The essay examines the spread of new cults of saints as a response to crises in early modern Europe. Focussing on the figure of San Francesco di Paola, I investigate what factors fuelled the diffusion of his devotion in Mediterranean Europe. The saint offered effective protection to different kinds of crises (familial, health, political, religious, economic and environmental), which affected early modern individuals, groups and Catholic societies in various ways. The essay argues that the protection offered by this saint to a variety of long- and short-term crises determined his popularity and the adherence of his cult in specific contexts.
In Time(s) of Crisis: The Spreading of the Devotion to Saint Francis of Paola as a Response to Emergencies
Giulia Zanon
In corso di stampa
Abstract
The essay examines the spread of new cults of saints as a response to crises in early modern Europe. Focussing on the figure of San Francesco di Paola, I investigate what factors fuelled the diffusion of his devotion in Mediterranean Europe. The saint offered effective protection to different kinds of crises (familial, health, political, religious, economic and environmental), which affected early modern individuals, groups and Catholic societies in various ways. The essay argues that the protection offered by this saint to a variety of long- and short-term crises determined his popularity and the adherence of his cult in specific contexts.
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