Eucharist and social construction: changes in the relations between the Latin and Greek communities following the berengarian and azymite controversies (11th century)

• Grant number: 24/21382-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: July 01, 2025
• End date: March 31, 2028
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - History - Ancient and Medieval History
• Principal Investigator: Neri de Barros Almeida
• Grantee: Diego Aparecido de Souza Pereira
• Host Institution: Instituto de Filosofia e Ciências Humanas (IFCH). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/02912-3 - A connected history of the Middle Ages: communication and circulation from the Mediterranean Sea, AP.TEM

Abstract

During the second half of the 11th century (1049-1079), two controversies stirred ecclesiastical thought. In one, the archdeacon of Angers, Berengar, defended a real but non-corporeal interpretation of Christ's presence in the Eucharist. In the other, Latin and Greek clerics rediscovered ancient differences and debated, in particular, the type of bread used in the Eucharistic celebration. Although occurring in different contexts, the Berengarian (1049-1079) and Azymite (1053-1054) controversies brought into question both the interpretation and liturgy of the sacrament of the altar, a fundamental presence in the daily life of Christian societies at the time. These controversies led to mutual condemnations, with the so-called East-West Schism of 1054 being the most significant. Although contemporary, these disputes have mostly been studied as separate phenomena. This project proposes a new perspective on the relationships between Greek and Latin communities through a connected study of these controversies, which shared not only their subject of dispute but also several key figures. The most prominent of these, Humbert of Silva Candida, was responsible for the excommunications of Patriarch Michael Cerularius of Constantinople in 1054 and Archdeacon Berengar in 1059. We aim to identify and understand the notions of community in question, considering the foundational role of the Eucharist in shaping the Christian community during this period. We will also examine how the interplay between political interests, theological debates, concepts of community, and conflicts relates to concrete processes of transformation and the establishment of communities. This analysis will be conducted through the study of theological treatises produced at the time, conciliar documents, and the mapping of epistolary networks of the main actors involved.