Crypto-paganism
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Crypto-paganism is the secret adherence to
In antiquity and the early Byzantine Empire
Anthemius, one of the last Roman emperors of the West who ruled from 467 to 472, surrounded himself with prominent pagans such as Messius Phoebus Severus and was believed to hold pagan views. According to Damascius, Severus and Anthemius had a secret plan to restore the Pagan cults.[1] The murder of Anthemius (by Ricimer) destroyed the hopes of those pagans who believed that the traditional rites would be restored.[2]
Anatolius (Osroene) (died c. 579/580) was a Byzantine official, active in the reign of Tiberius II Constantine (r. 574–582). He was accused of being a crypto-pagan and consequently executed.[3] Acindynus, a Byzantine governor of Carrhae (Harran), was accused by his scribe/secretary Iyarios (elsewhere called Honorius) of secretly practicing paganism. Stephen, Bishop of Harran, had Acindynus executed in 602, either by impalement or crucifixion. The deceased governor was succeeded by Iyarios.[4][5]
Tuomo Lankila of the University of Jyväskylä argues that the Corpus Areopagiticum, an ostensibly Christian text attributed to Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, was in fact written by Damascius, the last head of the pagan Neoplatonist school of Athens. Lankila claims the work was written "in order to resurrect more easily the polytheistic religion in better times".[6]
In the Middle Ages
The
The Byzantine philosopher
In the modern world
In Wicca, as presented by neo-pagan theorist Gerald Gardner, traditional laws instruct practitioners to conceal their practices and religious paraphernalia by using innocuous substitutes which could easily be explained away in case of discovery:
"To void discovery, let the working tools be as ordinary things that any may have in their houses. Let the Pentacles be of wax, so they may be broken at once. Have no sword unless your rank allows you one. Have no names or signs on anything. Write the names and signs on them in ink before consecrating them and wash it off immediately after. Do not Bigrave [engrave][7] them, lest they cause discovery. Let the colour of the hilts tell which is which. Ever remember, ye are the Hidden Children of the Gods."[8]
Among modern guides, City Magick, an urban pagan's manual published in 2001, gives examples of how to hide a pagan altar at your home or at work, using items such as letter openers, paper weights, and coffee cups and relaxation candles in the place of the traditional sword, stone, goblet and candle.[9]
See also
- Backsliding
- Chinese Rites controversy
- Crypto-Christianity
- Crypto-Hinduism
- Crypto-Islam
- Crypto-Judaism
- Forced conversion
References
- ISBN 0-19-925244-0, p. 52.
- ^ Marcellinus Chronicle s.a. 468
- ^ Martindale, Jones & Morris (1992), pp. 72–73
- ISBN 978-0-521-20160-5.
- ISBN 978-0-85323-238-4.
- ISSN 1754-517X. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
- ^ "bigrave, begrave, bigraven, and begraven - Middle English Compendium". quod.lib.umich.edu. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
- ^ "Gardnerian Book of Shadows: The Old Laws". sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
- ISBN 1-57863-206-4.
External links
- Jones "The Roman Economy" – Section with crypto-pagans and neo-platonic faiths