Editing Foolishness for Christ (section)

{{Short description|Flouting social norms for religious purposes}}
[[File:Sant Basil The Prayer.jpg|thumb|[[Basil Fool for Christ]] praying. He did not wear clothing either in summer or winter. Fools for Christ often challenge accepted norms to serve a religious purpose. Painting by [[Sergei Kirillov]], 1994.]]

'''Foolishness for Christ''' ({{langx|el|διά Χριστόν σαλότητα}}; {{langx|cu|оуродъ, юродъ}}) refers to behavior such as giving up all one's worldly possessions upon joining an [[ascetic]] order or religious life, or deliberately flouting society's conventions to serve a religious purpose—particularly of Christianity. Such individuals have historically been known as both "holy fools" and "blessed fools". The term "fool" connotes what is perceived as [[feeblemindedness]], and "[[blessing|blessed]]" or "holy" refers to innocence in the eyes of God.<ref name="Frith, Uta 1989">Frith, Uta. (1989) Autism: The Elegant Enigma. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.</ref>

The term ''fools for Christ'' derives from the writings of [[Paul the Apostle]]. [[Desert Fathers]] and other saints acted the part of Holy Fools, as have the ''yurodivy'' (or iurodstvo) of [[Eastern Orthodox]] [[asceticism]]. Fools for Christ often employ shocking and unconventional behavior to challenge accepted norms, deliver prophecies, or to mask their piety.<ref name="Parry 1999, p. 233">Parry (1999), p. 233</ref>