Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Benedict the Black, Saint, d. 1589, Sicilian friar. Born a slave, he became a hermit and later a Franciscan lay brother. Although illiterate, his humility and extraordinary powers as spiritual directo...

(Encyclopedia) Gregory the Illuminator, Saint, d. c.330, churchman, called the Apostle of Armenia. He was the first metropolitan of Armenia and is revered as founder of the Armenian Church. Feast: Sept. 30. ...

(Encyclopedia) Hildegard of Bingen, Saint hĭlˈdəgärthˌ, bĭngˈən [key], 1098–1179, German nun, mystic, composer, writer, and cultural figure, Doctor of the Church, known as the Sibyl of the Rhine. An aristo...

(Encyclopedia) Ivo of Chartres, Saint īˈvō, shärˈtrə [key], c.1040–c.1116, French churchman, bishop of Chartres (after 1090). He was fearlessly outspoken and was briefly imprisoned for opposing the irregular...

(Encyclopedia) James, Saint, in the Bible, one of the Twelve Apostles, called St. James the Less or St. James the Little. He was the son of Alphaeus; his mother, Mary, was one of those at the cross and tomb. The Wes...

(Encyclopedia) Peter Chrysologus, Saint, c.380–450, bishop of Ravenna, Doctor of the Church. Ordained by Cornelius, bishop of Imola, he lived as a monk for several years before being named bishop by Pope Sixtus II...

(Encyclopedia) Saint Peter Port, town (1991 pop. 16,100), capital of Guernsey, Channel Islands. Its shallow harbor is protected by piers; vegetables, fruits, and flowers are exported. Hauteville House, the residence...

(Encyclopedia) Saint Gall sānt gôl, găl, gäl [key], Ger. Sankt Gallen, canton (1993 pop. 432,800), 777 sq mi (2,012 sq km), NE Switzerland. Bordering on Lake Constance in the north and on the Rhine River in the ...

(Encyclopedia) Saint-Amant, Marc-Antoine de Gérard, Sieur de märk-äNtwänˈ də zhārärˈ, syör də săNtämäNˈ [key], 1594–1661, French lyric poet. After establishing himself through public readings in Par...

(Encyclopedia) Saint Croix sānt kroi [key], island (2010 pop. 50,601), 80 sq mi (207 sq km), the largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, in the West Indies. Christiansted, on the northeast coast, is the island's leadin...