ARTICLES
Ιωάννης Ζαρκαδούλας
Εκπαιδευτικός Γαλλικής Γλώσσας, Σχολάρχης Πατμιάδας Εκκλησιαστικής Σχολής
Υποψήφιος Διδάκτορας, Πανεπιστήμιο Γενεύης
Abstract: The article explores the decisive influence of the apocryphal Protoevangelium of James (2nd century AD) on the formation of Christian tradition, moving beyond the strict dichotomy between canonical and apocryphal texts. The study demonstrates how this text served as the “chief architect” of the Marian dogma, establishing Mary’s absolute holiness and perpetual virginity through narratives such as her miraculous conception and her upbringing in the Holy of Holies. Furthermore, it highlights the text’s immense contribution to iconography, providing the theatricality and details absent from the canonical Gospels.
