Egeria (pilgrim)

Egeria (also Aetheria or Etheria called ) was a late ancient writer from Gaul who traveled to the Holy Land as a pilgrim 381-384 and also wrote a travelogue in the form of a letter to her sisters, called itinerary that of 1884 in the monastery library Arezzo was rediscovered in central Italy in a Codex Aretinus.

The home Egeria is not directly named as the beginning of the report is lost. So one has to rely on indirect references in the text and linguistic peculiarities. A Egeria award forming the letter originating from Galicia monk Valerius from the 7th century indicates that Egeria came from Spain. However, an origin from the south-western Gaul is preferred by more recent research. A reference to the river Rhône and various linguistic trains cover the close.

It is unclear whether Egeria has already received the baptism in the beginning of their journey. Your report pays special attention to the Taufrituale and preparing for baptism, catechesis. However, the most important elements of the arcane discipline they conceal, according to the customs of his Christianity. Due to the fact that it remains in Jerusalem three years, it is possible that she has there through their own catechumenate and was baptized. On the other hand reflects their report of a large knowledge of the biblical texts.

The social and religious state of the addressees of the Iterinariums is not known. Here is possible that at least part of the " sisters " - so called Egeria the recipients of the report - has not yet received the baptism. Your report differs in a crucial here point of other mostly written by monks late antique pilgrimage reports: Although she describes that she had been recorded and performed by monks, but not reported by the caused by this miracle or of the conversations they with has led them.

Egeria writes in simple, vulgar stained Late Latin without rhetorical accents. Greek phrases and place names they mostly translated into Latin.

Of importance is the report by the detailed descriptions of Old Jerusalem liturgy. Among other things, the liturgy of the festival of the birth of Jesus, the Presentation of the Lord, the customs of Lent, Holy Week and Easter are described. Egeria reported by the procession from Bethlehem to Jerusalem at the Nativity of Jesus Christ, of the procession from the Mount of Olives on Palm Sunday and of the vigil, which was held on the night of Holy Thursday in Gethsemane. She also writes about the veneration of the cross on Good Friday. The influence of returning pilgrims, among whom were bishops or influential clergy, soon led to the adoption of many of these liturgies in the churches of the West and the East.

Egeria's detailed account of the various Christian celebrations in the Holy Land is one of the oldest and most important descriptions of early Christian worship. In a broad description of Egeria describes the many available there churches, monasteries and holy sites from the 4th century. Many of these rites and customs are maintained by Palestinian Christians to this day.

Sources and Literature

Sources:

• Karl Vretska ( translator's ): letter in praise of the blessed memory Aetheria, directed by Valerius to his brothers, the monks of Vierzo. In: Hélène Pétré (ed. ): The pilgrimage of Aetheria ( Peregrinatio Aetheriae ). Bernina -Verlag, Klosterneuburg 1958, p 262-271 < / ref >
• Egeria: itinerary, travelogue. With excerpts from: Peter the Deacon, De Sanctis locis. The holy places. Latin - German. Übers and inlaid. v. George Röwekamp under al. v. Dietmar Thönnes. 2 verb. Ed Herder, Freiburg 2000.
• John Wilkinson: Egeria 's Travels. Aris & Phillips, Oxford, 2006. ISBN 0-85668-710-3.
• EGERIE. Journal de Voyage ( Itinéraire ). Introduction, texte critique, traduction, notes, index cartes et par Pierre Maraval; Valerius you Bierzo. Lettre sur la Bse EGERIE. Introduction, texte et traduction par Manuel C. Diaz y Diaz ( Sources chrétiennes 296 ). Les Éditions du Cerf, Paris, 1982 ( definitive edition).
• Egeria: Pelegrinatge. Introducció, text, Traducció i notes de Sebastià Janeras, Fundació Bernat Metge 2 vols, Barcelona 1986 ( with excellent liturgy historical explanations ).

Tools:

• Deane R. Blackman - Gavin G. Betts: Concordantia in itinerary Egeriae. A Concordance to the itinerary Egeriae. ( Alpha - Omega A 96). Olms- Weidmann, Hildesheim 1989. ISBN 3-487-09075-9.
• Ana Isabel García Magallon: Concordancia lematizada de los Itinerarios de Egeria y Antonio. Departamento de Ciencias de la Antiguedad. Zaragoza: 1993 ISBN 84-600-8556-2. .

Secondary literature:

• Konstantin Klein: Familiar Strangeness - exquisite landscape. Work on presence in the travelogue of Egeria. In: Helge Baumann, Michael Weise and others ( ed.): Have you tired already flown? Travel and homecoming as anthropological phenomena. Tectum Verlag, Marburg 2010, ISBN 978-3-8288-2184-2, pp. 159-174.
• Joyce E. Salisbury, Encyclopedia of Women in the Ancient World, ABC - Clio Inc., 2001, ISBN 978-1576070925, pp. 91f.
• Heinz Gerd Brakmann: At the place of joy are. Jerusalem, Egeria and a cult altkirchlicher command. In: Laetare Jerusalem, commemorative of the 100th arrival of the Benedictine monks at Jerusalem's Mount Zion ( Jerusalem Theological Forum 10). Aschendorff, Münster 2006, 175-185.