Katie Kleinkopf, “Imitatio Meretricis: Queering Masculinised Holiness through Romanticised Enslavement in the Life of Pelagia of Antioch,” 1–22.
KEYWORDS: Slavery, gender, hagiography, asceticism
This article explores the imitation of sexual enslavement in the Life of Pelagia of Antioch, focusing not on the woman at the centre of this story, but on the men whose desire to learn from her frames the tale. Just as Pelagia adorns her body to attract lovers, so, too, must the male ascetics learn to beautify their soul, signalling their vulnerability, willingness, and even eagerness for, union with God. By assuming this position of complete physical subjugation, the men in this tale playwith intersecting social stratification and gender roles, slipping into the romanticised position of God’s whore without having to relinquish the privilege of their public life. I contend this vita encourages late-ancient Christian men to be superlative prostitutes, not to shame them into acting more manly, but to inspire them to behave more like women—thus complicating the long-held narrative of the presumed quest for masculine ascetic perfection.