The cult of the saints, its rise and function in Latin Christianity, Peter Brown
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Label
The cult of the saints, its rise and function in Latin Christianity, Peter Brown
Language
eng
Index
no index present
Literary form
non fiction
Main title
The cult of the saints
Medium
electronic resource
Nature of contents
dictionaries
Responsibility statement
Peter Brown
Sub title
its rise and function in Latin Christianity
Summary
In this groundbreaking work, Peter Brown explores how the worship of saints and their corporeal remains became central to religious life in Western Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire. During this period, earthly remnants served as a heavenly connection, and their veneration is a fascinating window into the cultural mood of a region in transition. Brown challenges the long-held two-tier idea of religion that separated the religious practices of the sophisticated elites from those of the superstitious masses, instead arguing that the cult of the saints crossed boundaries and played a dynamic part in both the Christian faith and the larger world of late antiquity. He shows how men and women living in harsh and sometimes barbaric times relied upon the holy dead to obtain justice, forgiveness, and power, and how a single sainted hair could inspire great thinkers and great artists. An essential text by one of the foremost scholars of European history, this expanded edition includes a new preface from Brown, which presents new ideas based on subsequent scholarship
Target audience
adult
Incoming Resources
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