Saints, Infirmity, and Community in the Late Middle Ages (1) (Premodern Health, Disease, and Disability)

By: Jenni Kuuliala

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Synopsis: Bodily suffering and patient, Christlike attitudes towards that suffering were among the key characteristics of sainthood throughout the medieval period. Saints, Infirmity, and Community in the Late Middle Ages analyses the meanings given to putative saints' bodily infirmities in late medieval canonization hearings. How was an individual saint's bodily ailment investigated in the inquests, and how did the witnesses (re)construct the saintly candidates' ailments? What meanings were given to infirmity when providing proofs for holiness? This study depicts holy infirmity as an aspect of sanctity that is largely defined within the community, in continual dialogue with devotees, people suffering from doubt, the holy person, and the cultural patterns ascribed to saintly life. Furthermore, it analyses how the meanings given to saints' infirmities influenced and reflected society's attitudes towards bodily ailments — or dis/ability — in general.

Book Quality:: Publisher Quality
Book Size:: 236 Pages
ISBN-13:: 9781040799260
Related ISBNs:: 9781041185710, 9789462983373, 9781040793473, 9781003703242
Publisher:: Taylor & Francis
Date of Addition:: 10/02/25
Copyrighted By:: Jenni Kuuliala / Taylor & Francis Group
Adult content:: No
Language:: English
Has Image Descriptions:: No
Categories:: History, Nonfiction, Disability-Related, Religion and Spirituality, Social Studies, Medicine
Submitted By:: Bookshare Staff
Usage Restrictions:: This is a copyrighted book.