Depicting the lives of the saints in an array of factual and fictional stories, The Golden Legend was perhaps the most widely read book, after the Bible, during the late Middle Ages. It was compiled around 1260 by Jacobus de Voragine, a scholarly friar and later archbishop of Genoa, whose purpose was to captivate, encourage, and edify the faithful, while preserving a vast store of information pertaining to the legends and traditions of the church. In this translation, the first in English of the complete text, William Granger Ryan captures the immediacy of this rich work, which offers an important guide for readers interested in medieval art and literature and, more generally, in popular religious culture. Arranged according to the order of saints' feast days, these fascinating stories are now combined into one volume. This edition also features an introduction by Eamon Duffy contextualizing the work.

First Published in 2000. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

A novel by Frederick Buechner.

Continuously popular since it first appeared in 1977, The Incorruptibles remains the acknowledged classic on the bodies of Saints that did not undergo decomposition after death, many remaining fresh and flexible for years, or even centuries. After explaining both natural and artificial mummification, the author shows that the incorruption of the Saints bodies fits into neither category but constitutes a much greater phenomenon which is unexplained by modern science even to this day. The author presents 102 canonized Saints, Beati and Venerables, summarizing their lives, the discovery of their incorruption and investigations by Church and medical authorities. The incorruptible bodies of saints are a consoling sign of Christ's victory over death, a confirmation of the dogma of the Resurrection of the Body, a sign that the Saints are still with us in the Mystical Body of Christ, as well as a proof of the truth of the Catholic Faith for only in the Catholic Church do we find this phenomenon.

Someone who's misplaced his glasses may want to pray to Saint Anthony. A person with an earache might call upon Saint Cornelius. Those who battle temptation could entreat Saint Margaret of Cortona. In fact, anyone seeking help with problems large and small will want a copy of Saintly Support, a book that explains why people pray to patron saints, and then offers prayers of supplication and guidance. Whether they want relief from arthritis or peace in the world, Saintly Support gives pilgrims a place to start.Organized by the saints' patronages and specialties, Saintly Support provides short biographies of the saints, explaining the basis for their patronages and a calendar of feast days for the entire year. Sample prayers to each saint are simple and direct, yet beautifully written. A prayer to St. Isidore of Seville, for example, includes the line, "May I always remember that my work is in the people around me and the community I live in." In addition, Saintly Support contains exquisite black-and-white and color engravings of many of the saints who are included in its pages. Readers will find that Saintly Support offers a powerful way of communicating with God by sharing their hopes, dreams, worries, and desires with the most blessed in the Christian community-the saints who've gone before.

Confessions (401) is the work of Saint Augustine, a Roman theologian and bishop responsible for some of the core doctrines of today’s Catholic church. His literary works, including The Confessions, The Enchiridion, and On Christian Doctrine, are commonly viewed as foundational works of Christian theology and Western philosophy. Bishop of Hippo Regius—in modern day Algeria—from 395 to his death in 430, Augustine helped to justify and consolidate the role of Christianity in the Roman Empire and was canonized as a saint for his efforts. A young man does poorly in school, steals from his neighbor’s orchard, and has a son with a woman to whom he is not married. These are some of the core personal experiences detailed by Augustine in his autobiographical and theological work Confessions, in which he grows from a life of sin to accepting God and the Christian faith. Interspersed with stories of his life and conversion are descriptions and critiques of Neoplatonism, Manichaeism, and astrology, systems of belief and understanding which, for Augustine, fall short of the vision of humanity and salvation offered by Christianity. Throughout this text, Augustine encourages readers—especially those who have led troubled lives—not only to convert to Christianity, but to understand the inherent imperfection of all humanity and to envision the ultimately hopeful message of transformation and forgiveness offered by faith in God. Confessions is at heart a Christian text, but it is also essentially human. Augustine is remembered not just as a saint and Christian leader, but as a figure who precipitated the evolution of Western thought. Augustine’s Confessions is a foundational work of autobiographical and philosophical writing, influencing such writers as Blaise Pascal, Jean Jacques Rousseau, Thomas Aquinas, Bertrand Russell, and Friedrich Nietzsche. Its personal nature and depth of honesty are considered formal innovations in autobiography and memoir writing, and its meditations on God and human nature have made it an essential text for philosophers and theologians for centuries. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Saint Augustine’s Confessions is a classic of autobiography and Christian theology reimagined for modern readers.

In Dark Night of the Soul, Saint John of the Cross presents for us a portrait painted from his own experience of one who advances successfully through the struggles of the spiritual life. The dark night that St John describes is not abandonment by God but special consideration from Him for those who desire to purify and perfect their souls. With a soul purified from earthly attachments, we can advance through the much quoted but oft misunderstood dark night of the souls into unity with God. By accepting the desolation and difficulty of this process, the soul cooperates with God and opens itself to receiving and revealing more perfectly God's glory. Be not afraid--Dark Night of the Soul, though austere and exacting in its instructions for holy living, is laced with St. John's charity and kindness, his love of all things beautiful and sacred--including you.

Chuang Tzu--considered, along with Lao Tzu, one of the great figures of early Taoist thought--used parables and anecdotes, allegory and paradox, to illustrate that real happiness and freedom are found only in understanding the Tao or Way of nature, and dwelling in its unity. The respected Trappist monk Thomas Merton spent several years reading and reflecting upon four different translations of the Chinese classic that bears Chuang Tzu's name. The result is this collection of poetic renderings of the great sage's work that conveys its spirit in a way no other translation has and that was Merton's personal favorite among his more than fifty books. Both prose and verse are included here, as well as a short section from Merton discussing the most salient themes of Chuang Tzu's teachings.

A famous classic that teaches a simple form of mental prayer by which to attain great spiritual progress in a short time. Explains the Our Father phrase by phrase, plus much more! Says God rewards our efforts far beyond what we deserve! Impr. 309 pgs, PB

The Confessions of Saint Augustine Saint Augustine - Confessions is an autobiographical work by Saint Augustine of Hippo, consisting of 13 books written in Latin between AD 397 and 400. The work outlines Saint Augustine's sinful youth and his conversionIn this new translation by Henry Chadwick of what can only be considered a masterpiece of Western literature, the brilliant and impassioned descriptions of Augustine's colourful early life and search for spiritual satisfaction are accurately conveyed to the English reader. Augustine's work contains many references and allusions that can hardly be understood without background information about the ancient social and intellectual setting. The accompanying notes and introduction to this translation will therefore prove invaluable to the contemporary reader.