Much of what we know about the life of the sixth century monk, St David, comes from medieval texts written several centuries later.
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Articles on Saints
Displaying 1 - 20 of 33 articles
A specialist in Catholic liturgy and rituals explains that while several popes have been canonized, it is a long process that may take several years to examine and uncover any hidden flaws.
Popes’ roles have changed over time. Some periods produced plenty of saintly popes, while others are notorious for the opposite.
The country urgently needs more people who are committed to living decently to undo the systemic humiliation caused by political and economic institutions.
Many religions have been used to prop up nationalism, and Catholicism is no exception, as a Jesuit priest and scholar explains.
Pauli Murray, the first Black woman to be ordained by the Episcopal Church, was an advocate for women’s rights and racial justice.
Father Damien’s legacy has inspired health providers and humanitarians for over a century.
Relics often provided a way to bring more pilgrims into a church – and therefore, more offerings.
Eclipsed by the more popular Saint Patrick, Gertrude of Nivelles is also celebrated today, a holy woman who somewhat inexplicably became the patron saint of cats.
Olga of Kyiv is today recognised as one of Eastern Orthodoxy’s greatest saints – and her bloodthirsty tale is one of defiance and vengeance, and worth remembering today.
Saints are recognized for exceptional virtue and faith. But some also are commemorated for their scholarship.
Environmentalism may seem like a new mindset, especially in the Church. But care for creation has been woven into Catholicism for centuries.
After a year of pandemic social distancing, we know touch is a much-desired privilege. In the Italian Renaissance, people longed to touch not only each other, but also religious sculptures.
Kumbh Mela, a Hindu pilgrimage that started earlier this month in India, has survived wars and famine since its origin. But the biggest threat has been the spread of illness – back then as now.
The mix-up might be explained by the rush to remove sacred remains to Rome some 1,700 years ago.
Many saints are venerated for specific reasons, professions or even nations. There are saints who are believed to provide assistance in selling a property.
The pandemic has inspired new forms of pilgrimages – some do-it-yourself, in which people are walking in their backyards or nearby spaces and finding meaning.
It was only in the 19th century the West became aware of Buddhism as a religion in its own right – but the Buddha had been a Christian saint for centuries.
Two precious manuscripts hidden in a bank vault survived the Allied bombing of Dresden, but one wound up in Soviet hands — until it was smuggled home.
Deaf Christians can often feel excluded in churches. But the Christian contemplative tradition that celebrates silence and considers it a form of prayer can bring a new understanding of faith.
Top contributors
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Professor Emerita of Religious Studies, College of the Holy Cross
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Emeritus Professor in the History of Religious Thought, The University of Queensland
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Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Religion and Critical Inquiry, Australian Catholic University
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Medical Doctor and Clinical Senior Fellow, The University of Melbourne
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Teaching Associate, Monash University
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Reader in Welsh Language and Literature, Cardiff University
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Associate Professor of Sociology, University of Birmingham
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Academic Co-ordinator of the Regional Heritage Centre, Lancaster University
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Professor and Chair of Medieval Literature, University of Bristol
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Associate Research Fellow in Medieval Studies, University of Exeter
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Full Professor of Ethics and Head of Department, Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology, Director of the Beyers Naudé Centre for Public Theology, Stellenbosch University
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Professor of History & Religion, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
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Associate Professor of Patristics, Baylor University
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Professor of Archaeometry, University of Southern Denmark
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PhD in Medieval History, University of Nottingham
