Home > Categories > Philosophy and Religion > Christianity > Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches: General Terms and Concepts > The Golden Legend

The Golden Legend

From: The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition | Date: 2008

The Golden Legend collection of saints' lives written in the 13th cent. by Jacobus da Varagine . Originally entitled Legenda sanctorum [readings in the lives of the saints], it soon came to be called Legenda aurea [the golden legend] because of its popularity, which continued until the Reformation. It is a saints' calendar, with an introduction for each division of the year and a section on each great feast day. It is a compilation of wonder stories, presenting the ideals of saintly living; not critical or historical in purpose, it is a devotional book rather than a collection of biographies. It was early translated from Latin into the vernacular languages, and William Caxton published one of the English translations. The fantastic nature of some of the stories and the simple, graceless style of the Latin brought the scorn of Renaissance humanists. Yet the immense popularity the book enjoyed is evident from the wide influence it had on medieval literature. An excellent, somewhat abridged adaptation by Granger Ryan and Helmut Ripperger appeared in 1941.

Author not available, GOLDEN LEGEND, THE., The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition 2008

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright 2008 Columbia University Press

For permission to reuse this article, contact Copyright Clearance Center.

Related articles from HighBeam Research:

	The Legend of the Golden Boat: Regulation, Trade, and Traders in the Borderlands of Laos, China, Thailand and Burma. SOJOURN: Journal of Social Issues in Southeast Asia; 10/1/2000; DENES, Alexandra; 2132 words; The Legend of the Golden Boat: Regulation, Trade, and Traders ... Walker's important and timely book, The Legend of the Golden Boat: Regulation, Trade, and Traders ... century to the present day, The Legend of the Golden Boat reveals that this seemingly ...
	'Legend,' 'Compass' stay golden o'seas.(WORLD WATCH) Daily Variety; 1/7/2008; McNary, Dave; 595 words; ... with a bang as I Am Legend and The Golden Compass delivered ... straight weekend. I Am Legend stayed solid with ... cume, while The Golden Compass continued ... with $1.1 million. Legend has been outperforming ... Germany and Italy. The Golden Compass remains ... cume ' 1. I Am Legend ...
	[ MUSIC: CLASSICAL _SULLIVAN: The Golden Legend (Hyperion CDA67280, two discs)... ] Daily Mail; 5/31/2002; 141 words; CLASSICAL _SULLIVAN: The Golden Legend (Hyperion CDA67280, two discs) SIR Arthur Sullivan's serious ... We have heard very little of his once popular late cantata The Golden Legend, a setting of scenes from Longfellow's poem of that name, so ...
	Golden boy of new soul lacks the genuine emotion John Legend Evening Standard - London; 2/22/2005; CHRIS ELWELL-SUTTON; 278 words; John Legend Scala, N1 WITH his strong ... Sony Music behind him, John Legend is the golden boy of "new soul", and judging ... featuring a pinstriped jacket, Legend was charming and likeable ... not to have heard more of Legend's truly brilliant piano technique ... through their music. John ...
	Golden appeal of legend Mannion.(News) Evening Gazette (Middlesbrough, England); 9/12/2003; 255 words; ... soccer memorabilia auction proved Boro legend Wilf Mannion is still golden. An England cap won by the 'Golden Boy' on his 30th birthday in 1948 was among ... greatest stars and set up the third goal. The Golden Boy, known for his exceptional ball control ...
	Golden boy of new soul lacks the genuine emotion; John Legend. The Evening Standard (London, England); 2/22/2005; 282 words; ... CHRIS ELWELL-SUTTON John Legend Scala, N1 WITH his strong ... Sony Music behind him, John Legend is the golden boy of new soul , and judging ... featuring a pinstriped jacket, Legend was charming and likeable ... not to have heard more of Legend's truly brilliant piano technique ... through their ...
	Legends still glitter in 'Broadway: The Golden Age' Chicago Sun-Times; 9/17/2004; Misha Davenport; 703 words; Broadway: The Golden Age (STAR)(STAR)(STAR) Featuring ... co-star Nicole Kidman is a legend. When you sit through Rick ... documentary "Broadway: The Golden Age," you'll be inclined to ... does not earn the moniker of "legend" simply by having a string ... set out to discover if the "Golden Age" of ...
	Olympic legend picks his golden boys and girls for 2012 ; ATHLETICS Ian Clarkson looks forward to this weekend's English Schools Championships Birmingham Post; 7/7/2006; Ian Clarkson; 313 words; Ian Clarkson Birmingham Post 07-07-2006 Olympic legend picks his golden boys and girls for 2012 ; ATHLETICS Ian Clarkson looks ... his athletics career had finished, He belonged to a golden era of British athletics, when Sebastian Coe, Steve ...
	JOLLY RANCHER PLANT TO CLOSE GOLDEN BUSINESS LEGEND ENDS, TAKING 240 JOBS ALONG WITH IT Denver Rocky Mountain News; 10/25/2001; Rachel Brand and David Milstead; News Staff Writers; 859 words; ... Brand and David Milstead; News Staff Writers Denver Rocky Mountain News 10-25-2001 JOLLY RANCHER PLANT TO CLOSE GOLDEN BUSINESS LEGEND ENDS, TAKING 240 JOBS ALONG ... mom-and-pop candy shop on Golden's Main Street, ended its local ... of devastating to hear (the news of the closure),'' ...
	LEE IACOCCA SWITCHES GEARS TO ELECTRIC AUTOS AUTOMOTIVE LEGEND `COMES CLEAN' IN GOLDEN Denver Rocky Mountain News; 7/25/1997; Richard Williamson; Rocky Mountain News Staff Writer; 471 words; Richard Williamson; Rocky Mountain News Staff Writer Denver Rocky Mountain News 07-25-1997 LEE IACOCCA SWITCHES GEARS TO ELECTRIC AUTOS AUTOMOTIVE LEGEND `COMES CLEAN' IN GOLDEN Surrounded by photographers, Lee Iacocca ... electric scooter at Unique Mobility's Golden plant Wednesday. ``You ...
	Football legend puts Golden Boot on eBay Yorkshire Post; 11/5/2004; 354 words; ... persuade a Yorkshire soccer legend to part with one of his most ... raise by auctioning his Adidas Golden Boot trophy. The former Leeds ... Huddersfield, is selling the Golden Boot to help fund his retirement ... football. "I am selling the Golden Boot for Frank to help fund ...
	Survivor and legend from the golden age Birmingham Post; 4/5/2006; Peter Bacon's Jazz Diary; 502 words; ... Birmingham Post 04-05-2006 Survivor and legend from the golden age Byline: Peter Bacon's Jazz Diary ... in front of the Sands or some equally legendary Las Vegas nitespot. And tomorrow night ... tomorrow. Buddy Greco is a survivor of the golden age of jazz and cabaret singers - up ... get there early if ...
	LEE IACOCCA SWITCHES GEARS TO ELECTRIC AUTOS AUTOMOTIVE LEGEND `COMES CLEAN' IN GOLDEN.(Business) Rocky Mountain News (Denver, CO); 7/25/1997; Williamson, Richard; 488 words; ... Richard Williamson Rocky Mountain News Staff Writer GOLDEN -- Surrounded by photographers ... scooter at Unique Mobility's Golden plant Wednesday. ``You better ... the 72-year-old automotive legend warned. ``This thing goes like ... electric scooter Thursday in Golden. He is a business partner ...
	GOLDEN RETURN FOR GAIT LACROSSE LEGEND HAS A NEW ROLE AS COACH OF THE MAMMOTH Denver Rocky Mountain News; 6/22/2005; Paul Willis, Special to the News; 483 words; Paul Willis, Special to the News Denver Rocky Mountain News 06-22-2005 GOLDEN RETURN FOR GAIT LACROSSE LEGEND HAS A NEW ROLE AS COACH OF THE MAMMOTH Colorado Mammoth fans believed they had witnessed the last of Gary Gait when the National Lacrosse League legend retired after the club's season ...
	Saints Praxedis and Prudentiana in The Golden Legend and The Stacions of Rome: Fragments from MS Lambeth Palace 72 and MS BL Additional 22283 (1). ANQ; 3/22/2006; Sauer, Michelle M.; 3120 words; ... fifteenth-century version of the Gilte Legende (Golden Legend), holds to that tradition ... this or other versions of The Golden Legend. MS Lambeth Palace 72 contains ... narratives contained in The Golden Legend. The beginning of the manuscript ...