Mary B. Cunningham | University of Nottingham (original) (raw)

Books by Mary B. Cunningham

Translated Texts for Byzantinists 13, 2024

This book contains an introduction, translations, and commentaries for two early ninth-century Li... more This book contains an introduction, translations, and commentaries for two early ninth-century Lives of the Virgin Mary and of St Andrew the Apostle. The revised edition (2024) of this publication is now available from Liverpool University Press.

The Virgin Mary assumed a position of central importance in Byzantium. This book examines her por... more The Virgin Mary assumed a position of central importance in Byzantium. This book examines her portrayal in liturgical texts during the first six centuries of Byzantine history. Focusing on three main literary genres that celebrated this holy figure, it highlights the ways in which writers adapted their messages for different audiences. Mary is portrayed variously as defender of the imperial city, Constantinople, virginal Mother of God, and ascetic disciple of Christ. Preachers, hymnographers, and hagiographers used rhetoric to enhance Mary's powerful status in Eastern Christian society, depicting her as virgin and mother, warrior and ascetic, human and all-holy figure. Their paradoxical statements were based on the fundamental mystery that Mary embodied: she was the mother of Christ, the Word of God, who provided him with the human nature that he assumed in his incarnation. Dr Cunningham's authoritative study makes a major contribution to the history of Christianity.

Brill, 2020

These papers explore the literature of Byzantine liturgical communities and provide a window into... more These papers explore the literature of Byzantine liturgical communities and provide a window into lived Christianity in this period. The liturgical performance of Christian hymns and sermons creatively engaged the faithful in biblical exegesis, invited them to experience theology in song, and shaped their identity. These sacred stories, affective scripts and salvific songs were the literature of a liturgical community – hymns and sermons were heard, and in some cases sung, by lay and monastic Christians throughout the life of Byzantium. In the field of Byzantine studies there is a growing appreciation of the importance of liturgical texts for understanding the many facets of Byzantine Christianity: we are in the midst of a liturgical turn. This book is a timely contribution to the emerging scholarship, illuminating the intersection between liturgical hymns, homiletics and hermeneutics.

This book explores how the Virgin Mary's life is told in hymns, sermons, icons, art, and other me... more This book explores how the Virgin Mary's life is told in hymns, sermons, icons, art, and other media in the Byzantine Empire before AD 1204. A group of international specialists examines material and textual evidence from both Byzantine and Muslim-ruled territories that was intended for a variety of settings and audiences and seeks to explain why Byzantine artisans and writers chose to tell stories about Mary, the Mother of God, in such different ways. Sometimes the variation reflected the theological or narrative purposes of story-tellers; sometimes it expressed their personal spiritual preoccupations. Above all, the variety of aspects that this holy figure assumed in Byzantium reveals her paradoxical theological position as meeting-place and mediator between the divine and created realms. Narrative, whether 'historical', theological, or purely literary, thus played a fundamental role in the development of the Marian cult from Late Antiquity onward.

A short introduction to Patristic, Byzantine, and modern ideas about Mary, the Mother of God, in ... more A short introduction to Patristic, Byzantine, and modern ideas about Mary, the Mother of God, in Orthodox tradition.

Ed. (with F. Kondyli, V. Andriopoulou, and E. Panou), Sylvester Syropoulos on Politics and Culture in the Fifteenth-Century Mediterranean (Farnham and Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2014), 2014

One of the interesting aspects of Sylvester Syropoulos's account of the Greek delegation's experi... more One of the interesting aspects of Sylvester Syropoulos's account of the Greek delegation's experiences at the Council of Ferrara-Florence in 1438-39, 1 which has intrigued students at every reading seminar that I have taught on this subject in recent years, 2 is his personal, if unobtrusive, presence in every page of the Memoirs. Syropoulos does not portray himself as a central protagonist in this account-in fact, quite the contrary, since he is keen to demonstrate that he played no part in helping to bring about the ecclesiastical union that he now deplores; nevertheless, the reader is constantly aware of this acerbic figure's interpretation of events, which is expressed by means of vivid narrative, dialogue and humorous depictions of the bishops or legates who contributed to this major encounter between the Eastern and Western Churches. 3 Historians, including especially Joseph Gill, have attempted to assess the reliability 1 Sylvester Syropoulos's Memoirs were first published in 1660 by Robert Creighton, under the title Vera historia unionis non verae (The Hague). This edition has since been superseded by Vitalien Laurent's critical version, published in Les 'Mémoires' du Grand Ecclésiarque de l'Église de Constantinople. Sylvestre Syropoulos sur le concile de Florence (1438-1439) (Paris, 1971). 2 Reading seminars in which we translated Sylvester Syropoulos's Memoirs took place at King's College London, 1994-95, and at the University of Birmingham, 2007-08. Two postgraduate students who subsequently received their doctorates in Byzantine Studies from the University of Birmingham, Vera Andriopoulou and Fotini Kondyli, produced a website on the basis of work done in the seminar, which can still be accessed at www.syropoulos.co.uk. They were also instrumental in convening the conference on which this volume of proceedings is based. 3 The Council of Ferrara-Florence has been treated in various recent studies of the schism between the Eastern and

Popular Patristics Series Number e Popular Patristics Series published by St Vladimir's Seminary ... more Popular Patristics Series Number e Popular Patristics Series published by St Vladimir's Seminary Press provides readable and accurate translations of a wide range of early Christian literature to a wide audience-students of Christian history to lay Christians reading for spiritual bene t. Recognized scholars in their elds provide short but comprehensive and clear introductions to the material. e texts include classics of Christian literature, thematic volumes, collections of homilies, letters on spiritual counsel, and poetical works from a variety of geographical contexts and historical backgrounds. e mission of the series is to mine the riches of the early Church and to make these treasures available to all.

Papers by Mary B. Cunningham

Cambridge University Press eBooks, Aug 5, 2019

This book explores how the Virgin Mary's life is told in hymns, sermons, icons, art, and othe... more This book explores how the Virgin Mary's life is told in hymns, sermons, icons, art, and other media in the Byzantine Empire before AD 1204. A group of international specialists examines material a ...

This paper provides literary and theological analysis of a Byzantine Greek homily on the subject ... more This paper provides literary and theological analysis of a Byzantine Greek homily on the subject of death, by the famous eighth-century preacher and hymnographer, Andrew of Crete. The homily was probably intended for the last Saturday before the beginning of Lent (τῆς ἀποκρέω). It is penitential, but also philosophical, in its message to contemporary audiences.

The Oxford Handbook of Christmas, ed. Timothy Larsen (Oxford: Oxford University Press), 2020

This chapter presents an overview of the Byzantine reception of patristic methods of biblical exe... more This chapter presents an overview of the Byzantine reception of patristic methods of biblical exegesis, focusing on the period between approximately the sixth and the fourteenth centuries. Byzantine exegetes accepted the threefold method of interpretation, as defined by Origen, but were flexible with regard to how Scripture should be read in particular liturgical or didactic settings. The chapter explores four separate contexts of Byzantine biblical exegesis, including 1) liturgical celebration; 2) commentaries and theological treatises; 3) lay piety; and 4) monastic life, asking whether these demanded different hermeneutical approaches. Above all, the chapter demonstrates that patristic influence remained strong throughout the Byzantine period, with medieval exegetes regarding the Fathers as authoritative in their interpretation of the Old and New Testaments for contemporary Christian audiences.

Keywords: Byzantine reception; biblical exegesis; three senses of Scripture; liturgy; festal celebration; homiletics; hymnography; typology; iconography.

Translated Texts for Byzantinists 13, 2024

Brill, 2020

Ed. (with F. Kondyli, V. Andriopoulou, and E. Panou), Sylvester Syropoulos on Politics and Culture in the Fifteenth-Century Mediterranean (Farnham and Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2014), 2014

Cambridge University Press eBooks, Aug 5, 2019

The Oxford Handbook of Christmas, ed. Timothy Larsen (Oxford: Oxford University Press), 2020

Keywords: Byzantine reception; biblical exegesis; three senses of Scripture; liturgy; festal celebration; homiletics; hymnography; typology; iconography.

This conference attracted a large number of people not only from Orthodox but also other Christia... more This conference attracted a large number of people not only from Orthodox but also other Christian Churches and denominations. The atmosphere was enthusiastic and friendly, inspired not only by a number of stimulating papers but also by lively discussion. Metropolitan Anthony, whose hundredth birthday represented the occasion for remembrance and celebration, remained throughout the conference at the heart of the discussion. In addition to the talks, we were able to watch three films about him, some of which were aired for the first time since the time of their first broadcasts.

Eat, Drink, and Be Merry (Luke 12:19). Food and Wine in Byzantium, in Honour of Professor A.A.M. Bryer, edited by L. Brubaker and K. Linardou, 2007

The Dumbarton Oaks Papers were founded in 1941 for the publication of articles relating to late a... more The Dumbarton Oaks Papers were founded in 1941 for the publication of articles relating to late antique, early medieval, and Byzantine civilization in the fields of art and architecture, history, archaeology, literature, theology, law, and the auxiliary disciplines. Articles should be submitted normally in English or French. Preference is given to articles of substantial length, but shorter notes will be considered if they relate to objects in the Dumbarton Oaks collections. Articles for submission should be prepared according to the submission guide, style guide, and list of abbreviations posted on the Dumbarton Oaks website, www.doaks.org/publications. Dumbarton Oaks Papers is published annually. Current and previous issues may be ordered online at http://www.hup.harvard.edu/. Standing orders may be placed by contacting customer service at 800-405-1619 or customer.care@triliteral.org. Volumes 1-59 of Dumbarton Oaks Papers are available in digital form through JSTOR; volumes 53-57 are also available at no charge through the Dumbarton Oaks website at

Harvard Ukrainian Studies , 1983

Lecture for the Pappas Patristic Institute, Brookline, Boston on April 21st 2023

This workshop, to be held in three sessions, will explore the reception and reshaping of patristi... more This workshop, to be held in three sessions, will explore the reception and reshaping of patristic themes concerning the Virgin Mary in the Byzantine theological and liturgical tradition between the sixth and tenth centuries. Following official recognition of Mary’s important role as ‘Theotokos’ (‘God-bearer’) at the council of Ephesus (431), liturgical and popular devotion to the Virgin developed rapidly from the late fifth century onward. The first session of the workshop will deal with hymnography between the sixth and ninth centuries, starting with the imaginative contribution and enduring influence of Romanos the Melodist. The second session will examine the homilies associated with the Marian feasts that were being introduced into the liturgical calendar between the sixth and eighth centuries. In the third and final session, our attention will turn to a corpus of largely unstudied hagiographical texts that were composed in honour of the Virgin Mary in the ninth and tenth centuries. The narrative strategies, biblical exegesis, and theological preoccupations of these Lives differ in significant ways from conventional liturgical treatment of the Virgin; however, these texts also reveal influence from earlier apocryphal, patristic, and historical sources to a degree not evident in the liturgical material. The development of doctrine and devotion concerning the Virgin Mary in the Late Antique period has been heavily studied in recent years, sometimes creating the impression that later contributors had little to offer, short of repeating traditional formulas. It is the aim of this workshop to prove that Byzantine writers, working creatively within a variety of literary and liturgical genres, continued from the sixth century onward to develop new theological insights, literary techniques, and spiritual reflection on Mary, the Mother of God.

My paper:
Mary as «scala caelestis» in Eighth and Ninth Century Italy

The ‘crypt’ of the abbot Epiphanius (824-42) in the monastery of San Vincenzo al Volturno (Isernia, central Italy), in the former Langobardia Minor, displays what is usually recognized as the most important painted cycle in the early medieval southern Italy. The present paper concentrates on an image of the Virgin depicted in the vault of the apse. She sits on a throne, holding a book where is written «beatam me dicent,» a quotation from the Magnificat hymn (Luke 1,46-55) – the words with which Mary, after the Annunciation, addressed her cousin Elizabeth. The throne, the crown, and five archangels paraded in the lower section of the vault as celestial guardians, make her appear as the Queen of Heaven ruling with her Son, who is depicted on a throne above her in the vault. The painted cycle of the crypt has been analysed by generations of art historians, among whom Pietro Toesca (1904) was the first to trace a connection between its contents and the writings of the Gaulish author Ambrosius Autpertus († 784), a monk, briefly abbot, and a renowned theologian active at San Vincenzo al Volturno in the second half of the eighth century. Toesca explained the scene of the Virgin in the vault with a passage of Autpertus’ Sermo de adsumptione sanctae Mariae, where Mary, after her transitus is presented as «super angelos elevatam cum Christo regnare», as «reginam caelorum» with Him as «regem … angelorum». Autpertus quotes the Magnificat in the same context, celebrating the humility of Mary that made her the «scala caelestis,» i.e. the ladder to Heaven from which God descended to Earth – thus adopting a new metaphor for describing her role in the history of Salvation. In the West, before Autpertus, the word scala is to be found indeed in a great number of western Church Fathers. But in Ambrose, in his contemporary Zeno of Verona and in Jerome, ladder appears with reference to the Cross; in Jerome and Zeno with reference to the concordance of the two Testaments; in Augustine, Jerome, Cassiodorus, Caesarius of Arles, Isidore and Bede with reference to Jacob’s ladder. As for Bede, in another passage, when recalling the teaching of Benedict of Nursia, he says that the rungs in Jacob’s ladder are made of humility, since humility is the way to spiritual perfection in the monastic mentality. Benedict of Nursia had in fact written in his monastic Rule that the ladder represents our terrestrial life, and only by having a humble heart can the ladder be raised by God to Heaven. It appears then that the early Western monastic interpretation of Jacob’s ladder as a ‘ladder of humility’ that represents the difficult ascent to God, in the doctrinal landscape of Autpertus overlapped with the Byzantine metaphor of Mary as ‘ladder to Heaven,’ a metaphor widespread by the Akathistos and by the early eighth-c. Byzantine homiletic production. But historians of theology has not investigated the origins of Autpertus’ phraseology, notwithstanding the fact his above-mentioned homily is the earliest extant original homily in Latin for the feast of the Dormitio celebrated on the 15th of August.
In the array of epithets and metaphors developed by the eastern tradition on Mary, she is called «joy of all generations» in the famous hymn Akathistos (IX, 17), which was known and sung also in the West by Greek-speaking communities. The main iconophile writers of the early eighth century connected the Magnificat to the moment of the transitus in their homilies on the Dormitio. Among them, Andrew of Crete declared the Magnificat as the most suitable praise for Mary. John of Damascus observed that Mary truly predicted that she would be called blessed by all generations, not from the moment of her death but from the moment of the conception of Christ, and that death has not made her blessed, but she has made death glorious, destroying its horror and showing death to be a joy. Germanos of Constantinople asked the Virgin to guide the steps of his mind with her ready hand on the ladder to Heaven, she who rightly said that all generations of men and women would call her blessed. Although the modalities of transmission of early iconophile homilies to the West have not been investigated, it remains the case that Autpertus adopts the same phrasing, metaphors, epithets to describe Mary, her Assumption into Heaven, her role in the history of Salvation. These homilies need to be seen as the missing link between Eastern Mariology and Autpertus, who is generally acknowledged as the first Western medieval Mariologist. This paper is aimed at illustrating how the literary image of Mary taken up to Heaven developed by early iconophile authors in the East has been received a few decades later in the West by Autpertus, and how this literary image was eventually translated in visual imagery in Autpertus’ monastery in the years 824-42, pre-dating the earliest examples of the image of the Dormitio/Koimesis in which Mary is shown on her death bed surrounded by the Apostles. This will be accomplished not through a mechanical comparison of the painted image to earlier theological writings, but by trying to reconstruct the modalities of circulation of theological concepts between East and West in the period of the ‘image struggle’, their influence on the religious mentality, and their ‘translation’ into visual imagery.

Workshop Female Moral–Doctrinal Authority in the Middle Ages UniSa on Teams 14 May 2021 h 10.0... more Workshop

Female Moral–Doctrinal Authority in the Middle Ages

UniSa on Teams
14 May 2021
h 10.00–16.00 Central European Standard Time

H 10.00 Introduction: Francesca Dell’Acqua, UniSa, fdellacqua@unisa.it

H 10.15 Keynote lecture (20 min): Ανδρεία Θεοτόκος: The Virgin of Valour in the work of George of Nicomedia; Speaker: Niki Tsironis, Institute for Historical Research–National Hellenic Research Foundation, niki.tsironi@gmail.com

Morning Session (20 min each paper; 5 min q&a)
Chair: Mary B. Cunningham

H 10.45 The Auctoritas of Spinners: Mary, Eve, and the Female Leader; Speaker: Emily Shartrand, University of Delaware, English Language Institute, eshartra@udel.edu
H 11.15 Authorizing Grief: Marian Laments and Gendered Mourning in the Later Middle Ages; Speaker: Vanessa R. Corcoran, Georgetown University, vc475@georgetown.edu
H 11.45 Mary as Preacher and Priest in the sermons of Archbishop Jenštejn and contemporary works of art (1378–96); Speaker: Juliette Calvarin, jcalvarin@g.harvard.edu or juliette.calvarin@gmail.com

Presentation of ongoing research (10 mins each; 5 min q&a)
H 12.15 The Virgin on the Sarcophagus of Zaragoza: Uniqueness and… Auctoritas? Speaker: Francesca Carota, MA student, UniSa; f.carota@studenti.unisa.it
H 12. 30 The Importance of Being Bisantia: Names and Authority in Medieval Salerno; Speaker: Jessica Varsallona, PhD University of Birmingham/VASARI project, UniSa, jessica.varsallona@gmail.com

Afternoon Session (20 min each paper; 5 min q&a)
Chair: Francesca Dell’Acqua

H 14.30 The Authority of Mary Magdalene in the Basilica di San Francesco at Assisi; Speaker: Nieve Cassidy, MA student, University College London, nieveanne@outlook.com
H 15.00 Female Authority in Late Byzantine Mystras: Isabelle de Lusignan Basilissa of Morea; Speaker: Andrea Mattiello, Christies’ Education, andrea.mattiello@icloud.com

Presentation of ongoing research (10 mins each; 5 min q&a) d
H 15.30 Mothers, Saints, Queens and the Virgin Mary. The Shaping of Ottonian Queenship; Speaker: Miriam Sorrentino, MA student, UniSa, m.sorrentino102@studenti.unisa.it
H 15.45 The Depiction of Eve’s Motherhood in the Ninth-Century Touronian Bibles; Speaker: Cynthia Bailon, MA student, UniSa, c.bailonabad@studenti.unisa.it

Conclusions