Review of the Panel “Female Faces of Martyrdom” at the Conference “And You, Sister, Speak!”
The second day of the “And You, Sister, Speak!” conference commenced with the panel “Female Faces of Martyrdom,” featuring presentations by Prof. Dr. Asja Demiragić and Prof. Dr. Jasmina Husanović. The session, which included discussions with the participants, was moderated by Dr. Amra Pandžo.
From the outset, it became evident that the concept of martyrdom and the notion of a “holy” life, irrespective of the religious tradition, share similar characteristics and essentially the same definition. In the Christian tradition, the term “martyr” (Latin: martyr, Greek: μάρτυς) signifies a witness, and in the Islamic tradition, a martyr also denotes a witness of faith—someone who sacrifices their life to bear witness to and spread the word of God. Given that both religious traditions discussed by the professors have a multitude of martyrs, it is apparent that the lives and teachings of these figures manifest in various forms. However, the core element that defines a martyr is the dedication of their life and death, irrespective of their circumstances, to God and faith. Despite the diverse lives and spiritual paths of martyrs, and the rigid systems that uphold and preserve their legacies, the question of intersectionality remains unavoidable in the hermeneutic analysis of their lives and teachings.
Therefore, while discussing the faces of martyrdom is undoubtedly significant and intriguing, focusing on female faces of martyrdom is essential for the broader religious and philosophical discourse. Canonical traditions and established hierarchies are conditions for the sociological and historical endurance of a religion. Similarly, auxiliary aspects such as legends, allegories, teachings, and interpretations are crucial for preserving gnosis in challenging times. In contemporary society, addressing the role of women priests has transcended mere inclusivity in religious discourse to become a matter of sustaining the social capital of religion.
Historically, the role of women in the religious traditions of Christianity and Islam has been approached prescriptively—repeatedly thematized by religious authorities through an infantilizing lens. Despite the efforts of individual theologians to validate women as religious and spiritual subjects through alternative interpretations of religious texts and traditions, the role and duties of women within monotheistic religions have remained confined to elementary rules of conduct and generalized feminine teleology, leaving little room for discussion, even among women themselves. Consequently, women priests often preserved their unique teachings and revelations within the mystical realm—a direct relationship with God and spirit.
Authentic female spirituality historically sought refuge in mysticism and esoteric approaches to belief and worship. Women priests pursued more alternative practices and freer forms of divine address, striving to minimize the usurpation of existing patriarchal religious structures and hierarchies.
One such priestess, Rabia al-Adawiyya, was discussed by Prof. Husanović during her presentation. A Sufi woman, spiritual teacher, and historical figure from Basra, Rabia al-Adawiyya left a significant mark on Islamic mysticism. Prof. Husanović explored the metanarrative of Rabia al-Adawiyya’s life and teachings, touching upon the tropes (Greek: τρόπος: way, turn; figure of speech involving a change in meaning) used to characterize this priestess. Much more has been written about Rabia al-Adawiyya than she herself documented about her spiritual journey. Her role in Sufism has been portrayed through various tropes: as a spiritual teacher, a lover of God, an ascetic, and a Sufi woman.
Prof. Demiragić, on the other hand, shared the story of St. Kumernisa, a Portuguese martyr reputedly endowed with a beard by God to avoid an unwanted marriage. While the historical existence of St. Kumernisa remains unverified, her figure has inspired generations of Christians and other believers through oral and written narratives. Whether depicted in Olga Tokarczuk’s writings, the Brothers Grimm’s tales, or the icon in Velika Mlaka, St. Kumernisa embodies the amalgamation of all her representations, legends, and stories.
These two examples—St. Kumernisa and Rabia al-Adawiyya—regardless of the details of their lives and the accuracy of historical data about them, share a similar fate within patriarchal structures of monotheistic religions. Their biographies, like those of countless women clergy, have lost their narrative and hagiographic integrity over time. The original intent of preserving their stories often results in a glorified form of marginalization.
The sanctification of individuals, whether male or female, typically involves mystification, mythologizing, and conceptualization of their lives and miracles. This poeticizing, particularly in the context of female spiritual figures, often leads to their objectification. A holy person, especially a holy woman, becomes a symbol and an icon, an object of worship and admiration, but also an object in itself. The historical mystification of female priests shifts them from being individuals with integrity and authority to transcendent, often fictional, entities. From the outset, the recording or creation of a priestess’s narrative does not consider the canonization of her practices or teachings—she is relegated to an alternative topos within discourse and tradition.
Although female spirituality within monotheistic religions has found some autonomy in mysticism, it appears that mysticism itself has historically failed women. Mysticism, as a religious and spiritual category, remains trapped within a patriarchal framework. Mystical events, figures, and teachings are scrutinized, evaluated, and categorized within religious tradition. Historically, the negation of a person’s mystical practice or spiritual path by patriarchal religious authorities results in rejection and the designation of heresy. If a priestess or mystic does not conform to prescribed criteria, she and her followers are often marginalized and silenced. This raises questions about what constitutes success in such a system. The affirmation of a priestess as a saint or spiritual figure within tradition contributes to the overall positioning of women in religious history, yet it remains a product of patriarchal valuation.
As Prof. Husanović noted, Sufi women are neither desired nor rejected but rendered obscure. The main objective seems to be making them harmless, as illustrated by the example of Rabia al-Adawiyya, where recorded priestesses, remembered and followed, are often relegated to “constructed saint” roles with “honorary male status.”
The panel “Female Faces of Martyrdom” served as a poignant reminder of women who have achieved sainthood, martyrdom, and ascetic status through their lives and worship. However, it also raises the question of those who have been rejected. When women’s religiosity and spirituality do not align with the patriarchal value system or fulfill a “female spiritual role,” yet do not conform to the faith that would earn them an “honorary male role”—where does such a priestess stand?
A panel like this underscores the need for feminism, theology, and feminist theology to address women clergy not merely as mythical figures inspiring us but as subjects deserving accurate historiographical research and inclusion in discourse. Most importantly, it calls for a continual examination of the patriarchal structures within monotheistic religiosity and the criteria by which women embarking on spiritual paths are judged, condemned, and categorized.
Uma Đurić
The text was created as part of the FER conference “And You, Sister, Speak!” held in Sarajevo from November 16-19, 2023. The conference was organized by the TPO Foundation and the Omiš Women’s Ecumenical Initiative.
