Les saints anciens au temps de la réforme catholique (Europe occidentale, XVIe-XVIIIe siècles)
Book Description
This scholarly exploration delves into the fascinating evolution of medieval saints during the Catholic Reformation period of the sixteenth through eighteenth centuries. Through fourteen carefully researched contributions, the work examines how ancient holy figures—early bishops, local martyrs, monastery founders, devout virgins, and pre-millennium missionaries—maintained their spiritual relevance centuries after their deaths.
The central question driving this investigation is whether these witnesses from Christianity's earliest eras could still touch the hearts and souls of believers more than a thousand years later. Did their miracles, shrines, and relics continue to inspire devotion? Was their antiquity a source of spiritual authority, or did it place them at a disadvantage compared to more contemporary saints and their values?
Drawing from diverse case studies across France, the Habsburg Netherlands, and the Holy Roman Empire, this work illuminates multiple dimensions of religious life. It explores intellectual and literary history, local identities, religious concepts, and the various media through which these stories spread—from printed texts to engravings and paintings.
At its heart, this study reveals the dynamic dialogue between two golden ages of Catholicism: the legendary origins of the faith and the Church's later campaign to reclaim hearts and minds through artistic flourishing, liturgical standardization, and scholarly advancement. For those interested in how spiritual traditions adapt and endure across centuries, this work offers valuable insights into the persistence of sacred memory.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Medium (200-400 pages) (~8 hours)
📄 Length: 284 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore History and criticism
- ✓ Explore Popular culture
- ✓ Explore Biography
- ✓ Explore Influence
- ✓ Explore Christian saints in literature
- ✓ Explore History of doctrines
- ✓ Explore Counter-Reformation
- ✓ Explore Christianity
