the bobbio pxyis

This is an attractive round (lidless) box of profusely carved ivory depicting Orpheus surrounded by animals.

When I was shown this artefact in 1977, it was put to me that it was part of the communion set used by the Irish missionary Columbanus when he established his monastery in the place now known as Bobbio. Even at the time I did not quite accept this association. Why would the image of a pagan god be present on a Christian altar during the Mass? (I see there's now an alternative explanation : that this was a gift from St Gregory to St Columbanus when the latter visited Rome to pray at the tomb of the saints.)

Later on my study tour I came across other instances of pagan symbols in what appeared to be Christian contexts. I assumed then it was part of the process whereby some temples and other elements of paganism were abrogated into early Christian worship.

Now I'm not so sure. Based on my continuing study of the 4th century, I find there's another possible explanation.

When, in the 390s, it was ordained that Trinitarian Christianity was now the only permitted religion (and all others, including other forms of Christianity, were castigated as 'witchcraft and the work of the Devil') those who had been celebrating the Orphic mysteries might have continued to do so in secret but, in public, declared their symbols to be Christian. In other words, pagans continued their observances under an outward show of Christianity to avoid prosecution.

It's also possible that in the earlier years of Christianity, some Christian elements were absorbed into pagan practices as part of the synthesis with the general Hellenistic culture of the time and place. I find hints of this even in the Gospels.

I'd be glad to engage with others on the same trail.

francis cameron, oxford, 2 september 2011

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