Innocents and Fools

Amiens Cathedral's Christmas festivities exemplify the harmonious coexistence of religious and secular celebrations during the late medieval period. Unlike other French cities, where tensions between clergy and townspeople marred the Feast of Innocents or the Feast of Fools, Amiens maintained a peaceful balance between liturgical observances, such as the Feast of Circumcision, and secular traditions, including the prince of fools. The study contrasts this stability with cases from Toul, Tournai, and Clermont, where clerical authority clashed with popular festivities—such as masked parades or court disputes—revealing regional variations in religious practice and social control. By analyzing historical records, Harris highlights how Amiens' unique approach to festive culture reflected broader medieval European dynamics between institutional religion and communal joy.

Harris, M. (2011). Innocents and Fools. Sacred Folly, 246–257. https://doi.org/10.7591/cornell/9780801449567.003.0022