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Related Experiment Videos

[Saint Orosia's convulsionaries].

S Giménez-Roldán1

  • 1Servicio de Neurología, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid. sjimenez-hgugm@salud.madrid.org

Neurologia (Barcelona, Spain)
|February 24, 2005
PubMed
Summary
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Mass motor hysteria outbreaks, known as Saint Orosia's convulsionaries, occurred annually in Jaca, Spain, during religious festivals. This phenomenon, involving unusual behaviors and seeking healing, ceased in 1947.

Area of Science:

  • Medical History
  • Social Psychology
  • Cultural Anthropology

Background:

  • Documenting historical outbreaks of mass motor hysteria during religious celebrations.
  • Highlighting the long-standing phenomenon of Saint Orosia's convulsionaries in Jaca, Spain, since the 11th century.
  • Addressing the limited attention paid to this socio-medical event in medical literature.

Observation:

  • Pilgrims gathered annually on June 25th for a procession honoring Saint Orosia.
  • Individuals with epilepsy, psychosis, paralysis, and hysteria participated, seeking cures through rituals.
  • Descriptions from 1881 depict an atmosphere of fervor, ignorance, and paganism surrounding these behaviors.

Findings:

  • The Saint Orosia convulsionary outbreaks represent a significant historical instance of mass motor hysteria.

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  • The phenomenon integrated religious devotion with elements of folk healing and potentially exorcism.
  • The practice ceased in 1947 after prohibition by local Catholic authorities.

    • Implications:

    • Provides insight into the historical interplay of religion, social behavior, and psychological phenomena.
    • Suggests that mass motor hysteria outbreaks can persist for centuries within specific cultural contexts.
    • Understanding historical cases aids in recognizing and analyzing similar contemporary phenomena.