Dr K. Ihnat (Kati)

I'm interested in medieval religious culture, with a particular emphasis on the ways in which ritual, theology and narrative interact to shape group identities.

My main research focus for a number years has been on devotion to the Virgin Mary as a window onto medieval religious cultures and especially the construction of religious identities. Looking at everything from liturgical offices to miracles stories, meditational texts, theological treatises, prayers and art, I've been looking into the ways Mary was shaped as a symbol of Christian orthodoxy and identity, particularly against non-Christians.

I'm now looking more broadly at Christian religious practice in early medieval Iberia and what it can tell us about dynamics between different religious communities. By commemorating Christians 'martyred' by the Muslims, or emphasizing Jewish error within a celebration of the Virgin Mary, Christians constructed a religious identity for themselves that highlighted difference from other faith groups. The liturgy is an especially fruitful place to look for these processes of identity-building. Liturgy included sung texts, prayers, and readings from theological treatises, stories about the saints and the Bible. The combination of these diverse sources produced a particular message that was communicated to the Christian population when they attended church on religious holidays. I'm interested in exploring the liturgy's potential role in transmitting, but also constructing, religious meaning, social relationships and values and ideals, which could then go on to have a significant impact on society.

• Medieval cultures and religion

• Old Hispanic Office project