Compostela and the Cult of Saint James in the Middle Ages
Publisher
:
Presses Universitaires de France
Parution date
:
2000
EAN
:
9782130510826
Description
St. James’s name can hardly be evoked without mention of Compostela, one of the most famous Christian places of pilgrimage in the Middle Ages. Upon returning from her own journey there in 1982, Denise Péricard-Méa began this historical study. Her findings were quite surprising, straying from traditional beliefs about the mythical place and its pilgrims. While the author does not contest the importance of Compostela in 12th-century legend, nor does she deny the mysticism it inspired, she does call into question the exaggerated accounts of immense crowds who flocked to its sanctuaries. She argues that it was not until the 16th century, after Counter Reformation and the disappearance of most of the local sanctuaries, that Compostela really made its mark as the unique place of veneration for St. James.
Author
Denise Péricard-Méa : Denise Péricard-Méa has a doctorate in history and teaches at the University of Paris-I.
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