Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Canute the Saint

(Encyclopedia)Canute the Saint, d. 1086, king (1080–86) and patron saint of Denmark. He built churches and cathedrals and raised the bishops to the rank of prince. In 1085 he made an unsuccessful attempt to invad...

Cletus, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Cletus or Anacletus, Saint klēˈtəs, ănəklēˈtəs [key], d. a.d. 88?, pope (a.d. 76?–a.d. 88?), martyr, a Roman; successor of St. Linus and predecessor of St. Clement I. Feast: Apr. 26. ...

Fabian, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Fabian, Saint fāˈbēən [key], pope (236–50), a Roman; successor of St. Anterus and predecessor of St. Cornelius. He recast the ecclesiastical organization in Rome. Fabian was martyred under Deciu...

Adalbert, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Adalbert, Saint ădˈəlbərt [key], 956–97, bishop of Prague, b. Bohemia. He was a missionary in Russia, Prussia, and Poland and was martyred in Danzig. He is patron of Bohemia and Poland. Feast: A...

Good Thief

(Encyclopedia)Good Thief or Penitent Thief, in the New Testament, the malefactor crucified with Jesus who did not revile Him; Jesus promised him Paradise that day. In the Roman martyrology his feast is Mar. 25. His...

John Climax, Saint

(Encyclopedia)John Climax, Saint [Gr.,=ladder], d. c.649, Syrian hermit of Mt. Sinai. Little is known of his life, but his guide to the spiritual life in 30 steps, The Ladder of Paradise, was widely read in the Mid...

Angilbert, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Angilbert, Saint ăngˈgĭlbərt [key], d. 814, Frankish statesman and courtier under Charlemagne, abbot of Centula (now Saint-Riquier), near Amiens. He was highly regarded in the Carolingian revival ...

Matthias, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Matthias, Saint məthīˈəs [key], in the Bible, apostle chosen by lot to fill the place of Judas Iscariot. He is said in ancient tradition to have died a martyr at Colchis. Feast: Feb. 24. ...

Eric IX

(Encyclopedia)Eric IX (Eric the Saint), d. 1160, king of Sweden. He led (1157?) a Christian crusade to Finland, where he left the bishop of Uppsala in charge of missionary work. While attending mass he was killed b...

Helena, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Helena, Saint hĕlˈənə [key], c.248–328?, mother of Constantine I. She became a Christian in 313. According to tradition she found (327) the relic of the True Cross in Jerusalem and identified th...