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The Essence Of The Image Of The Fool In The Context Of The Orthodox Teachings In Eastern Europe, Olga Polumysna, Valeriy Bulatov

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article explores aspects of the image of the holy fool in the context of Orthodox teaching in Eastern Europe. The phenomenon of people who are called holy fools in the thinking and teaching of the Orthodox religious tradition is a controversial issue and still causes conflicting opinions, because the actions of people called holy fools are difficult to understand both for simple observers and for Orthodox researchers. The contrast of opinions in the formation of the holy fool's gestalt is of particular interest to this study. Is the life of holy fools directly connected with sacred life and Orthodox …