"The Burning Light of Phoebus" A New Perspective on Erasmus’ Poem to St. Genevieve

This essay examines a brief and little-known composition by Erasmus of Rotterdam, a poem dedicated to St. Genevieve. The presence of a votive composition dedicated to a saint is an atypical occurrence among Erasmus’ humanistic writings, which generally reduce the importance of saintly devotion and worship. However, the poem presents a captivating case that sheds light on Erasmus’ understanding of the role of women and the feminine element in his philosophy of Christ. In this context, it can be argued, women become the ideal vehicles for disseminating key tenets of his thought, including imitatio Christi, accommodatio, and Philosophia Christi. Furthermore, the text provides valuable insights into Erasmus’ stance on the veneration of saints, which consistently remains subordinate to his Christocentric perspective.