Brother-Making in Late Antiquity and Byzantium

"Among medieval Christian societies, Byzantium is unique in preserving an ecclesiastical ritual of adelphopoiesis, which pronounces two men as brothers. It has its origin as a spiritual blessing in the monastic world of Late Antiquity, becomes a popular social networking strategy among laypeople from the ninth century onwards, and still finds application in recent times. Located at the intersection of religious and social history, brother-making exemplifies how social practice can become ritualized and subsequently subjected to attempts of ecclesiastical and legal control. The purpose and application of adelphopoiesis can be studied within three large, and partially overlapping, contexts: within the context of male-male relations, as a way to formalize a partnership; within the context of ritual kinship strategies, as a way to expand one’s family circle; and within the context of Byzantine Christianity, as a way for the church to exercise influence and control."--