L’APPORTO DI S. NERSĒS ŠNORHALI ALLE TRADUZIONI DI TESTI AGIOGRAFICI IN ARMENO E IL CULTO DEI SANTI: OSSERVAZIONI PRELIMINARI

St. Nersēs Šnorhali is a unique and towering figure in medieval Armenian literature, pastoral care, theology, and more. Many aspects of his multi-faceted activity have been studied but can be explored further. In this study I analyse his activities as a translator and redactor of hagiographies. Specifically, I explore the identity of the saints whose lives were selected for translation from Greek or Syriac and reflect on the significance of those specific saints in the context of Cilician Armenian political and religious history, attempting to reveal the logic behind the selection of saints whose cult was thus promoted via the translation of their lives.