Eleventh International Conference on Religion & Spirituality in Society

Abstract

Late imperial sources relate sanctuary to accession to political power: imperial legislation targets churches in the same manner that it initially targeted pagan sanctuaries. The Theodosian Code is a historical evidence for the origins of a Christian sanctuary practice. The Roman Empire began promulgating legislation regulating sanctuary protections at the end of the IVth century. The frequency with which the law designates those who put themselves under the protection of powerful persons indicated that the protections offered by the powerful were commonplace. The role of Chrysostom in Eutropius’ sanctuary claim is preserved in two homilies. Chrysostom presents the protection of church for Eutropius as a demonstration of its merciful strength. He did not consider imperial law to guide his actions, but simply performed his episcopal duties and took the opportunity to display the power of the church and its bishops. Sanctuary provided opportunity for the hearers to consider the fleeting glory of life and for the church to demonstrate that it was strong enough to protect even its most unpopular enemies against the army. By opening sanctuaries to intercession and penance, early Christianity expressed a form of protection that was grounded in the theology rather than the interests of imperial governance. The patristic texts by Chrysostom and other authors about sanctuary and punishment might suggest a significant rift between the sensibilities of early Christianity and the Roman Empire. The image of sanctuary-granting emperor in the Roman Empire was transferred to the Christian imaginary.