Imperial saint
Book Description
In Imperial Saint, historian Gary Marker unveils a fascinating exploration of how spiritual devotion and political power intertwined in Russian history through the veneration of St. Catherine of Alexandria. This scholarly work traces an extraordinary journey from medieval Kievan times through the eighteenth century, revealing how one saint's cult evolved to support an entirely new form of divine leadership.
Marker presents two compelling narratives that ultimately converge. The first examines St. Catherine's unique place within Russian Orthodox spirituality, showing how her veneration developed distinct characteristics that set it apart from Western Christian traditions. Rather than emphasizing personal intercession, Russian devotion celebrated the saint's regal and masculine qualities, transforming her into a powerful patron of ruling women.
The second narrative focuses on Catherine I, Peter the Great's second wife, who became Russia's first crowned female ruler. Through meticulous research using rare service books, saints' lives, sermons, and personal correspondence, Marker demonstrates how Catherine I's identification with her name-day saint created a revolutionary template for female divine authority.
The book illuminates how public ceremonies, visual displays, and religious rituals gradually established Catherine I as the living embodiment of her patron saint. This spiritual connection provided the foundation for a distinctly feminine path to divinely sanctioned rulership that would influence subsequent empresses, including Elizabeth and Catherine the Great.
For readers interested in the intersection of spirituality, gender, and power, this study offers profound insights into how religious devotion can reshape political possibilities and challenge traditional authority structures.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Medium (200-400 pages) (~9 hours)
📄 Length: 307 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Christian women saints
- ✓ Explore Saints, cult
- ✓ Explore History
- ✓ Explore Catharina, saint, of alexandria
- ✓ Explore Queens
- ✓ Explore Christianity and politics
- ✓ Explore Christian women
- ✓ Explore Women, russia (federation)
