1st Edition

Medieval Hagiography An Anthology

By Thomas Head Copyright 2000

    This collection presents-through the medium of translated sources-a comprehensive guide to the development of hagiography and the cult of the saints in western Christendom during the middle ages. It provides an unparalleled resource for the study of the ideals of sanctity and the practice of religion in the medieval west. Intended for the classroom, for the medieval scholar who wishes to explore sources in unfamiliar languages, and for the general reader fascinated by the saints, this collection provides the reader a chance to explore in depth a full range of writings about the saints (the term hagiography is derived from Greek roots: hagios=holy and graphe=writing). The thirty-six chapters contain sources either in their entirety or in selections of substantial length. The great majority of the texts have never previously appeared in English translation. Those which have appeared in earlier translation, are here presented in versions based on significant new textual and historical scholarship which makes them significant improvements on the earlier versions. All the translations are accompanied by introductions, notes, and suggestions for further reading in order to help guide the reader. The first selections date to the fourth century, when the ideals of Christian sanctity were evolving to meet the demands of a world in which Christianity was an accepted religion and when the public veneration of relics was growing greatly in scope. The last selections date to the period immediately prior to the Reformation, a period in which the traditional concept of sanctity and acceptability of de cult of relics was being questioned. In addition to numerous works from the clerical languages of Latin and Greek, the selections include translations from Romance, Celtic, Germanic, and Slavic vernacular languages, s well as Hebrew texts concerning the martyrdom of Jews at the hands of Christians. Originating in lands from Iceland to Hungary and from the Baltic to the Mediterranean, they are taken from a full range of the many genres which constituted hagiography: lives of the saints, collections of miracle stories, accounts of the discovery or movement of relics, liturgical books, visions, canonization inquests, and even heresy trials.

    1: Athanasius of Alexandria, Life of St. Antony of Egypt; Athanasius of Alexandria, Life of St. Antony of Egypt; 2: Victricius of Rouen, In Praise of the Saints; Victricius of Rouen, In Praise of the Saints; 3: Mark the Deacon, Life of St. Porphyry of Gaza; Mark the Deacon, Life of St. Porphyry of Gaza; 4: Constantine the Great, the Empress Helena, and the Relics of the Holy Cross; Constantine the Great, the Empress Helena, and the Relics of the Holy Cross; 5: Life of the Holy Virgin Samthann; Life of the Holy Virgin Samthann; 6: Jonas of Bobbio, The Abbots of Bobbio from the Life of St. Columbanus; Jonas of Bobbio, The Abbots of Bobbio from the Life of Columbanus; 7: Dado of Rouen, Life of St. Eligius of Noyon; Dado of Rouen, The Life of St. Eligius of Noyon; 8: Bede, Martyrology; Bede , Martyrology; 9: Einhard, Translation of the Relics of Sts. Marcellinus and Peter; Einhard , Translation of the Relics of Sts. Marcellinus and Peter; 10: Raguel, The Martrydom of St. Pelagius; Raguel , The Martyrdom of St. Pelagius; 11: Hrotsvit of Gandersheim, The Establishment of the Monastery of Gandersheim; Hrotsvit of Gandersheim , The Establishment of the Monastery of Gandersheim; 12: Odilo of Cluny, Epitaph of the August Lady, Adelheid; Odilo of Cluny , Epitaph of the August Lady, Adelheid; 13: The Cult of Relics in the Eleventh Century; The Cult of Relics in the Eleventh Century; 14: Peter Damian, Life of St. Romuald of Ravenna; Peter Damian , Life of St. Romuald of Ravenna; 15: Life of St. Alexis; Life of St. Alexis 1; 16: The Miracles of St. Ursmer on His Journey through Flanders; The Miracles of St. Ursmer on His Journey through Flanders; 17: Drogo of Sint-Winoksbergen, Life of St. Godelieve; Drogo of Sint-Winoksbergen, Life of St. Godelieve; 18: Hartvic, Life of King Stephen of Hungary; Bishop Hartvic , Life of King St. Stephen 1; 19: Guibert of Nogent, On Saints and Their Relics; Guibert of Nogent , On Saints and Their Relics; 20: A Tale of Doomsday Colum Cille Should Have Left Untold; A Tale of Doomsday Colum Cille Should Have Left Untold; 21: Life of the Dear Friends Amicus and Amelius; Life of the Dear Friends Amicus and Amelius; 22: The Book of Ely; The Book of Ely; 23: The Tract on the Conversion of Pons of Léras and the True Account of the Beginning of the Monastery at Silvanès; The Tract on the Conversion of Pons of Léras and the True Account of the Beginning of the Monastery at Silvanès; 24: Thomas of Monmouth, Life and Passion of St. William of Norwich; Thomas of Monmouth , Life and Passion of St. William of Norwich; 25: The Jewish Martyrs of Blois; The Jewish Martyrs of Blois; 26: Liturgical Offices for the Cult of St. Thomas Becket; Liturgical Offices for the Cult of St. Thomas Becket; 27: Saga of Bishop Jón of Hólar; Saga of Bishop Jón of Hólar; 28: Gautier de Coincy, Miracles of the Virgin Mary; Gautier de Coincy , Miracles of the Virgin Mary; 29: The Cult of Mary Magdalen in Late Medieval France; The Cult of Mary Magdalen in Late Medieval France; 30: Three Thirteenth-Century Lives of St. Margaret of Antioch; Three Thirteenth-Century Lives of St. Margaret of Antioch; 31: The Middle-English Version of Jacques de Vitry’s Life of St. Marie d’Oignies; The Middle-English Version of Jacques de Vitry’s Life of Marie d’Oignies; 32: Peter of the Morrone (Pope Celestine V), Autobiography; Peter of the Morrone (Pope Celestine V) , Autobiography; 33: The Life of St. David set down by an Anchorite at Llanddewibrefi; The Life of St. David set down by an Anchorite at Llanddewibrefi; 34: The Old Czech Life of St. Catherine of Alexandria; The Old Czech Life of St. Catherine of Alexandria 1; 35: The Canonization Process for St. Vincent Ferrer; The Canonization Process for St. Vincent Ferrer; 36: The Mission of Joan of Arc; The Mission of Joan of Arc

    Biography

    Thomas Head

    "Routledge's decision to reissue Thomas Head's Medieval Haigiography in an expansive paperback edition, suggests that this is reference material that both scholars and students want to get their hands on." -- Arthuriana
    "[A] rich feast of a book, one might need no others... Overall it is highly to be recommended." -- The Catholic Historical Review