Spanish-language literature on the power of Catholic religion over the bodies of clergymen and consecrated people

Abstract

Catholic religion presents an ambivalent attitude towards the body: it adores the tormented and resurrected body of Christ, but rejects human physicality, regarding it as a cause and consequence of sin. Such conviction led to imposing numerous restrictions  on almost  all life spheres of priests, nuns and monks. They cannot  get around, get dressed  or decide about  their activities and relationships freely. They subject  their bodies  to mortification, vowing  celibacy and sexual abstinence. However, a desire to marginalise the physical sphere of human life, which was rooted in the Church, has produced the opposite result. As a consequence, the body became the centre of interest not only for clergymen and believers, but also writers, poets and artists from different countries and periods. The paper focuses on the literature of Spanish-speaking countries, searching for references to the methods of bodily discipline among clergymen and consecrated people. The abundance and variety of presented examples point to the fact that this topic is worth of interest and a deeper analysis.