19

Walls were erected between the columns of the  opisthodomos and the peristyle. The treasury of  

play10:24

the Parthenon became the narthex of the church and  a gynaikonitis was created with a wooden floor.  

play10:31

Icons were painted on the walls and Christian  inscriptions were carved on the temple’s columns.  

play10:36

It doesn’t take a lot to imagine that some of  the sculptures were damaged since they depicted  

play10:41

pagan scenes, but surprisingly some survived  and were maintained as part of the new church.  

play10:47

Those included the east and west pediments that  depicted the famous contest between Athena and  

play10:53

Poseidon over the city and the goddess’ birth as  well as a large portion of the Panathenaic frieze. 

play11:00

The same fate had numerous temples throughout  Athens and generally Greece as the number of the  

play11:06

Christian population kept on rising and that of  the pagans kept on dwindling. Erechtheion which  

play11:12

is also on the rock of the Acropolis was also  converted to a three-aisled basilica sometime in  

play11:18

the late 6th or 7th century though it had probably  been abandoned much more earlier than that.  

play11:23

Other examples include the Temple of Hephaestus  also known as Theseion, the Asklepieion,  

play11:29

and the Heraion of Samos. Conversion of their sacred sites  

play11:33

certainly wasn’t a pleasant view for the remaining  pagans of the time. The alternative though was a  

play11:39

far more cruel fate, the total destruction of  the temples. Whether it was barbarian invasions,  

play11:46

natural causes such as fires and earthquakes or  Christian mobs, by the end of the 5th century many  

play11:52

of the great pagan centers like Delphi, Olympia,  Dodone, Nemea, and Epidaurus had been destroyed.  

play11:59

Plenty of statues had the same end. Some of  them were left in place after their destruction  

play12:04

but a great number of them were thrown in rivers,  wells, and drains or placed faced down to ridicule  

play12:10

them and the “demons” they represented. Some of  the “luckiest” statues were repurposed to be used  

play12:17

in churches after of course the spirits that once  lived in them were exorcized with the inscriptions  

play12:22

of crosses on them. And where temples were and  statues were demolished basilicas and crosses  

play12:28

would be erected to mark Christian victory.  Usually, the church was near the pagan site as  

play12:34

the site itself was still considered unclean but  there are examples of basilicas built directly on  

play12:40

top of the ruins or of temples remaining intact  and repurposed as Christian churches. It wasn’t  

play12:47

just the sacred sites that were transformed.  Local Gods and rites underwent Christianization.  

play12:53

Chthonic deities and guardian spirits were  replaced by saints, angels, and martyrs. The  

play13:00

continuation of cults albeit under Christian  terminology and the usage of familiar titles  

play13:06

was a tactic that eased the transfer of religious  allegiance as it presented a familiar image to the  

play13:11

convert. Additionally, and though not all emperors  were so keen to persecute the pagans the generally  

play13:18

increasingly harsher policy of the Eastern Empire  towards them as well as the social pressure the  

play13:23

Christian population exerted as it constituted  the majority forced many pagans to abandon the  

play13:29

old traditions and adopt the Christian God. Incredibly enough a small community of pagans  

play13:36

survived well until the Middle Ages. These were  the Maniots or Maniates, the inhabitants of the  

play13:42

Mani peninsula in western Laconia and eastern  Messenia. From De administrando Imperio of the  

play13:48

Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus we read: “Be it known that the inhabitants of Castle Maina  

play13:55

are not from the race of aforesaid Slavs  (Melingoi and Ezeritai dwelling on the Taygetus)  

play14:01

but from the older Romaioi, who up to the present  time are termed Hellenes by the local inhabitants  

play14:07

on account of their being in olden times  idolaters and worshippers of idols like the  

play14:12

ancient Greeks, and who were baptized and became  Christians in the reign of the glorious Basil.” 

play14:18

It seems though that the Maniots didn’t  fully embrace the new religion at that time  

play14:23

as a century after Basil’s reign we  have the account of a Byzantine monk  

play14:27

named Nikon the Metanoeite. From his hagiographic  life, we learn that he toured the Peloponnese,  

play14:34

visiting many villages, building a plethora of  churches, and leading multitudes to conversion. 

play14:40

Another account is that of a Georgian monk  in Mount Athos called George the Hagiorite  

play14:45

who lived in the 11th century. According to  his Athonite biography, one day he passed  

play14:51

through the remote village of Livadia that  was within the perimeter of the Holy Mountain.  

play14:56

There he found that the inhabitants who were  Bulgars worshiped an old effigy made out of  

play15:01

marble and depicting a woman. The statue was quite  probably from Late Antiquity and the Bulgars who  

play15:08

had escaped the Christianization efforts of the  Empire had found and appropriated its usage but  

play15:14

that didn’t stop the monk from smashing it  and putting an end to the pagan cult there. 

play15:20

The Maniots were the last pagan community in the  region of Greece however the title of the last  

play15:25

Hellene belongs to Georgius Gemistus Pletho one  of the most prominent philosophers of the late  

play15:31

Byzantine era. In his work Nomoi he rejects  Christianity and supports a return to the  

play15:37

worship of the classical Hellenic Gods. This was  however nothing more than the wishful thinking of  

play15:42

an old man as by that time the Old Gods were  but a distant memory even for the Maniates. 

play15:50

More videos on the history of Greece  and various religions are on the way,  

play15:54

so make sure you are subscribed and  have pressed the bell button to see it.  

play15:58

Please, consider liking, commenting, and sharing -  it helps immensely. Our videos would be impossible  

play16:03

without our kind patrons and youtube channel  members, whose ranks you can join via the links  

play16:08

in the description to know our schedule, get  early access to our videos, access our discord,  

play16:13

and much more. This is the Kings and Generals  channel, and we will catch you on the next one.

Rate This

5.0 / 5 (0 votes)

Ähnliche Tags
ChristianityGreeceReligionHistoryRoman EmpireApostle PaulConstantineEdict of MilanPagan PracticesNeoplatonic AcademyEleusinian Mysteries
Benötigen Sie eine Zusammenfassung auf Englisch?