“IRRATIONAL THERAPY” – MYTH, RITUAL, BELIEF (STUDIES IN THE PSYCHOLOGY OF RELIGION ON THE EXAMPLE OF INFECTIOUCS DISEASES)

Abstract

The paper focuses on two main issues: what psychological mechanism participated in the ritual of Batonebi performed to treat infectious diseases, and why the Georgian folk ritual of Batonebi has survived in fact to this day. In addition to the great mother Nana, St. Barbara and St. John the Baptist, Saints Marina and Tekla were supposed to be patrons and healers from infectious diseases. Accordingly, they turned for help mainly to female deities and saints.

This interdisciplinary study is based on ethnographic, folklore materials, ethnological, psychological and historical scientific literature.

Key words: Psychology of religion, ethnology, history.