Holy mountains of the Byzantine East and mystical experience (ninth-fourteenth c.)
June 18, 2026 Stephanos Euthymiadis
The essay examines how holy mountains in the Byzantine East (ninth–fourteenth centuries) served as sites for mystical experience. Stephanos Euthymiadis argues that these landscapes were not merely physical locations but were imbued with spiritual significance, facilitating contemplative practices and encounters with the divine. The work analyzes historical and theological sources to show how monastic communities on mountains like Mount Athos cultivated a distinct form of ascetic mysticism, blending topography with religious experience.