Arcadian Edens, Edenic Paradises and Salvific Gardens
Antonio CORTIJO OCAÑA
Original title: Edenes arcádicos, paraísos edénicos y jardines salvíficos
Published in Returning to Eden
Keywords: Arcadia, Eden, Hortus Conclusus, Paradise, Utopia.
Eden or Paradise is one the most disseminated concepts in Christendom and the western world. From its Persian origin, this article traces its development through its Arcadian classical manifestations, its medieval modification as hortus conclusus and its pastoral and utopian elements in the Renaissance.
Meaning and importance of Paradise description in the Introducción de los Milagros de Nuestra Señora by Gonzalo de Berceo
Lidia Raquel MIRANDA
Original title: Sentido y alcances de la descripción del Paraíso en la Introducción de los Milagros de Nuestra Señora de Gonzalo de Berceo
Published in Paradise, Purgatory and Hell: the Religiosity in the Middle Ages
Keywords: Allegory, Berceo, Description, Milagros de Nuestra Señora, Paradise.
The Introduction of Los Milagros de Nuestra Señora by Gonzalo de Berceo shows a locus amoenus, where the pilgrim rests, that identify with paradise (c. 14 a y b). The source in that lawn (c. 3) divides in four branches (c. 21) that evoke the rivers of paradise, and the trees that produce healthful and beautiful fruits (c. 4) represent the abundance and happiness preceding the original sin. In this context, Virgin Mary image is the redemption matrix that will repair the fault committed by Adam and Eve because of her mediation between Christ and men. The stanzas’ text by Gonzalo de Berceo we have analyzed focus in theological history of humanity of latest days, the enunciator present, which is understood starting from the originating times. So, the lawn description connotes the lost paradise and paradisiacal state which recovery is a certain possibility to men who believe and devote Virgin Mary.
Medieval Paradises – Tipology of the Places of Reward in the Final Middle Ages
Paulo Roberto Soares de Deus
Original title: Paraísos Medievais – esboço para uma tipologia dos lugares de recompensa dos justos no final da Idade Média
Published in Mirabilia 4
Keywords: Culture, Paradise, Types.
The aim of this article is to consider a set of minimum types to the places assigned for the word Paradise at the end of the Middle Ages. It is not intended to be exhausting nor definitive, after all, the Paradise was a symbol and, as such, preserved great ambiguity in its possible meanings. Paradise's contours could not be so clear since it should to allow the projections of diverse desires and anxieties, deriving of the different cultural strata of that age. However, a tripartite structure, which comes along with the time flow, can be followed.
The Sense and the Reason of Being of Dante Alighieri’s Paradise
Moisés Romanazzi TÔRRES
Original title: O Sentido e a Razão de Ser do Paraíso de Dante Alighieri
Published in Paradise, Purgatory and Hell: the Religiosity in the Middle Ages
Keywords: Christian Reform, Dante Alighieri, Paradise, Process of the Mystic Union., Theological Blessedness and Human Deification.
Dante, along Commedia, establishes the great process of his Mystical Union. Once freed from sin, our poet can re-enter into possession of his free will and win the Earthly Paradise (the philosophical blessedness). His “long walk” through Hell and Purgatory thus marks the first phase of his union with God and gives the first of two sanctities, the sanctity of nature (the philosophical blessedness). Paradiso of Dante develops exactly the other two stages. In its ascent through the various heavens, Dante gradually breaks away from all connection with the earth, until, enlightened by truth, can gain access to Celestial Paradise (the theological blessedness). This was the second step, which gave him a new sanctity, the sanctity of grace. But it was only a wonder that Dante double blessed can complete the process of Mystical Union. Just then he felt his free will finally merge with the divine will, and has to obey only love that this is the soul of the world and that moves the sun and other stars. Only then Dante can to realize the highest human and Christian perfection, the deification of man. Then he became worthy and capable of performing his providential mission: to cooperate on earth the triumph of truth and Christian order, and finally , join the action of the godsend that one day will complete the reform of the Church and the world.
Vision of Tnugdal. Harmony, Paradise and Salvation in Medieval Beyond
Adriana ZIERER, Solange Pereira OLIVEIRA
Original title: A Visão de Túndalo. Harmonia, Paraíso e Salvação no Além Medieval
Published in Monastic and Scholastic Philosophy in the Middle Ages
Keywords: Christianism., Imaginary Journey, Paradise, Salvation, Vision of Tnugdal.
Medieval Church spread various narratives of imaginary journeys which describe the environment reserved to the elected souls in post-mortem in the space of Heaven. Vision of Tnugdal, example of those narratives, from anonymous authorship, produced in the 12 th century, was translated to Portuguese in the 15th century and give us the symbolic description of Heaven in Medieval Beyond. In this text, the knight Tnugdal, guided by an angel, runs through the various the paths of Celestial Kingdom, divided in the Walls of Silver, Gold and Precious Stones, where are placed the faire souls who possess Christian virtues. To earn and enjoy the things that those spaces offered, the Catholic Church spread ideal models of behavior, since its conception, for the faithful ones achieve eternal salvation in Celestial Paradise.
