Saints and their Legacies in Medieval Iceland

In the Middle Ages, Icelanders revered numerous saints, both indigenous and from overseas. This volume explores the legacies of the cult of some of the most prominent saints and holy men in medieval Iceland, using evidence drawn from Old Norse-Icelandic and Latin hagiographic literature, homilies, prayers, diplomas, sacred art, place-names, and church dedications. It provides a clear picture of an Icelandic hagiographic literature and culture that celebrates the splendor of the saints and shows how an engaging literary genre was created.

Format: Hardback
Length: 402 pages
Publication date: 16 July 2021
Publisher: Boydell & Brewer Ltd

In the Middle Ages, the people of Iceland held great reverence for a multitude of saints, both indigenous and from foreign lands. While the literary elite of the time was well-versed in contemporary Continental hagiographic compositions, theological debates, and worship practices, the historical intricacies of the learned European networks through which the Icelandic cult of the saints emerged and partially endured the Lutheran Reformation remain largely obscured. To address this gap, the essays compiled in this volume delve into the legacies of the veneration of several prominent saints and holy men in medieval Iceland. These saints include the Virgin Mary, SS Agnes of Rome, Benedict of Nursia, Catherine of Alexandria, Dominic of Caleruega, Michael the Archangel, Jón of Hólar, Þorlákr of Skálholt, Lárentíus of Hólar, and Guðmundr the Good. By drawing evidence from Old Norse-Icelandic and Latin hagiographic literature, homilies, prayers, diplomas, sacred art, place-names, and church dedications, the contributions shed light on the historical pathways of cultural transmission and elucidate the creative processes involved in the accommodation and adaptation of foreign hagiographic sources and models in medieval and early modern Iceland. Through this comprehensive examination, the essays present a vivid portrayal of an Icelandic hagiographic literature and culture that exalts the splendor of the saints. Moreover, they reveal how an engaging literary genre, which gained immense popularity on the island throughout the Middle Ages and beyond, emerged and flourished.

Weight: 728g
Dimension: 163 x 241 x 30 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781843846116