Exploring new Trinitarian horizons: clues for the hagiographic study of the «Nicene Council of the 318 Holy Fathers»
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Abstract
The symbolic and ritual construction of the paradigmatic figure of the «318 Holy Fathers» of the Council of Nicaea is analyzed, understood as a form of collective canonization that transcends historical facts. Through a review of official sources, as well as the hagiographic and anti-hagiographic dossiers, the study explores how this number, rather than being a precise historical datum, became an emblem of authority and orthodoxy. The analysis focuses on three main axes: the genesis of the number 318 and the identification of its bearers; the process of individual and collective canonization, along with the creation of opposing figures or «anti-heroes»; and the liturgical incorporation of the feast of the 318 Holy Fathers. This study aims to open new avenues of research into historical sources that have been less examined by traditional historiography.
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