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Vladimir I

(Encyclopedia)Vladimir I vŭlˌədyēˈmyĭr [key], or Saint Vladimir, d. 1015, first Christian grand duke of Kiev (c.980–1015); son of Sviatoslav. In 970, Vladimir was sent by his father to govern Novgorod. Afte...

Jadwiga

(Encyclopedia)Jadwiga yädvēˈgä [key], 1374–99, Polish queen (1384–99), daughter of Louis I of Hungary and Poland. To satisfy Polish demands for autonomy at Louis's death, she reigned in Poland and her siste...

Olaf II

(Encyclopedia)Olaf II (Saint Olaf), c.995–1030, king of Norway (1015–28). He is also called Olaf the Stout or Olaf the Fat. He spent part of his early life in England and helped Æthelred fight the Danes. He wa...

Columban, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Columban, Saint kəlŭmˈbən [key], c.540–615, Irish missionary to the continent of Europe, also called Columbanus. He was trained in the abbey at Bangor. He and 12 companions, including St. Gall, ...

Bede, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Bede, Saint bēˈdə [key] (St. Bede the Venerable), 673?–735, English historian and Benedictine monk, Doctor of the Church, also called the Venerable Bede. He spent his whole life at the monasterie...

Linus, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Linus, Saint līˈnəs [key], d. a.d. 76?, pope (a.d. 67?–a.d. 76?), martyr, an Italian; successor of St. Peter and predecessor of St. Cletus (or Anacletus). Nothing is known of his life, but he has...

Jerome, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Jerome, Saint jərōmˈ, jĕrˈəm [key], c.347–420?, Christian scholar, Father of the Church, Doctor of the Church. He was born in Stridon on the border of Dalmatia and Pannonia of Christian parent...

Joachim, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Joachim, Saint jōˈəkĭm [key], in tradition, the father of the Virgin and husband of St. Anne; there is no mention of him in the Bible. His cult is ancient in the East, but modern in the western Ch...

Lawrence, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Lawrence or Laurence, Saint, d. 258, Roman deacon and martyr. According to legend he was roasted to death on a gridiron. The Latin Fathers praise him in their writings for his role in the conversion o...

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