The Name of the Saint: The Martyrology of Jerome and Access to the Sacred in Francia, 627-827
Felice Lifshitz
The Name of the Saint is a study spiritual, social, and liturgical practices reciting, inscribing, collecting, bearing saints' names from seventh through ninth century. These practices, called in manuscript sources sanctorum nominum festivitas, were extremely rare among Christians during early middle ages, when most people preferred to access realm sacred power other routes, such as relics, images, life stories saints. Felice Lifshitz's study, based on careful analysis martyrologies, sacramentaries, calendars, reveals that those individuals who did embrace name-centered piety (such Willibrord-Clement Echternach Witiza-Benedict Aniane) had common both close connections with Carolingian family familiarity Martyrology Jerome. Despite their importance medieval life, martyrologies calendars have been virtually ignored by scholars than liturgists. discussion these neglected materials existence alternative under-appreciated routes sacred. It also situates rise this practice particular political context elucidates history widely misunderstood This important new work explains an body source material proposes way thinking about spirituality place saints sanctity spirituality.