Некоторые особенности Жития св. св. Кирика и Юлиты
Some Peculiarities of the Life of St. Cyrik and Yulita

Summary/Abstract: It is demonstrated in the article that the Life under review differs in some of its features from a number of similar works belonging to hagiographic literature. The main differences are to be found in the variety of the structural schemes and of the semantic levels as well as the marked reminiscences of mythological notions, folklore and antique theatre. Although the Life belongs to those “rejected” on account of their plot overburdened with miracles and because of the obvious presence of elements of dualism of a Manichaean-Bogomil origin, it was quite popular with the Eastern and Western Slavs. In the Life the concept of the so-called “paradoxical sacrifice” is used – a person utterly innocent, i. e. a youth, is victimised. It follows from this that one of its most important features is the principal character a three-year old boy the victim and simultaneously the main accuser of the pagan king. This indicates the basic direction of the Life the choosing of sacrifice and the way it is offered. Each of the two bears a symbolic significance and they are united into a general macrostructure of the oldest festive rites in honour of the change of the seasons of the year and the ceremonies accompanying them.

• Details
• Contents