RT Book, Section
T1 Pimenius and his network. The glocal dimension or rural Iberian churches
A1 López Gómez, José Carlos
A1 Alvar-Nuño, Antón
A2 López Gómez, José Carlos
A2 Alvar-Nuño, Antón
K1 Iglesias medievales - España
K1 Religiosidad popular
AB This study explores Bishop Pimenius’ strategic utilization of relics in the 7th-century Iberian diocese of Asido. The objectives are twofold: to explore the network through which Pimenius acquired his relics and to reassess the motivations behind the bishop’s diverse use of these relics in consecrating rural churches within his episcopal jurisdiction. Geolocation and network methodologies, employing Proximal Point Analysis, were conducted to achieve the first objective. Results show that concentrations of saints venerated by Pimenius were primarily in Hispania and Gaul, challenging prior hypotheses of trans-Mediterranean connections. For the second objective, the study links Pimenius’ deposition of relics in rural churches to religious competition, considering both rivalry and collaboration among bishops. The proposed alternative scenario involves religious entrepreneurs, specifically “wandering-beggar priests”, framing the competition as a struggle between institutional power (Pimenius) and charismatic power (wandering priests). Here, we suggest that Pimenius strategically deploys relics to counteract the influence of wandering monks, empowering rural presbyters to consolidate episcopal authority.
PB Routledge
YR 2025
FD 2025
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10630/39679
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10630/39679
LA eng
NO López Gómez, J. C. and Alvar Nuño, A., “Pimenius and his Network: the Glocal Dimension of Iberian Rural Churches”, in Antón Alvar Nuño, José Carlos López Gómez (eds.), Rural Religious Practices, Networks and Mobility in Post-Roman Iberia, Londres, Routledge, 2025, 196-222
NO https://www.routledge.com/our-products/open-access-books/publishing-oa-books/chapters
DS RIUMA. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Málaga
RD 21 ene 2026