The Stoudite monk Niketas Stethatos played an important role in the religious life of Constantinople. Of particular importance are his Spiritual Centuries. In-depth analysis of this text reveals that it not only contains teachings about various aspects of spirituality. Niketas also makes numerous statements about the role of the mystic within society, which have no precedent in earlier spiritual literature. These statements are surprisingly specific and reflect Niketas’ self-image as a charismatic, his attempts to establish himself as an authoritative teacher of the Constantinopolitan populace, and his bitter feuds with those who opposed his activities.
