Saint Tryphōn of Phrygia: Hagiographical Tradition, Origins of His Cult and Iconographic Representations in Byzantine Art
Makaleler > Tam Makale · 2025
Yazarlar: Settar TARMAN
Sanat Tarihi Dergisi, ESCI İndekslerine Giren Dergi, Uluslararası, Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), 2025, cilt 34, ss 729-759
DOI: 10.29135/std.1716170
Özet
This study focuses on Saint Tryphōn, an important figure in Anatolia during the early Christian period. Saint Tryphōn, born in the Phrygian countryside, was particularly known as a healer and miracle-worker, and belonged to a group of people known as “anargyros” (bestower). His most important miracle was the healing of the daughter of the Emperor Gordian by casting out the demon that had possessed her. This event caused the saint’s fame to spread and the Christian faith to be embraced more and more by the people. However, the persecution of Christians by the Emperor Decius meant that St Tryphōn was perceived as a threat by the Roman Empire, and the saint was eventually executed and martyred in Nicaea. St. Tryphōn’s association with viniculture made him known as the protector of vineyards and associated with Dionysus, an ancient god of Anatolia. During the reign of Emperor Theodoros II Doukas Laskaris, lilies miraculously bloomed in his sanctuary in the city of Nicaea, of which he was the patron, and coins of the time featured the saint and lily motifs. Not only in Anatolia, but also in the rural areas of the Balkan geography, the inhabitants built many shrines dedicated to Saint Tryphōn with iconographic representations of the saint in order to honour him. The paper examines the role of Saint Tryphōn in the history of Anatolian Christianity, his place in Byzantine depictions and iconography, his influence on people’s religious practices, and his links with rural life.