Spurious Continuities Between the Ancient and the Modern in Greek Religious Practice

Toward the end of the 19th century, increasing scholarly attention was focused on analyzing contemporary customs—especially religious beliefs and practices—to identify “survivals” from the pre-Christian Greek past. For Greek folklorists, such instances provided tangible legitimation for the transhistorical continuity of the Greek people. Whereas, for foreign scholars, they offered potential insights for reconstructing the mentality and behavior of the ancient Greeks. In recent years, however, claims for the survival of ancient religious practices have been subjected to more critical scrutiny. This presentation will examine the issue through the lens of a specific case-study—the monastery of the Concealed Virgin in the Peloponnesian town of Argos.