The Oxford Dictionary of Saints

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The Oxford Dictionary of Saints

• Reference Book Analysis
• Written by Randi L. Karr
• Week Two
• Spring Quarter, 2000

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The Oxford Dictionary of SaintsFarmer, David H.,
The Oxford Dictionary of Saints, Oxford
University Press, Oxford, New York, Washington,
1997

• ManufacturerOxford University Press
• Part No 0192800582
• Author David Hugh Farmer
• Call Number 270.092
• ISBN 0192800582
• Publish Date Jan 19 1998, 1200 a.m.
• Cover Type Paperback
• Pages 592

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Arrangement
Arrangement and Indexing Introduction The
introduction gives a thorough explanation of the
criteria required to be included in this
encyclopedia. Abbreviations A-Z listing Saints
A-Z listing Appendices Principal patronage's of
saints--a cross reference by occupation Principal
iconographical emblems of saints--icon
associated with saint Index of places Great
Britain and Ireland often associated saints with
a place. Calendar of the principal feasts of
saints Saints in this volume who are or were
venerated on these days Patron saints of
countries and town Acknowledgements
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CriteriaScope of information included in this
volume

• Because this is only one volumn, it cannot be
  fully comprehensive, its selective.
• All English saints, including those of English
  origin who died abroad and those of foreign
  origin who died in England.
• All saints of whom there is or was a notable
  cult, revealed by a church dedication, a place
  name, or their feasts in important calendars such
  as those of Sarum, of the book of prayer.
• The most important and representative saints of
  Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Exhaustive coverage
  is impracticable here, so readers are referred to
  the works of S. Baring-Gould and J. Fisher,
  The Lives of British Saints (4 vol., 1907-13) and
  to J. OHanlon, Lives of Irish Saints (10 vol.,
  1875-1903). Cornish saints, however, should all
  be mentioned, while this edition includes for the
  first time the Welsh saints Melangell and Myllin.

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• The other saints have been included because of
  their general importance in the history of the
  Christian Church or because they are referred to
  in other entries.
• More space has been given to saints of European
  countries such as Eric of Sweden, Gizur of
  Iceland, Benedict (the African) from Sicily, and
  to those of America such as Francis Solano and
  Mariana of Quito. The most famous saints under
  this heading were already included in the third
  edition.
• More coverage has been given to recently
  canonized saints, in whom there is considerable
  interest. Their number is increasing
  comparatively fast. Some are of universal, others
  of local interest. Examples of canonization's
  during the last thirty years include the Forty
  Martyrs of England and Wales, numerous martyrs of
  Vietnam and Korea, and several founders and
  foundresses of religious Congregations.
• As in previous editions, candidates for
  canonization called Venerable (servants of God)
  or Blessed are not included in this volumn. Nor
  are candidates for canonization from medieval
  England whose causes failed for one reason or
  another. Similarly no attempt has been made to
  include worthy representatives of various
  Reformed churches from the 16th to the 20th
  centuries or of equivalent subjects from the
  Eastern Orthodox Churches, whose feasts are not
  in the Roman calendar. This task has been left to
  other better qualified scholars.

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This encyclopedia is current--volumn 4, updated
in 1997, and has been translated into Italian
(1989) and Slovakian (1994).The Internet
features St.Aidan and St. Chad by searching
Oxford Dictionary of Saints, although the
encyclopedia itself is not featured.
AIDAN (I) (Aedan) (d. 651), monk of lona, first
bishop and abbot of Lindisfarne.
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Purpose

• Provides current information in regards to
  popular patron saints
• Date of Veneration
• Associated Locations
• Associated Icons
• Occupations of Saints
• This reference will be useful to people looking
  for information regarding martyrs, since many
  saints were martyrs.

• A source for unusual baby names with meaningful
  history associated with them
• Information will be useful for writing reports
• On a country--a saint could be included.
• On an occupation--what saint held that
  occupation?
• Landmarks--is there a saint associated with it?

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AvailabilityPaperback Only

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David Hugh FarmerBorn January 30th, 1923 in
Ealing, London, EnglandHis father was a
publisher.Credentials are

• University of Reading, Reading, England,
  Lecturer, 1967-77
• Reader of History, 1977-88
• Southampton University external examiner, 1987-91
• Oxford University Lecturer, 1988-95
• Broadcaster for British Broadcasting Corp.,
  Radio, Telefis Eirann and local radio stations

• Education
• Quarr Abbey, 1941-58
• St. Benets Hall, Oxford, B.Litt., 1967
• Career
• Prinknash Abbey (Benedictine), 1939
• Benedictine Monk at Quarr Abbey, Isle of Wight,
  1941-58

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More on David H. Farmer

• He is well published
• The Magna Vita of St. Hugh of Lincoln, 1962
• The Monk of Fame, 1962
• The Rule of St. Benedict, 1968
• St. Hugh of Lincoln, 1986
• He co-authored several as well.

• Address
• Office-26 Swanston Field, Whit-church-on-Thames,
  Reading, Berks RG8 7HP, England

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My Impressions

• It was interesting to see how this author
  classified his entries.
• It was very easy to look up varied saints by the
  index.
• I was impressed at the amount of information the
  author gathered.

• I liked the information concerning the saints
  occupations and symbols associated with them.
• The introduction was thorough and invaluable in
  determining what would and would not be included
  in the entries.

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Two Examples of Questions This Book Can Answer

• Is there a saint that is associated with a tower?
• YesBarbara, although the authenticity of her
  existence is questioned.
• Locked in a tower by her father, she was
  sentenced to death by a judge after her father
  found out she had become a Christian.
• Her feast was suppressed in the Roman calendar of
  1969.

• Are there any saints known as a father?
• YesJoseph, although the only available
  information is found in the Bible.
• Foster-father of Christ and husband of the
  Blessed Virgin Mary, he died in the 1st century.
• His feast is March19th and May 1st.

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