Insanity and Sanctity in Byzantium: The Ambiguity of Religious Experience

In The Roman And Byzantine Near East, The Holy Fool Emerged In Christianity As A Way Of Describing Individuals Whose Apparent Madness Allowed Them To Achieve A Higher Level Of Spirituality. Youval Rotman Examines How The Figure Of The Mad Saint Or Mystic Was Used As A Means Of Individual And Collective Transformation Prior To The Rise Is Islam.