Saints & Martyrs
The cult of the saints, as formulated in late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, depended in large part on the production and dissemination of hagiographic texts. Such texts provided evidence that the hero or heroine had lived a virtuous life, or in the case of sinners like Mary Magdalene, that he or she had undergone a period of penance appropriate to his or her transgression.
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Hagiographic texts also testified to the performance of miracles, both during and after a saint's lifetime. Such events became a decisive factor in determining who achieved sainthood, and were key to motivating the faithful to undertake pilgrimages. In fact, many collections of saints' lives were organized around the various feast days used to celebrate the saints, so that the reader would know when to pay homage to Demetrios and when to commemorate Sergios.
One of the most important collections of saints' lives is the Legenda Aurea, or Golden Legend. Compiled by the Dominician friar Jacobus de Voragine around 1260, the Golden Legend started as a guide for clerics, but became a popular text among lay readers in later centuries. Its widespread use is apparent in the large number of surviving copies and its translation into multiple vernacular languages.
The first English translation of the Golden Legend appeared in 1483. Prepared by William of Caxton, this translation was one of the first printed books in Europe. Caxton's translation is also notable for the addition of material from a number of other sources, including the Bible, which he used to augment Voragine's text. Rather than viewing this as a deviation from the original, however, it is more productive to think of Caxton's translation as continuing in the tradition of hagiography to which Voragine belonged, with the purpose of such a text being to capture the reader's imagination.
Gabriella Szalay
You can read the entire Temple Classics 1900 edition of William of Caxton's translation of The Golden Legend online, thanks to the digitization efforts of Robert Blackmon for the Internet Medieval Source Book.
Saint Amandus
Amandus was a monk in Flanders and Northern France who preached throughout the region and founded several monasteries and nunneries, including ones in Ghent and Elnon.
Saint Anastasios the Persian
Anastasios was a military commander in Asia Minor and Syria who was tortured and executed in Caesarea.
Saint Blaise
Blaise was a bishop in Sebaste, Armenia. While in hiding during his persecution, he is said to have healed sick and wounded animals.
Saint Demetrios
Demetrios' relics are said to have oozed myrrh, which was then collected by pilgrims.
Saint Eustace
According to legend, the Roman general Placidus was out hunting a stag when an image of Jesus on the cross appeared between the animal's antlers, inspiring him to convert to Christianity and adopt the name Eustace.
Saint George
George is popular for having slain a dragon and requesting that, in lieu of thanks, the villagers he saved convert to Christianity.
Saint Helena
Helena is best known for her pilgrimages to the Holy Land, during which she allegedly found the True Cross.
Saint John the Baptist
John baptized Jesus in the River Jordan and was among the first to recognize his cousin as the Messiah.
Saint Martial
Martial was a bishop under Decius who was sent to Limoges in Gaul to preach the Gospel.
Saint Mary Magdalene
According to the New Testament, the resurrected Christ appeared to Mary Magdalene on Easter morning.
Saint Menas
Menas was an Egyptian and a soldier in the Roman army who deserted to practice Christianity.
Saint Nicholas
Holy oil said to have healing properties seeped from Nicholas' remains and drew many medieval pilgrims to his shrine at Bari, Italy.
Saint Paul
While travelling to Damascus, Paul had a vision of Christ and was temporarily blinded. When he recovered his sight, he converted to Christianity and began missionary activity throughout the Mediterranean.
Saint Peter
According to the Gospel, a fisherman known as Simon was called to follow Jesus, who gave him the name Peter and declared him "The rock upon which I will found my Church."
Saint Sergios
Sergios and his friend Saint Bakchos were buried and later enshrined in Resafa (in modern-day Syria), which for a time was renamed Sergiopolis and was a popular pilgrimage site.
Saint Thomas Becket
Thomas was murdered by four knights of King Henry II inside Canterbury Cathedral, making him an instant martyr.
Saint Valerie
According to legend, Valerie was converted to Christianity by Saint Martial of Limoges and was later beheaded for refusing to marry Duke Steven.
Saint Vincent of Saragossa
Vincent served as deacon under Bishop Valerius of Saragossa and was martyred under Emperor Diocletian.
Virgin Mary
At the Annunciation, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Mary to announce that she would give birth to the Son of God.