JOHN CHRYSOSTOM AND THE PECULIARITIES OF THE SPREAD OF CHRISTIANITY IN THE NORTHERN BLACK SEA REGION IN THE CONTEXT OF SPECIAL ETHNO-CULTURAL INTERACTION IN THE REGION

Yartsev Sergey Vladimirovich

The article is devoted to the complex topic of the persecution of the Archbishop of Constantinople John Chrysostom at the beginning of the 5th century and the spread of Christianity in the Northern Black Sea region at the specified time. Based on a thorough analysis of written and some material sources, the author comes to the conclusion that John Chrysostom sought to establish his people in the Christian communities of the Northern Black Sea region on the territory of which, in the event of an aggravation of the internal political situation, his supporters could hide. One of the measures of his religious policy, however, was to activate the cult of the martyr St Phocas, who suffered innocently during the persecution of Christians. Thus, John tried to evoke associations among his compatriots with the godless campaign of his persecution that had begun in the empire. In this regard, according to the author of the study, it is necessary to refer to the beginning of the spread of the St. Phocas cult in the Northern Black Sea region with the escape of the supporters of the exiled archbishop. This cult was best suited to intensify the process of spreading Christianity among the peoples of the Northern Black Sea area. According to the author, both the Greeks and representatives of the Iranian, Turkic and Germanic peoples who lived here could see at the heart of this cult a reflection of their own pre-Christian ideas in the field of the mythological universe associated with the worship of the forces of nature, including the water principle, as the primary source of life on earth. It is possible that the main symbol of the new cult was the anchor, a Christian symbol of salvation. The unusual shape of this anchor, however, may have been the result of some element of pre-Christian local culture being stylised for it. To the local Greeks, it may therefore have resembled the trident of Poseidon, while to the barbarians – a plant ornament or even a tamga, thus evoking associations with the world tree, linking heaven, earth and the underworld. Such a well-thought-out and successful adaptation of non-Christian symbols and elements of pagan culture to the Christian worldview, apparently, was able to ensure the rapid and phenomenal success of the cult of St. Phocas, not only among the population of the ancient cities of the Northern Black Sea region, but also among the local barbarian peoples.

Keywords:John Chrysostom, Christianity, St. Phocas, Northern Black Sea region, Chersonese, Bosporan Kingdom, Sarmatians, Huns, Goths, Tamgas