International congress of byzantine studies belgrade, 22 27 august 2016

Maja Angelovska-Panova
University “Ss. Cyril and Methodius”, Institute of National History,
Skopje, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; 
[e-mail]
Heresy and Social Structure: The Case of Bogomil Communities
Bogomilism represents a spiritual manifestation, with a dualistic nature, of a religious expression, 
and a social and philosophical orientation. Its dynamic of alternating expansion and decline, adjusting 
the method of existence to the current social and political conditions, allowed it to survive on the 
historical scene until the 15
th
century when the last impulses of its existence were realized.
Actually, the aim of the paper as the title suggests is to treat the phenomena of Bogomilism 
from the point of view of its social structure. Reconstructing this issue on the basis on relevant source 
material the first impression arise that the followers of heresy from the very beginning of its existence 
were mainly people with lower social status. But the situation have changed with the evolutionary 
tendencies of the movement, especially during the period between the 11
th
- 12
th
century.
The presence of philosophical ideas and interpretations in the Bogomil religious and ideological 
system attracted the attention of representatives of the higher social class or, as Ana Komnina used 
to say, the “wealthy people” and “some high priests”. A typical example is the Byzantine philosopher 
John Italus, an intellectual and Michael Pselus’s student, who founded the department of dialectics 
and history of philosophy. His teaching, despite the philosophical dimensions of metempsychosis, 
the Resurrection and the Last Judgement exegesis, was confronted with the official Christian 
normative and attempted to introduce rational behaviour in theology. All that contributed Italus’s 
teaching to be anathematized at the Synod held in the year 1082. A similar example is the Patriarch 
Eustatiy Garida of Constantinople who, under the influence of John Italus’s philosophical theology, 
believed in the metempsychosis of souls and denied the power of icons. On account of his religious 
beliefs, Eustatiy Garida held the position of a Patriarch in Constantinople only for a short period 
(1081–1084).

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The Bogomil existence in the period between 13
th
– 15
th
century is also confirmed. There are 
the data from the Kratovo’s prayer-book and the Hagiography from Theodosius Trnovski, where we 
can read about the certain nun Irina of Salonica, probably one of the perfect Bogomils, to whom 
a great number of monks came with a tendency to infiltrate the adopted dogmas into the monk’s 
centres on Mount Athos. The spreading of Bogomil tendencies in the monasteries on Mount Athos 
lasted for a very short period, but that is an irrelevant fact in comparison with the historical reality 
that this teaching penetrated the strongest monk’s centre of the Orthodoxy.
To summarize, the paper will explore the issue who actually were heretics from the social point 
of view and what was the aim of their participation in the Bogomil communities. Additionally the 
focus will be on the question if the social status had an impact of their categorization such as ordinary 
followers, believers or perfect ones, or priority was given to their commitment of asceticism.

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