"The idea of saints and sainthood are familiar to all, irrelevant of religious faith. Simon Yarrow looks at the origins, ideas, and definitions of sainthood, sanctity, and saints in the early Church, tracing their development in history and explaining the social roles saints played in the ancient, medieval, and modern worlds. Along the way Yarrow considers the treatment of saints as objects of literary and artistic expression and interpretation, and...

Examines the life and thought of St. Thomas Aquinas, discussing such topics as his shy youth and his balance of intellect and faith.

"The saints were the original social justice advocates. This stunning collection of contemporary portraits celebrates their diversity and spiritual depth as never before, accompanied by thoughtful reflections from bestselling and influential writers. Over the centuries, the rich diversity and relevance of the saints has been whitewashed, their images portrayed as expressionless, and the lessons of their lives watered down. But artist, writer, and...

Her name is unimportant. All you must know is that today she will become one of the four saints of Haven. The elders will mark her and place the red hood on her head. With her sisters, she will stand against the evil power that lives beneath the black mountain—an evil which has already killed nine of her village’s men. She will tell no one of the white-eyed beasts that follow her. Or the faceless gray women tall as houses. Or the girls she saw...

'Saints, Angels & Demons' is an essential compendium of the the fascinating lives and meaningful legacies of nearly 400 iconic figures who have influenced religion, history, scholarship, politics, literature, and art throughout the centuries and across the world.