www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Holy Fools

I am wondering about Holy Fools. I know about St. Basil who even criticized Ivan the Terrible, but what else is there to a Holy Fool? I think I could qualify, well except for the Holy part, so far...

Dear Dr Eric - Christ is Risen.

The holy fool is essentially a prophet, rejecting the conventions of the world and hiding their charism beneath strange behavious and life-style.

This charism is essentially based on a clairvoyance that is the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Our holy father Vasili Blazhenii of Moscow, and many fools like them were able to see that which we do not see. They were able to see the state of the souls of those around them, calling society to repentance. St Vasilii knew the houses of the godly from those of the ungodly.

Blessed Pasha of Sarov, who died in 1915, knew the fate of the Tsar and Tsarevna, telling them so on their visit to her in 1903. Before her death, she made poklony with tears before the portrait of the Tsar, knowing that he and his loved ones would end their lives in blood and violence. When she first went to Diveyevo she was mocked by the nuns, but recognised by the Holy Fool, Pelagia Ivanovna. After her death, the charism was continued by Blessed Maria Ivanovna.

Read the following - http://www.roca.org/OA/105/105f.htm

The life of the holy fool is a harsh life and a true vocation from God.

Spasi Khristos -
Mark, monk and sinner

Yes, the "yurodivy" is a unique spiritual tradition, and one that has taken on a uniquely Slavic dimension as well. One rarely finds them as often in other Eastern Christian traditions.

Other notables are St. Xenia of Petersburg (commemorated January 24 and September 11), and St. Andrew (October 2), who was a Slav and a slave and ended up in Constantinople. St. Andrew, along with his companion Epiphanius, was granted the vision of the Theotokos at Blachernae commemorated on the Pokrova (October 1st).

St. Andrew would do things such as going to the city wells or springs and disrobe on the spot to clean himself right in public. His master had him chained and locked up as mad on several occasions.

There are so many others - Ivan the "Hairy" of Rostov, Paissy and Theophil of the Kyiv Pecherska Lavra, Prokopy of Ustiug, many, many more.
FDD

Let's not forget that St John of San Francisco also had something of the Holy Fool about him.

Khristos voskrese -
Mark, monk and sinner.

Dear Friends,

My favourite Holy Fool is St Alexander, New Martyr under the Turkish Yoke, and a former Muslim Whirling Dervish.

I believe the Whirling Dervishes are Islamic "fools."

At some point, Alexander became converted to Christianity and continued as a "Christian Whirling Dervish" to preach Christ to the Turks in his environs.

He did this for . . . 17 years as the Turks thought he was saying those things about Christianity as one of their own "fools."

One day it was discovered that he truly WAS a Christian and he was summarily put to death . . .

His biography is in the book "New Martyrs of the Turkish Yoke."

And I like his name . . . I think it's, well, great!

Alex

Does anyone remember the Yogurt commercials where they show the whirling Dervishes and that if you eat yogurt, you will live to over 100 years of age? Now, if you believe that, you too can be a fool!

Thank you Alex! I love the whirling Dervishes. They make my head spin with glee.

Michael

Actually, yoghurt has been proven to be a very healthful food, and within the context of an otherwise healthy diet, it can be a source of excellent health.

Alice

I do love yogurt. My mother praises the new Dannon yogurt. I forget the name but it has an added boost of some type of beneficial bacteria? She is as regular as Big Ben now thanks to it.

Michael

Yoghurt is a staple of the Mediterranian Diet. Those who follow it live the longest and the healthiest in the Western World. Go Greeks!!!

Okinawans are those who live the longest and are the healthiest in the whole world. They don't eat any dairy. They eat mostly...pork!

Dear Dr. Eric,

I think John Bradburne ( http://www.icon.co.za/~host/john/index.htm ) would count as a recent example of a Western holy "fool."

-- John

Activa. It supposedly has a special strain of bacteria to help keep you regular. I think it tastes exactly the same.

Actually there are three distinct cultures that are beneficial - L. bulgaricus, S. theromophilis, and L. acidophilus. I get my starter cultures for our goat milk at the local Middle Eastern/Eastern European stores.
FDD

MMMMMmmmmm I love goat chese.

And with the Dannon, Apparantly they are claiming that they have added a special strain of bacteria which they call bifidus regularis, in addition with the other cultures to make people's digestive systems more regualar