Foolishness-for-Christ as a feat of true sanctity in the works of Russian writers of 19th century

The article studies the phenomenon of “foolishness-for-Christ” depicted in the works of Russian writers of the 19 century, e. g. A. Pushkin’s Boris Godunov, O. Somov’s A Fool-for-Christ, A. Ostrovsky’s Kozma Zakharyich Minin, Sukhoruk, L. Tolstoy’s Childhood. The novelty of the research is presented primarily in the use of an axiological method for analysis of works of fiction as well as in interpretation of characters in terms of theology which proves that a “God’s fool” is shown as a person of an inverse perspective. The characters cannot be considered as part of the joking culture and the game, their life is never divided into night and day time, inner or outerdomains. They exist in the realm of “foolishness-in-Christ” that proves that while living in this world they belong to a different one and obey another law. In the studied literary works all the “holy fool” characters are marked by deep spiritual involvement and apparent conciliarism. They treat people with childlike sincerity and unselfishness personifying, thus, the Christian ideal of the writers. In these literary works “foolishness-for-Christ” displaying traits of national mentality is presented as the avatar of Christian faith manifested in a complete denial of worldly life and values, the first of which is “the wisdom of the world” (1 Kor. 3:18–19).