We've seen this in other cases of ancient goddesses (particularly) incorporated into the Christian pantheon (although Church Fathers would never describe it that way!) as "saints."
Demetra, Saint [not to be confused with Saint Demetria]
[This is the entry directly under Demeter, the Goddess]
As was the rule with other manifestations of the Great Goddess, there was an attempt to Christianize Demeter by making a saint of her. Though the church refused to canonize "St. Demetra" officially, yet she remained a great favorite of the people, who told miracle-tales abou her and prayed to her as fervently as if she were a certified member of the canon.
The classic myth of Kore-Persephone and Demeter was retold as a popular fairy tale centering on St. Demetra. The saint's daughter {Kore} was kidnapped by "a wicked Turkish wizard" {Hades} and locked up in a tower. A young hero rescued her, but perished miserably, chopped in pieces by the wizard and hung from the tower's walls "between heaven and earth." Guided by a stork {her ancient toemic bird of birth}, St. Demetra arrived on the scene, reassembled the hero, and brought him back to life.(1) Several elements of this story were repeated in the Germanic fairy tale of Rapunzel.
A masculinized version of Demeter - or perhaps one of her Demetreroi - was accepted into the canon as a "St. Demetrius," of no known date, and no real biograpny. His legend, established in the late Middle Ages, made him a warrior saint like the equally mythical St. George. The basic story was invented to publicize his healing relics preserved at Salonika.(2)
Notes:
(1) Lawson, 80-84.
(2) Attwater, 102.
I found Lawson (see Note 1 from Walker, above) online at Google books: Modern Greek Folkore and Ancient Greek Religion: A Study in Survivals, 1909. John Cuthbert Lawson. You can read the entire updated tale that has the "Turkish" villain/kidnapper/ravisher of Kore/Persephone there.
According to the Cabinet of Curiosities, the tower-like structure on this maiden's head is called a cista and it may have held sacred artifacts used in the Eleusinian rights. That may be correct, but I think it could also be a representation of the "tower" that the "archaic" Goddess Kar wore on her head. Kar was an important Goddess in "walled cities" such as Carthage and was, like Demeter, a primal Mother Goddess. Kar - was a manifestation of walled fortifications that the earliest "cities" used to protect themselves against raids and unwanted visitors, and the custom was copied down through the ages - indeed, into cities built in the Dark and Middle Ages in Europe. The "Old City" of Jerusalem is just one example of a city using Kar's walled fortifications. Many cities today still survive with this remnant of the Goddess' name of "KAR" or "CAR" in their names.
Demetra, Saint [not to be confused with Saint Demetria]
[This is the entry directly under Demeter, the Goddess]
As was the rule with other manifestations of the Great Goddess, there was an attempt to Christianize Demeter by making a saint of her. Though the church refused to canonize "St. Demetra" officially, yet she remained a great favorite of the people, who told miracle-tales abou her and prayed to her as fervently as if she were a certified member of the canon.
The classic myth of Kore-Persephone and Demeter was retold as a popular fairy tale centering on St. Demetra. The saint's daughter {Kore} was kidnapped by "a wicked Turkish wizard" {Hades} and locked up in a tower. A young hero rescued her, but perished miserably, chopped in pieces by the wizard and hung from the tower's walls "between heaven and earth." Guided by a stork {her ancient toemic bird of birth}, St. Demetra arrived on the scene, reassembled the hero, and brought him back to life.(1) Several elements of this story were repeated in the Germanic fairy tale of Rapunzel.
A masculinized version of Demeter - or perhaps one of her Demetreroi - was accepted into the canon as a "St. Demetrius," of no known date, and no real biograpny. His legend, established in the late Middle Ages, made him a warrior saint like the equally mythical St. George. The basic story was invented to publicize his healing relics preserved at Salonika.(2)
Notes:
(1) Lawson, 80-84.
(2) Attwater, 102.
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The Cabinet of Curiosities has further information and historical background to fill in the legend of Saint Demetra. It recalled to my mind something I knew but had forgot - that the Turks (Muslims) in the form of the Ottoman Empire ruled Greece from the 15th century CE until 1821 CE! The updating of the legend of Demeter and Kore/Persephone was thus updated very late, indeed, to satisfy the mandates of the Greek Christian Orthodox Church. Wink, wink. I found Lawson (see Note 1 from Walker, above) online at Google books: Modern Greek Folkore and Ancient Greek Religion: A Study in Survivals, 1909. John Cuthbert Lawson. You can read the entire updated tale that has the "Turkish" villain/kidnapper/ravisher of Kore/Persephone there.
According to the Cabinet of Curiosities, the tower-like structure on this maiden's head is called a cista and it may have held sacred artifacts used in the Eleusinian rights. That may be correct, but I think it could also be a representation of the "tower" that the "archaic" Goddess Kar wore on her head. Kar was an important Goddess in "walled cities" such as Carthage and was, like Demeter, a primal Mother Goddess. Kar - was a manifestation of walled fortifications that the earliest "cities" used to protect themselves against raids and unwanted visitors, and the custom was copied down through the ages - indeed, into cities built in the Dark and Middle Ages in Europe. The "Old City" of Jerusalem is just one example of a city using Kar's walled fortifications. Many cities today still survive with this remnant of the Goddess' name of "KAR" or "CAR" in their names.
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