Depictions of holy women as preachers in vita icons

Abstract

Despite the general prohibition of the Church on women preaching, the Church uses, as examples for imitation, vita icons depicting holy women (Saints Mary Magdalene, Catherine, and Marina) publicly teaching. At the same time, the hagiological texts praising these saints describe them with ambiguity, as all praise for their actions is described in terms of “male virtues”. We have tried to interpret these controversial scenes of the icons, but as the only possible interpretation we consider the centuries-long inability to understand the female nature.

Keywords

• byzantine art
• post-byzantine art
• western medieval art
• vita icons
• hagiography
• holy women
• female gender theology