R: [SEELANGS] Tsars as healers?

[Luciano Di Cocco]

> I'm very interested to hear thoughts on this, as I have a particular
> interest in Nicholas II.

Unfortunately I know nothing about tsars as healers. It was one of my
questions. I have found a couple of web references on the background that
some may find interesting.

On Roman Emperors as healer there is a reference in this article:
http://craigaevans.com/Priene%20art.pdf

<<Because of their divinity, it was believed that the Roman
emperors could in some instances effect healing. According to Suetonius: "A
man of the people, who was blind, and another who was lame, together came
to [Vespasian] as he sat on the tribunal, begging for the help for their
disorders which Serapis had promised in a dream; for the god declared that
Vespasian would restore the eyes, if he would spit upon them, and give
strength to the leg, if he would deign to touch with his heel. Though he had
hardly any faith that this could possibly succeed, and therefore shrank even
from making the attempt, he was at last prevailed upon by his friends and
tried both things in public before a large crowd; and with success" (Divus
Vespasianus 7.2-3).>>
By the way, all the article can be of great interest for those interested in
the relationship between early Christianity and Roman Emperor Cult.

Here
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1067&context=histo
ryfacpub
there is an article specifically on the (supposed) healing powers of Queen
Elisabeth I, and in general this context in England.
Here
http://www.grijalvo.com/Hfz000/hfz000_2002_J_D_Cofield_Hands_of_a_King.htm
, in the context of sources for Tolkien, there is some infos on the
tradition of kings imposing hands to the subjects, lasting until 1712 or
1730 in England, and as late as the Revolution in France.
I have found no reference on survival of this belief in Russia. But a friend
of mine remembers an Italian documentary (I don't know how accurate)
asserting that miraculous healings were attributed to Stalin. Somebody can
confirm this? If true, was it something new or something referring to older
traditions?

Luciano Di Cocco

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
                    http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------