Why can the dead do such great things? : saints and worshippers from the martyrs to the Reformation

A sweeping, authoritative, and entertaining history of the Christian cult of the saints from its origin to the Reformation From its earliest centuries, one of the most notable features of Christianity has been the veneration of the saints—the holy dead. This ambitious history tells the fascinating story of the cult of the saints from its origins in the second-century days of the Christian martyrs to the Protestant Reformation. Robert Bartlett examines all of the most important aspects of the saints—including miracles, relics, pilgrimages, shrines, and the saints' role in the calendar, literature, and art. The book explores the central role played by the bodies and body parts of saints, and the special treatment these relics received. From the routes, dangers, and rewards of pilgrimage, to the saints' impact on everyday life, Bartlett's account is an unmatched examination of an important and intriguing part of the religious life of the past—as well as the present. From its earliest centuries, one of the most notable features of Christianity has been the veneration of the saints -- the holy dead. This ambitious history tells the fascinating story of the cult of the saints from its origins in the second-century days of the Christian martyrs to the Protestant Reformation. Robert Bartlett examines all of the most important aspects of the saints -- including miracles, relics, pilgrimages, shrines, and the saints' role in the calendar, literature, and art. The book explores the central role played by the bodies and body parts of saints, and the special treatment these relics received. From the routes, dangers, and rewards of pilgrimage, to the saints' impact on everyday life, Bartlett's account is an unmatched examination of an important and intriguing part of the religious life of the past--as well as the present From its earliest centuries, one of the most notable features of Christianity has been the veneration of the saints - the holy dead. This book, written by a medieval historian, tells the fascinating story of the cult of the saints from its origins in the second-century days of the Christian martyrs to the Protestant Reformation. Drawing on sources from around the Christian world, the author examines all of the most important aspects of the saints, including miracles, relics, pilgrimages, shrines, and the saints' role in the calendar and literature Content: Part I. Developments. Origins (100-500) -- The early Middle Ages (500-1000) -- The high and later Middle Ages (1000-1500) -- The Protestant Reformation -- part II. Dynamics. The nature of cult -- Saints' days -- Types of saint -- Relics and shrines -- Miracles -- Pilgrimage -- Dedications and naming -- Images of the saints -- The literature of sanctity -- Doubt and dissent -- Reflections. From its earliest centuries, one of the most notable features of Christianity has been the veneration of the saints - the holy dead. This title explores the central role played by the bodies and body parts of saints, and the special treatment these relics received: how they were treasured and enshrined, used in war and peace, and faked and traded.