Dans Naissance de Dieu. La Bible et l’historien, Jean Bottéro explique qu’il ne nous est resté que le livret de la pièce : la Bible. L’apocryphe en est le supplément. Outre les livraisons irrégulières et parcimonieuses, venues des sables d’Égypte entre autres, que nous a léguées l’histoire des découvertes archéologiques, il est un fonds incommensurable par lequel d’autres écrits apocryphes chrétiens nous sont parvenus : la littérature du XXe siècle. Borges, par tel poème se présentant comme un fragment de manuscrit apocryphe retrouvé, Boulgakov en insérant dans Master i Margarita [Le Maître et Marguerite] un évangile centré sur Pilate, Saramago avec son roman brûlot O Evangelho segundo Jesus Cristo [L’Évangile selon Jésus-Christ]: tous ont fourni des livraisons supplémentaires à ce que Jean Bottéro appelait la « pièce ». Les textes de notre corpus sont à lire comme des fictions d’évangiles apocryphes ; mais l’histoire de la (non-)réception des écrits apocryphes chrétiens depuis l’Antiquité ne nous enseigne-t-elle pas qu’ils furent très souvent considérés comme de la fiction ? Le canon biblique distingue les textes inspirés des autres, relégués au statut de fables ou d’inventions : et tout le reste est littérature… En outre, les apocryphes, antiques et modernes, attestés et fictifs, constituent autant de midrashim, parfois paradoxaux sur les Écritures. En quoi la notion de midrash, cette forme d’exégèse narrée et de narration interprétative, permet-elle de projeter un regard nouveau sur la théorie de l’intertextualité ? Conformément à ce que le sous-titre annonce, au terme de ces considérations plus théoriques, le dernier temps de la réflexion est consacré à l’étude plus détaillée des textes du corpus, à la lumière des critères qu’avait jadis dégagés Auerbach, dans Mimésis, pour distinguer la Bible des récits profanes. L’apocryphe, dans tous ses états et manifestations, nous invite à scruter les ‘définitions’, au sens étymologique du terme, à savoir les frontières de la Bible et la littérature. Plus encore que de livrer une étude thématique ou intertextuelle sur les réécritures de l’Évangile au XXe siècle, cette thèse entend reposer des questions – canoniques – de littérature générale, à travers un prisme biblique. / In Naissance de Dieu. La Bible et l’historien [The Birth of God. The Bible and the Historian], Jean Bottéro explains that we are left with the play’s libretto: the Bible. The apocrypha is the supplement. Apart from the irregular and parsimonious issues, notably from the sands of Egypt, transmitted to us by the history of archaeological finds, there is an immeasurable collection through which other apocrypha have come to us: XXth century literature. Borges, through his poems presenting themselves as apocryphal manuscripts which are lost and found, Bulgakov by inserting a Gospel centered on Pilate in his Master i Margarita [The Master and Margarita], Saramago with his O Evangelho segundo Jesus Cristo [The Gospel According to Jesus-Christ]: all have given supplements to what Jean Bottéro called the « libretto ». These texts are to be read as fictional apocryphal Gospels; but then again, the history of the (non-)reception Christian apocrypha encountered since Antiquity tells us that they were very often considered and read as mere fiction. The Biblical canon distinguishes the inspired texts from the rest, which is relegated to the status of fables or inventions: and all the rest is literature… Furthermore, the apocrypha, be it antique or modern, attested or fictional, constitute midrashim on the Sacred Scriptures, which are sometimes paradoxical. How does the notion of midrash -- a form of narrated exegesis and interpretative narration -- allow us to see differently the theory of intertextuality? As stated in our subtitle, after these more theoretical considerations, the last part of our dissertation is dedicated to a more detailed study of our body of texts, in the light of the criteria Auerbach used in Mimesis to distinguish the Bible from secular narratives. The apocrypha invite us to examine the ‘definitions’, in the etymological sense of the term, that is, the frontiers between the Bible and literature. More than a thematical or intertextual study, this dissertation strives to give answers to some of the canonical questions tackled by the theory of literature, through a Biblical prism.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-10T10:34:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Benedito Savio Cardoso Ramos.pdf: 2867036 bytes, checksum: 3d6339ca1b0b576a6b22a8e87b7a7228 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-12-09 / Antônio Poteiro, the most representative artist in brazilian naïf art, presents a very rich theme in his paintings and sculptures, which includes: carnival, annunciation, nativity, indigene rituals, among others. Poteiro seems to search in the Bible, inspiration for his theme when he places in opposition sacred and profane, God and Evil, right and wrong. Questions like this can be discussed by many subjects such as psychology, sociology, fenomenology and neurophysics. However, this dissertation used concepts of the historian Mircea Eliade to reveal the view of the artist about the sacred and profane. An approach on the representation of the sacred and the profane was made with the point of view of temporality, which can be sacred and cyclic or profane and linear. Also an approach on sacred space and profane space was made. By the discussion of homogeneous and heterogeneous space, two types of person were distinguished: the religious man and the non-religious man. In Eliade, the experience of the sacred, the meeting of human with a transcendent reality, arouses the conscience to the idea that there are certain values able to guide man, giving his life significance. Some elements on Poteiro speech and paintings, endorses the thoughts of Eliade that the religious man absolutely doesn´t think that sacred stories had proceeded from his mind, but by a sacred revealing. The existence of relation between Poteiro`s paintings and biographical experiences were shown to establish the discussion. An interview with Poteiro was made to show the particular view of the artist about the divine, sacred, profane, religion and how he represents it in his works. Associated with the interpretation of the theme in Antônio Poteiro, this dissertation showed an approach on naïf art, forming an opinion and inserting Poteiro in the context of plastic arts. This work on Poteiro painting was also used to tell the history of art in the state of Goiás. / Antônio Poteiro, artista de grande representatividade no mundo naïf da arte brasileira, apresenta em sua obra pictórica e escultórica uma extensa temática na abordagem do sagrado e do profano: carnaval, fogaréus, anunciação, nascimento do menino Jesus e rituais indígenas, entre outros. Poteiro parece buscar na Bíblia inspiração para sua temática quando opõe o sagrado ao profano, Deus ao diabo e o bem ao mal. Questões como essas poderiam ter uma abordagem sob muitas vertentes do saber: psicologia, sociologia, fenomenologia e neurofísica. No entanto, a dissertação utiliza-se de conceitos e pensamentos do historiador Mircea Eliade para desvendar a visão do artista sobre o sagrado e o profano. Faz-se uma abordagem da representação do sagrado e do profano sobre o prisma da temporalidade, utilizando conceitos de uma temporalidade sagrada, que se apresenta como cíclica, e de uma temporalidade profana, expressa de maneira linear. Aborda-se ainda o sagrado e o profano a partir da espacialidade, discutindo o que se considera espaço homogêneo e espaço heterogêneo. Faz-se ainda, a partir do estudo do espaço e do tempo, a distinção entre o homem religioso e o não religioso. Em Eliade a experiência do sagrado, o encontro do humano com uma realidade transcendente, desperta a consciência para a idéia de que existem valores absolutos capazes de guiar o homem, conferindo significado à sua existência. Encontra-se, na obra pictórica e na fala de Antônio Poteiro, elementos que endossam o pensamento de Eliade, de que o homem religioso não pensa de forma alguma que as histórias sagradas tenham saído de sua própria imaginação, sendo estas objeto de uma revelação do sagrado. Usa-se, para essa fundamentação, a existência da relação entre dados biográficos do artista, ressaltando experiências vividas e a representação dessas experiências nas imagens de sua obra. Em uma entrevista concedida por Antônio Poteiro busca-se ir direto ao pensamento do artista sobre o tema do sagrado e do profano, ao questionar Poteiro sobre a sua particular visão da religião, da sacralidade expressa em sua obra pictórica e de sua visão do mundo, que contrapõe a idéia do profano à idéia do bem, do puro e do divinizado. Associado à interpretação do sagrado e do profano em Antônio Poteiro, a dissertação apresenta uma abordagem sobre a arte naïf, conceituando-a e inserindo o artista naïf no contexto das artes plásticas. Regionalmente, o trabalho vale-se de entrevistas e publicações sobre Poteiro para contar um pouco da arte em Goiás e especialmente do papel de Poteiro em sua história.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-27T13:49:01Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 NORMA MOREIRA DE MORAIS.pdf: 457871 bytes, checksum: eef721a2f0b1830b6f07ed9f0763dd65 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-02-22 / The dominant society forces have always destroyed the messianic social movements. The messianism almost ever originates the same way as priest Cícero in Juazeiro do Norte, Ceará did or even be extinguished as it happened to Antônio Conselheiro in Bahia. The massacre of Canudos movement is directly related to clash with current dominant society. Why some messianic/millennialism movements can subsist while others were massacred was the issue in this analysis. It can be recognized that anomie (sociology subject) has participated in both evaluated circumstances. Furthermore, these messiahs could practice both sacred and profane leadership in their follower groups. Thus, it was possible to report that Northeast Brazilian people s imaginary has been influencing by popular Catholicism religiosity. Phenomena like these can be explained by the psycho-sociological theory. It is important to notice that both events studied here were circumstantial because they would be related to the privation of possessions, economical crises and the intercultural clash that occurred especially after Republic proclamation in 1889. / Movimentos sociais messiânicos acabam sempre destruídos pelas forças das sociedades envolvente e dominadora. O Messianismo sempre pode recomeçar como aconteceu com Padre Cícero, em Juazeiro do Norte, Ceará, ou pode extinguir-se como ocorreu com Antônio conselheiro em Canudos, no sertão baiano. A cidade de Canudos sucumbiu porque enfrentou o poder hegemônico. A questão analisada é: porque alguns messianismos/milenarismos ainda subsistem e outros foram massacrados? O fator anomia aparece em todos eles. Outro fato é que esses Messias exercem uma chefia sagrada e profana em seus redutos. Ambos tinham e têm seu imaginário impregnado pela religiosidade do catolicismo popular. A teoria psicossociológica vem sobremaneira corroborar para explicar os fenômenos. Outra questão levantada: os fatos ocorridos com os dois messianismos estudados foram mais circunstanciais, por causa das privações de bens causadas pelas crises econômicas, devido ao choque intercultural do povo nordestino advindo da proclamação da República em 1889.

Destaca a reconstituição histórica e estética do processo da arte político-religiosa no Brasil de 1970 aos dias atuais. O período marca o nascimento, expansão, recuo e sobrevivência da Teologia da Libertação, e junto com o discurso que brota dessa reflexão, nasceu uma produção iconográfica própria e que escapa daqueles modelos consagrados pela teologia tradicional. O negro, o índio, o retirante nordestino, a mulher marginalizada, emprestam seus rostos à Virgem Maria e a Jesus Cristo, a fim de reafirmar o nascimento de um homem novo que surge dos escombros da colonização e da dependência política e econômica que marcaram a América Latina. As figuras, os desenhos, os cartazes, as expressões corporais, se transformaram em documentos que essa teologia produziu ao longo das décadas e que aqui serão abordados. De fato, o que nos interessa de perto, não é privilegiar questões de estilo, mas compreender, através de dados iconográficos, a latência de uma teologia exuberante e eficaz em sua intenção de se tornar a voz do pobre e marginalizado. A hipótese da pesquisa se constitui no problema referente ao processo de sacralização de iconografias, personagens profanos sob a égide da Teologia da Libertação no decorrer desse período no Brasil. A originalidade está em mostrar como esse ideário tomou forma através de representações pictóricas que facilitavam a sua compreensão e aceitação por parte do povo, especialmente o morador da periferia das grandes cidades ou do campo. Nesses lugares, graças a essa estratégia, conjugada a outras, como canções, danças e novos rituais, a Teologia da Libertação teve grande aceitação e força, semeando, através das CEBs (Comunidades Eclesiais de Base), a proposta da criação de uma nova sociedade, baseada em relações mais justas e fraternas, superando a exploração e a opressão dos poderosos a serviço do sistema capitalista. No entanto, a partir do final dos anos 1980, o rosto do sagrado estampado no rosto do pobre começa a esmaecer, sinal de um retorno conservador na Igreja. Apesar disso, esse rosto resiste e atravessa os tempos revelando a sobrevivência de um nicho mais que sagrado no profano. / It focuses the historical and aesthetical process of the politic-religious art in Brazil from 1970 to present time, a period which gives birth and at the same time, a kind of disaggregation to an iconographic model that sets apart the traditional ones, consecrated by the church. Black people, Indians, migrants living in poor areas, marginalized women, offer their faces to Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ with the proposal of reaffirming the birth of a new man that revives from the ashes of colonization ruins and also from the politic and economic dependence which was imprinted in Latin America. Pictures, drawings, posters, body language, become themselves, documents that Liberation Theology produced during these decades and will be studied in this research. As a matter of fact, what is mostly important to us to comprehend is not style matters but, above all, through iconographic issues, the latency of an exuberant and effective Theology in its intention to become the voice of the poor and the marginalized. The main hypothesis of this research constitutes in seeing the sacralization process on profane personages according to the Liberation Theology vision. The originality of this research is to show how an ideal took shape through pictorial representations that facilitate its comprehension and acceptation from poor people, especially those who live at the margins of the big cities. In those places, thanks to this strategy, but also with songs, dances and new rituals, Liberation Theology had large acceptation and gained strength, spreading its seeds through the Cebs (Base Communities), and with them, cherished the possibility of creating a new society based on fraternal and fair relations, overcoming exploration and oppression that come from powerful people who serve the capitalist system. However, from the end of the 1980s, the face of the sacred in the face of the poor starts fading as a sign of a conservative return inside the Catholic Church. In spite of this, that face endures and go across the times revealing the survival of a niche more than sacred in the profane.

O trabalho investiga a atividade musical da cidade de São Paulo no período de 1765 a 1822 e verifica como a circulação da música entre as esferas profana e sagrada e o consequente processo de laicização dos espaços contribuiram para a ampliação das práticas de sociabilidade da época. A relação entre o produtor, no caso compositor ou músico, e as instituições atendidas, tais como as igrejas e as irmandades, ou os indivíduos, será abordada. Junta-se a esta relação aquela existente entre a recepção por parte do público e os diferentes meios de reprodução da música. Com esse estudo, estabelecemos o circuito musical sacro e profano no período. Evidenciam-se as atividades da Casa da Ópera no governo de D. Luís Antônio de Sousa Botelho Mourão e como elas propiciaram à cidade de São Paulo uma integração cultural às principais cidades do Brasil colonial. / This work investigates the musical activities of São Paulo city from 1765 to 1822 and verifies how the music circulation in the sacred as well as profane circles and its following process of democratization of spaces contributed for the growth of the socialization practices of the colonial society. The relationship between the producer - the composer or musician in this case, and the attended institutions such as churches, brotherhoods or even private contracts, will be discussed. Besides this relationship there is also the reception of the society during the period and the different ways of music reproduction. Studying this relationship we establish the church and profane musical circuit of the period. The activities of the house of opera during the government of D. Luís Antônio de Sousa Botelho Mourão gave to the city of São Paulo a cultural integration to the principal cities of colonial Brazil.

Cette recherche interroge le sens culturel et social dans le processus de qualification du patrimoine et de développement territorial de la province de Nador (Maroc). Deux problématiques se dessinent à l'issue de ce travail : celle de l'interprétation des ressources patrimoniales locales et celle de leur performance. Elles se sont élaborées sur le terrain, et résultent de l'ensemble des interactions installées dans et par l'enquête ethnographique conduite de 2009 à 2012. Les principaux résultats apportent des éléments de compréhension au rapport que les différents acteurs entretiennent avec ce patrimoine y compris la population locale ; l'approche ethnographique a mis au jour un savoir profane et une mémoire des habitants qu'ils traduisent diversement dans les dynamiques locales émergeantes de l'action patrimoniale et dans un processus de qualification de l'héritage culturel de la province. In fine, cette thèse révèle des tensions et des enjeux liés à une mise en patrimoine encore instable. Nos propositions invitent à la capitalisation du savoir profane et de l'expertise locale et leur inscription dans une dynamique institutionnelle naissante au Maroc, dans des dispositifs de médiation symbolique, mais aussi dans des formes de communication publique et territoriale. / This research questions the cultural and social meaning in the qualification process of heritage and in the territory development of the province of Nador (Morocco).Two problematics are derivated from this work : the interpretation of local patrimonial resources and their performance. They were elaborated on the field work and are resulting from all the interactions installed thanks to the ethnographic method led from 2009 to 2012. The main results help in understanding the relationship of different actors with this heritage, including the local population ; the ethnographic approach reveals inhabitants profane knowledge and memory that they transpose in many ways in the emerging local dynamics of the patrimonial action and in the qualification process of cultural heritage of the province. Ultimately, this research reveals tensions and stakes related to the still unstable heritage. Our proposals call for the capitalization of profane knowledge and local expertise and their enrollment in an emerging institutional dynamic in Morocco, in symbolic mediation devices and in public and territorial communication.

Cette thèse est le résultat de quatre années d’enquête ethnographique passées à observer, à enregistrer et à décrire les activités de commissions participatives de revitalisation urbaine en Région de Bruxelles-Capitale : les CLDI (Commissions Locales de Développement Intégré). Sur base de ce matériau ethnographique, je me suis intéressé à la stratification des contextes de communication en assemblée (dimensions institutionnelle, écologique, dialogique, historique), et à la manifestation de compétences et d’incompétences communicationnelles d’ordres différents dans les prises de parole des participants non spécialistes de ces assemblées (les « simples habitants », les « citoyens ordinaires », les « profanes »). Comme beaucoup d’autres l’ont déjà fait remarquer, dans l’environnement technocratique de ces commissions, où les titres de spécialistes ont déjà été décernés à l’élu, au chef de projet, à l’expert urbaniste, à l’association spécialisée (...), il est particulièrement incommode pour des participants profanes de faire agir une parole -au sens où l’entend la théorie des actes de discours. Privilégier une approche logocentrique dans l’analyse des matériaux, étudier exclusivement la « grammaire symbolique » (propositionnelle, figurative, discursive...) d’activités publiques systématiquement troublées par les interventions malheureuses de profanes semble conduire l’analyste à répéter continuellement le constat de l’incompétence de ces derniers, et à accréditer une sociologie de la domination, immédiatement critique de ces initiatives de démocratisation. En me référant à l’interactionnisme réaliste et naturaliste de Goffman, et à la lecture que fait Jean-Marc Ferry de la sémiotique peircienne (qui distingue les « symboles » des « indices » et des « icônes »), je montre que la voie empruntée avec le plus de succès par les profanes dans ces assemblées consiste à accentuer l’ordinarité de leurs engagements non pas en « montant en généralité » dans leurs propositions, mais au contraire en désertant le monde spécialisé et officiel des discours, en investissant les modes de signification infrasymboliques de l’ « iconique » et de l’ « indiciel », en jouant, en deçà d’une « grammaire discursive », de codes logiques respectivement « associatifs » et « imputatifs ». (Ferry, 2007). Plutôt que par l’intégration discursive de symboles (proposer, définir, conceptualiser, argumenter...), la contribution heureuse de non spécialistes à ces espaces de démocratie technique passerait par l'opération plus archaïque consistant à agencer provisoirement des icônes (associer, évoquer, rappeler, immiter...) et des indices (indiquer, montrer, pointer, signaler, adresser...). Prendre au sérieux ces formes de compétences primitives dans le cas d’acteurs politiques non spécialistes, c’est aussi pointer l’émergence d’une critique ordinaire qui serait dotée d’une certaine factualité. Plutôt que d’avancer un avis subjectif sur le discours objectif d’un expert urbaniste, un « simple habitant » peut lui même récolter, produire et publier ses « données », ses « objets », ses « images » - dans un espace public défini alors comme lieu d’interobjectivité –à partir des icones et des indices dont regorgent les situations de coprésence (ex : un habitant pointe de l’index l’attitude méprisante d’un élu) et les aventures collectives (ex : un habitant rappelle à l’expert ses propres propos en exhibant le procès-verbal de la réunion précédente et en le citant). Se dessine alors la figure d’un citoyen procédural attaché à l’ordre civil élémentaire de l’action conjointe et de l’expérience partagée : une figure essentielle, à mon sens, dans les dispositifs de concertation que nous connaissons aujourd’hui ; une figure pourtant négligée jusqu’ici par les philosophes et les sociologues de la démocratie.

Depuis l'arrivée massive de l'aide internationale dans les années 1990, les Cambodgiens évoluent dans un environnement social mondialisé, composé d'un vaste réseau d'acteurs issus d'horizons socioculturels diversifiés. Des systèmes de référence, des manières de faire et de penser hétéroclites cohabitent et s'enchevêtrent. La thèse se concentre sur l'étude d'une norme globalisée appréhendée comme une porte d'entrée pour mieux cerner les mécanismes d'imbrication entre le global et le local. Aujourd'hui, rares sont les programmes de lutte contre l'épidémie à VIH qui n'impliquent pas les usagers pour la mise en oeuvre des activités les concernant et la discussion des choix collectifs. La participation profane est devenue une norme globalisée promue par l'ensemble des institutions de lutte contre le sida. Une fois défini le caractère collectivement partagé des règles qui composent cette norme, un éclairage de ses usages et de ses significations locales dans le contexte du Cambodge est effectué. La participation repose sur des principes de partage des savoirs, de répartition des pouvoirs, de valorisation des profanes et de démocratisation des processus de prise de décision qui se concrétisent difficilement au Cambodge. Depuis l'expansion de cette norme, les acteurs profanes sont impliqués massivement à tous les niveaux du parcours de soins sur la plus grande partie du territoire, cependant ils endossent principalement des rôles d'exécutants. Dès qu'il est question d'exercer une influence sur les décisions publiques, un double mécanisme de rejet de la norme se met en place. D'un côté des acteurs profanes sont réticents à s'imposer comme des personnes de pouvoir, à même de débattre ouvertement dans l'arène publique, de l'autre la majorité des élites qui décident et implantent les actions de développement contrôlent la participation et " ensablent " les voix des profanes. Pour une pléthore d'acteurs, les principes de hiérarchie et de non contestation qui caractérisent la société cambodgienne entrent en contradiction avec les principes et valeurs inhérents à la participation. La norme est reformulée en fonction du contexte structurel et sociohistorique du Cambodge. Elle prend une toute autre forme, parfois contraire à son but initial.

The aim of this essay is to illustrate a modern phenomenon, the Olympic Games, by applying the ideas of Mircea Eliade concerning space, time and myth. This literature study is mainly divided in two parts, one descriptive and one analytic. In the first part Eliade’s ideas and some criticism, which has been pointed against his theoretical approaches as well as his character, are presented. In the second part an analysis is carried out, based on the previously presented ideas and elements essential for the Olympics; the idea of the Olympics, the place, the ceremonies, the competition and the concept of individual idolism. I have discussed what seems like gnostic tendencies in Eliade’s ideas, in the sense that both Eliade’s ideas and the concept of Gnosticism argue that knowledge is a necessary condition for salvation, as well as the fact that Eliade and his ideas have not always a pro-Christian approach. I have also shown that incoherency exists in his theoretical approach concerning the manifestation of the sacred. I have found that Mircea Eliade’s ideas, with some difficulties, very well can reflect a modern phenomenon such as the Olympic Games. I have also put forth the idea of translating Eliade’s conception of axis mundi into an ideological landscape; the Olympic values become an analogy to axis mundi. Furthermore, I have also shown that modern man in different ways desires to be close to the sacred, and how this fact to some extent may explain people’s devotion to and worship of sport heroes, and thus why not only athletes but also billions of spectators are inclined to attend the Olympics. Finally, I show that, according to Eliade’s ideas, the Olympics might facilitate the process of creating modern myths.

<p>The aim of this essay is to illustrate a modern phenomenon, the Olympic Games, by applying the ideas of Mircea Eliade concerning space, time and myth. This literature study is mainly divided in two parts, one descriptive and one analytic. In the first part Eliade’s ideas and some criticism, which has been pointed against his theoretical approaches as well as his character, are presented. In the second part an analysis is carried out, based on the previously presented ideas and elements essential for the Olympics; the idea of the Olympics, the place, the ceremonies, the competition and the concept of individual idolism.</p><p>I have discussed what seems like gnostic tendencies in Eliade’s ideas, in the sense that both Eliade’s ideas and the concept of Gnosticism argue that knowledge is a necessary condition for salvation, as well as the fact that Eliade and his ideas have not always a pro-Christian approach. I have also shown that incoherency exists in his theoretical approach concerning the manifestation of the sacred.</p><p>I have found that Mircea Eliade’s ideas, with some difficulties, very well can reflect a modern phenomenon such as the Olympic Games. I have also put forth the idea of translating Eliade’s conception of axis mundi into an ideological landscape; the Olympic values become an analogy to axis mundi. Furthermore, I have also shown that modern man in different ways desires to be close to the sacred, and how this fact to some extent may explain people’s devotion to and worship of sport heroes, and thus why not only athletes but also billions of spectators are inclined to attend the Olympics. Finally, I show that, according to Eliade’s ideas, the Olympics might facilitate the process of creating modern myths.</p>