Medieval Hagiography

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This collection offers a comprehensive guide to the development of hagiography and the cult of saints in medieval western Christendom through translated sources. It serves as an essential resource for studying ideals of sanctity and religious practices of the time. Aimed at the classroom, medieval scholars exploring unfamiliar languages, and general readers intrigued by saints, it allows for an in-depth exploration of writings about them. The thirty-six chapters feature either complete texts or substantial selections, with most never before available in English. Previously translated texts are presented here with significant improvements based on new scholarship. Each translation includes introductions, notes, and reading suggestions to assist the reader. The selections span from the fourth century, when Christian sanctity ideals evolved amid the growing public veneration of relics, to the period just before the Reformation, when traditional concepts of sanctity were being questioned. The collection encompasses works in Latin, Greek, and translations from Romance, Celtic, Germanic, and Slavic languages, as well as Hebrew texts on Jewish martyrdom. Originating from diverse regions, the selections cover various genres, including lives of saints, miracle stories, relic accounts, liturgical texts, visions, canonization inquests, and heresy trials.