Since time immemorial, people have been screaming, crying, and throwing up over their faves. Today we swoon over anime characters, Lady Gaga, our K-Pop bias, etc. But many of the hallmarks of fandom — effusive emotion, cults of celebrity, fan fiction, and the proliferation of merch — have synergies with popular Western European literary and religious culture during the period between roughly 800 and 1500. In truth, fandom is as medieval as jousting on feast days and parading around in tights.
This takes me back to my graduate studies in literature of the Middle Ages. I wrote a paper on courtly love. Talk about worship! A few noble women would be courted by the knights and be made into icons in no time at all. I wish people would worship the eternal, rather than flawed entertainers who are here today and gone tomorrow. At least the fans in the Middle Ages worshipped saints who led worthwhile and, in most cases, very useful lives. These saints gave their allegiance to the Lord, and He doesn't change with the whirling winds of fame and fortune. I very much enjoyed your article as this era seems largely forgotten, but fortunately kept alive by scholars like you.
I would say there's no difference between those saints and these "flawed entertainers" except time. I've always believed these exaggerations of worship were what created these "angels" anyway. In ten thousand years parts of Harry Potter could be added to a new Bible and they'll call Gaga & Beyonce saints.
I definitely appreciate the parallels here, but I think that equating these practices is ultimately a blatant misunderstanding of both religious culture and the psychology of devotion, not mention a clear anachronism. We have not always done this—we exist in a social media ecosystem (and a television and tabloid media ecosystem before it) that has created a unique obsession with fame and the famous. This is not the same as being really into Jesus, or particularly devoted to a saint. I think you esteem fandom too highly, and religious life quite lowly to make these parallel
Well done, Katherine! Lovely of you to read all these texts and to relate Medieval fandom to things I’ve already wondered about, namely, the many versions of Bible stories, superstition and/in religion, and how people can feel very personally close to celebrities. And right when football season is about to start: My husband has his myriad specialty fan gear at the ready, but that’s another fan subject.
I'm intrigued by some of the comments below. It's as if we are assuming that history was written accurately and with no agenda.
I have no doubt that this fandom has always been present,. But it points to a cleverly constructed system, that serves to benefit the few rather than the many.
We are as a species, still looking for things outside of ourselves for some level of salvation or peace. Not realising that the things we choose, are exactly what are robbing us of what we deeply seek.
In short, pick a person you idolise,. Be it a celebrity, a shaman or a spiritual teacher. Get
to know them, and you'll soon realise they're as vulnerable and imperfect as you. They may be wealthier, but they're no better than you.
If they think they are, they're stuck in an ego trip. So watch who you respect, and why x
Fascinating. As someone who last summer made a pilgrimage to see Taylor Swift in Liverpool (home/shrines of both The Beatles and the Liverpool Reds Football Club), I made the easy connection between my armload of bracelets and scallop shells. Extending the comparison to medieval ecstasies and goddess worship rings so true.
Similarly to Donna Gordon, this reminded me of my graduate studies, during which time I had written a paper about women saints on the frontiers of early medieval Europe. That people would hundreds of years later confuse details of saints' lives or believe certain details too fantastic to be true... Has me imagining that just as people could confuse Theodora of Alexandria with Euphrosine, in a similar way people might confuse Katy Perry with Rihanna one day. Or they might say that things Lady Gaga are "reported to have done" are too fantastic to be true.
Equally, we know of saints like Milburga who were famous in their day but who were eventually forgotten and then became famous again hundreds of years later when archaeologist monks traveling from France to England rediscovered her bones and re-established her popularity. Or Christina of Markyate who knowing of the Desert Mothers (that lived nearly a millennium before) was inspired to leave her betrothed and become a religious celebrity in her own day. In a similar way, perhaps hundreds of years from now Taylor Swift will have fallen into obscurity, but someone will re-discover her tomb and it will become a pilgrimage site of astounding miracles. And if women in future ever forget how powerful they can be, maybe someone 1000 years from now will read this essay about Beyoncé and rightfully worship her as so inspiring they too become an icon of incredible resilience in their future world.
Quite an interesting article. As a clergy who has never quite understood some people's preoccupation with the saints of the early and medieval church. Not to take away from the work that any of them did, but to make godlike-celebrities of them was hardly what they envisioned when they were called to serve!
I suppose there will always be a desire to idolize those who have achieved what we can only dream of doing.
Fascinating! Seems humans have a need for and find solace in Devotion. I love the connections here and the art of auras, gold painted manuscripts to evoke spiritual energy of attraction. ~T
Is this a bad thing? I love our Blessed Mary. I don’t worship her, I admire her. Can you imagine walking her life? Incredibly strong woman.
Times were different then. Too many distractions now. Our daughter is a 21 pilots cult fan member and she has been on multiple “ pilgrimages” following them around. Crazy behavior in my opinion however she is gaga over that band….
Is it the same as following saints?
It is NOT the same.
It was NOT this way 2000 years ago either…..
Actually the first time I went to a professional football game I could not get over the massive men running around in tights. It was so comical to me. Still is. Grown men running around in tights!!! Saints are a different breed and it is an individuals personal relationship with that saint.
When you ask a friend to pray for you is it not the same as asking a saint to intervene for you?
Back then what people did was way different than today….
Asking living people to pray for you is different than asking dead people that you never knew to pray for you. Jesus came to establish a direct connection to God. I am sad about how the completely beautiful, original biblical story of Mary has been mythologically transformed in a dangerous, pagan way.
I believe in angels and good and evil spirits too. I also talk to my dead grandmother all the time. She was a living saint, I swear. Oh and I also believe we are eating and drinking God when we receive communion…. As He said do this in memory of Me. Passed down from generations…
I did not agree with the article and that is okay too.
This takes me back to my graduate studies in literature of the Middle Ages. I wrote a paper on courtly love. Talk about worship! A few noble women would be courted by the knights and be made into icons in no time at all. I wish people would worship the eternal, rather than flawed entertainers who are here today and gone tomorrow. At least the fans in the Middle Ages worshipped saints who led worthwhile and, in most cases, very useful lives. These saints gave their allegiance to the Lord, and He doesn't change with the whirling winds of fame and fortune. I very much enjoyed your article as this era seems largely forgotten, but fortunately kept alive by scholars like you.
I would say there's no difference between those saints and these "flawed entertainers" except time. I've always believed these exaggerations of worship were what created these "angels" anyway. In ten thousand years parts of Harry Potter could be added to a new Bible and they'll call Gaga & Beyonce saints.
Beautifully written and incredibly insightful, this essay deserves a much larger audience.
"Because I want it to be heard by more people." Your comment is an example and a confirmation of the thesis of this piece. Nice one!!!
Thank you.
I definitely appreciate the parallels here, but I think that equating these practices is ultimately a blatant misunderstanding of both religious culture and the psychology of devotion, not mention a clear anachronism. We have not always done this—we exist in a social media ecosystem (and a television and tabloid media ecosystem before it) that has created a unique obsession with fame and the famous. This is not the same as being really into Jesus, or particularly devoted to a saint. I think you esteem fandom too highly, and religious life quite lowly to make these parallel
Well done, Katherine! Lovely of you to read all these texts and to relate Medieval fandom to things I’ve already wondered about, namely, the many versions of Bible stories, superstition and/in religion, and how people can feel very personally close to celebrities. And right when football season is about to start: My husband has his myriad specialty fan gear at the ready, but that’s another fan subject.
Excuse my lack of decorum: BUT OH SHIT!!!! Damn this article SLAPPED! A++
Very interesting read !
I'm intrigued by some of the comments below. It's as if we are assuming that history was written accurately and with no agenda.
I have no doubt that this fandom has always been present,. But it points to a cleverly constructed system, that serves to benefit the few rather than the many.
We are as a species, still looking for things outside of ourselves for some level of salvation or peace. Not realising that the things we choose, are exactly what are robbing us of what we deeply seek.
In short, pick a person you idolise,. Be it a celebrity, a shaman or a spiritual teacher. Get
to know them, and you'll soon realise they're as vulnerable and imperfect as you. They may be wealthier, but they're no better than you.
If they think they are, they're stuck in an ego trip. So watch who you respect, and why x
Fascinating. As someone who last summer made a pilgrimage to see Taylor Swift in Liverpool (home/shrines of both The Beatles and the Liverpool Reds Football Club), I made the easy connection between my armload of bracelets and scallop shells. Extending the comparison to medieval ecstasies and goddess worship rings so true.
Similarly to Donna Gordon, this reminded me of my graduate studies, during which time I had written a paper about women saints on the frontiers of early medieval Europe. That people would hundreds of years later confuse details of saints' lives or believe certain details too fantastic to be true... Has me imagining that just as people could confuse Theodora of Alexandria with Euphrosine, in a similar way people might confuse Katy Perry with Rihanna one day. Or they might say that things Lady Gaga are "reported to have done" are too fantastic to be true.
Equally, we know of saints like Milburga who were famous in their day but who were eventually forgotten and then became famous again hundreds of years later when archaeologist monks traveling from France to England rediscovered her bones and re-established her popularity. Or Christina of Markyate who knowing of the Desert Mothers (that lived nearly a millennium before) was inspired to leave her betrothed and become a religious celebrity in her own day. In a similar way, perhaps hundreds of years from now Taylor Swift will have fallen into obscurity, but someone will re-discover her tomb and it will become a pilgrimage site of astounding miracles. And if women in future ever forget how powerful they can be, maybe someone 1000 years from now will read this essay about Beyoncé and rightfully worship her as so inspiring they too become an icon of incredible resilience in their future world.
Thank you!
Made me think of the Shia Ashura and their "Tatbir," self-flagellation with chains or swords.
Quite an interesting article. As a clergy who has never quite understood some people's preoccupation with the saints of the early and medieval church. Not to take away from the work that any of them did, but to make godlike-celebrities of them was hardly what they envisioned when they were called to serve!
I suppose there will always be a desire to idolize those who have achieved what we can only dream of doing.
Fascinating! Seems humans have a need for and find solace in Devotion. I love the connections here and the art of auras, gold painted manuscripts to evoke spiritual energy of attraction. ~T
Is this a bad thing? I love our Blessed Mary. I don’t worship her, I admire her. Can you imagine walking her life? Incredibly strong woman.
Times were different then. Too many distractions now. Our daughter is a 21 pilots cult fan member and she has been on multiple “ pilgrimages” following them around. Crazy behavior in my opinion however she is gaga over that band….
Is it the same as following saints?
It is NOT the same.
It was NOT this way 2000 years ago either…..
Actually the first time I went to a professional football game I could not get over the massive men running around in tights. It was so comical to me. Still is. Grown men running around in tights!!! Saints are a different breed and it is an individuals personal relationship with that saint.
When you ask a friend to pray for you is it not the same as asking a saint to intervene for you?
Back then what people did was way different than today….
We need more saint worshipers today!
Asking living people to pray for you is different than asking dead people that you never knew to pray for you. Jesus came to establish a direct connection to God. I am sad about how the completely beautiful, original biblical story of Mary has been mythologically transformed in a dangerous, pagan way.
Says you.
I love my faith my way.
You love yours your way.
I believe in angels and good and evil spirits too. I also talk to my dead grandmother all the time. She was a living saint, I swear. Oh and I also believe we are eating and drinking God when we receive communion…. As He said do this in memory of Me. Passed down from generations…
I did not agree with the article and that is okay too.