The lives of the saints
The lives of the saints are a great way to learn more about the faith. There are hundreds of different saints, and they all had great impact on their world. These saints range from AElfric of Eynsham and Father Alban Butler to Therese of Lisieux. You can even learn more about Roman Martyrology.
AElfric of Eynsham
Aelfric of Eynsham's lives of the saints were very popular in Anglo-Saxon England, and its subject matter would have been familiar to lay audiences as well as monastic audiences. He wrote the lives of many notable women, many of whom were women who had to die for the sake of God. Such a view encouraged the conventional female religion, as well as the emergence of nunneries, which provided noble women with the opportunity to obtain better education and power.
The text was originally composed in Old English, the language of the Anglo-Saxons. Later, Aelfric became an abbot at the monastic site of Eynsham in Oxfordshire. He composed three cycles of homilies, a Grammar, and a Colloquy, and is generally considered one of the most important writers of early English prose, only rivaled by Wulfstan of Dorset.
Father Alban Butler
The Lives of the Saints by Father Alban Butler is one of the most beloved books in the Catholic church. It contains biographical accounts of more than sixteen hundred saints, organized by feast days. This book is considered one of the most authoritative works on Catholic hagiography in the English language, and it serves as an edifying companion for students, scholars, and the faithful. This book is also a valuable resource for home school assignments and sermon illustrations.
Father Alban Butler was born in 1710, and he studied at the English College in Douai, Flanders, before being ordained as a priest in 1735. His work, The Lives of the Saints, was published in four volumes in London in 1759. Volume two of The Lives of the Saints contains information about the lives of St. Ignatius, the Martyrs of Japan, St. Tresain, and St. Scholastica, among others.
Roman Martyrology
The Roman Martyrology is the official Catholic martyrology and is required for Catholic liturgy. Countries and dioceses may add appendices to their respective versions. The Roman Martyrology is an extensive list of saints. Using it as a reference helps Catholics choose the right saint to pray to.
The Second Vatican Council decreed that the accounts of martyrdom should be in accordance with the facts of history. This required years of research to determine which accounts of martyrdom were reliable. In 2001, a new edition of the Roman Martyrology was published in Latin. The revised edition corrected typographical errors and added 117 canonized people and several ancient saints.
Teresa of Avila to Therese of Lisieux
Therese of Lisieux is the youngest daughter of St. Teresa of Avila, a Spanish Carmelite. She was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1997. Although she spent most of her life in her monastic community, St. Therese did many good things. She prayed to Jesus often.
Therese's life and vocation were both complicated and convoluted. Like many saints, Therese had to deal with a lot of difficulties. Yet, she discovered a simple yet effective way to achieve union with God. Therese lived a humble life, yet became recognized by the Church as a Doctor of the Church.
Benziger Brothers edition
Originally published between 1756 and 1759, Alban Butler's Lives of the Saints contains hundreds of capsule descriptions of Catholic saints. The book is organized by the saint's day of the year. The 1894 Benziger Brothers edition was heavily edited by John Gilmary Shea, an uncredited contributor. The Benziger Brothers edition also contains 'Reflections,' a series of reflections on the saints.
Book review
The Netflix series Shadow and Bone has featured the novel The Lives of Saints. The novel's historical events and fictional characters are a good fit with the show, and the movie version of the book is well worth a watch. The book is a quick read and is filled with historical information.
The book includes personal accounts of saints, as well as those of historical significance. The author sketches insightful portraits of these saints and places them in a historical context. Organized by calendar year, the book is a useful research tool, as well as a resource for personal devotion. The author also outlines the major patterns of saints' lives and spirituality.
Price
Lives of the Saints by Alban Butler is a classic work on Christian saints, published between 1756 and 1759. This English language classic is regarded as the definitive source on Christian saints. It regularly lands on best-seller lists, and has undergone many editions and reprints.
The work is a valuable companion for both scholars and ordinary readers. It offers biographical accounts of over sixteen hundred saints, organized by their feast days. As the most authoritative hagiography in the English language, the work is an invaluable research tool and a valuable way to connect with the faithful. As a bonus, its versatility makes it a perfect resource for term papers, home school assignments, and sermon illustrations.
