Columbia Encyclopedia

(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. ...

(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...

(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...

(Encyclopedia) Cyril, Saint (Saint Cyril of Jerusalem) sĭrˈəl [key], c. 315–386, bishop of Jerusalem (c. 350–386), Doctor of the Church. Ordained by his predecessor as bishop, St. Maximus, he was deposed in 3...

(Encyclopedia) Genevieve, Saint jĕnˈəvēvˌ, Fr. zhənvyĕvˈ [key], c.420–c.500, patron saint of Paris. A nun renowned for good works, she is said to have averted, by fasting and prayer, an expected attack of ...

(Encyclopedia) Transfiguration, in the New Testament, manifestation wherein Jesus appeared “shining” before Peter, James, and John. The traditional explanation is that in it Jesus' divine glory shone in his eart...

(Encyclopedia) Holy Family, term referring to the child Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. In the Roman Catholic Church the feast in its honor falls usually on the first Sunday after the Epiphany. In art the theme of the Holy...

(Encyclopedia) Valentine, Saint, d. c.270, Roman martyr priest. The customs connected with him in English-speaking countries are probably a survival from a period when a pagan festival associated with love occurred ...

(Encyclopedia) Agatha, Saint ăgˈəthə [key], 3d cent., Sicilian virgin, martyred under Roman Emperor Decius. She is mentioned in the Martyrology of Jerome and the Calendar of Carthage in the 6th cent. Agatha is i...

(Encyclopedia) Andrew, Saint [Gr.,=manly], in the New Testament, one of the Twelve Apostles, brother of Peter. According to tradition he was a missionary in Asia Minor, Macedonia, and S Russia. According to the apoc...