Sanctity and religious culture amongst the Alpine passes: A study of aspects of patrocinia, liturgy and scriptoria in Early Medieval Churraetia, 400–850 AD

This thesis focuses on Early Medieval Churraetia, a quasi-independent praeses-bishopric in the European Alps, which covered the modern Swiss canton of Gräubunden and parts of the Austrian and Italian Tyrol. It investigates aspects of this region's religious culture within the wider context of its mountainous environment, exploring one central paradox: how religious culture developed in what was at once an isolated mountain buffer zone and also the centre of a busy transportation and communications route between Northern and Southern Europe.

The thesis explores this through a close analysis of two main forms of evidence: patrocinia and the liturgy. Part I sets out the wider context of the region's human geography and the general anthropological context of mountain societies and culture. Part II explores the reception, adoption and development of saints' cults in the region. These include Roman 'foundational' cults, early imported cults (the North Italian cults of Carpophorus, Cassian and those of Martin, Maurice, George, John the Baptist, Gallus, Columbanus and Hilary) and the development of local cults (Lucius, Florinus, Gaudentius, Placidus and Sigisbert). Part III looks at the region's liturgical sources. An unpublished liturgical fragment which appears to have been copied in the region is analysed and set within the framework of Bernard Moreton's theory that the Raetian Alps were a possible home for the redaction of the eighth-century Gelasian sacramentary tradition. Moreton's hypothesis in turn is contextualised with the evidence for scribal and religious continuity in Churraetia, its role as a pass-state and links to Northern Italy.

This investigation revealed that from the fifth to the ninth century Churraetia received a number of outside religious influences, but also developed its own distinctive characteristics and religious culture. In particular, there are indications to suggest continued ecclesiastical links with Northern Italy and possibly its archdiocese of Milan.