Heilige Berge und Wüsten

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"Monastic mountains and deserts" was the topic of a panel at the 21st International Congress of Byzantine Studies held in London in August 2006. Holy mountains and deserts are exceptional places, secluded from the "world", places where communication with the divine is more intensive than elsewhere. Byzantine monasticism was characterized by the coenobite, lavriote and solitary ways of life. An important factor was the distinctive "morphology" of such locations, whose dramatic beauty and natural landscape features precipices and caves inspired contemplation and ascetic endeavours. In the seven contributions presented here, this phenomenon is illustrated by examples from different regions, either in the Byzantine Empire itself or in areas under Byzantine cultural influence.