The Lives of the Saints (Penguin 60s)

Every book has a story.
by omer englebert | Religion & Spirituality |
ISBN: 0146001060 Global Overview for this book
Registered by wingCordelia-annewing of Decatur, Georgia USA on 10/14/2015
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2 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by wingCordelia-annewing from Decatur, Georgia USA on Wednesday, October 14, 2015
"There is generally too much and too little in the Lives of the Saints--too much pious exegesis, too little factual information about the saint," says translator Anne Fremantle in her introduction to this selection from Fr. Omer Englebert's compendium of the Saints' lives. Englebert's pithy biographies, arranged alphabetically, successfully depart from the failings Fremantle mentions. This tiny book contains all of the essential information about the saints listed and at the end there's a listing of Saints invoked for various needs. It seems a timely book to set out before All Saints, which is celebrated next month, November 1.

Journal Entry 2 by wingCordelia-annewing at -- Wild released somewhere in the state, Georgia USA on Saturday, October 24, 2015
Today is celebrated as the feast of St. Raphael the Archangel according to the General Roman Catholic Calender before the revision of 1969, the calendar that was observed in the last decade of the life of Georgia writer Flannery O'Connor. In St. Raphael the Archangel's entry here the feast day is listed as October 24, today. So it seems appropriate to quote a favorite prayer of Flannery O'Connor's. She attributes it to French writer Ernest Hello in one of her letters:

Prayer to St. Raphael

O Raphael, lead us toward those we are waiting for, those who are waiting for us: Raphael, Angel of happy meeting, lead us by the hand toward those we are looking for. May all our movements be guided by your Light and transfigured with your joy. Angel, guide of Tobias, lay the request we now address to you at the feet of Him on whose unveiled Face you are privileged to gaze. Lonely and tired, crushed by the separations and sorrows of life, we feel the need of calling you and of pleading for the protection of your wings, so that we may not be as strangers in the province of joy, all ignorant of the concerns of our country. Remember the weak, you who are strong, you whose home lies beyond the region of thunder, in a land that is always peaceful, always serene and bright with the resplendent glory of God.

It is a beautiful prayer. The story of St. Raphael can be found in the Book of Tobit, which has been eliminated from some Protestant Bibles. For those not familiar with the Book of Tobit, it can be found in the Apocrypha.


Journal Entry 3 by wingCordelia-annewing at Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Saturday, October 24, 2015

Released 8 yrs ago (10/25/2015 UTC) at Nashua, New Hampshire USA

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

May this book find readers waiting for it. All Hallows is near so I feel I should let this one fly out to a bookcrosser who likes to geocache.

Journal Entry 4 by wingGoryDetailswing at Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Monday, November 2, 2015
The package arrived safely today - thanks so much! I do love having these Penguin 60s on hand for geocache releases.

This one contains a subset of the more than 2000 saints listed in the original book, but does demonstrate the perils of martyrdom - and the sometimes odd-seeming fascination with the gruesome details of a particular saint's torment, to the point where the saint is commemorated by symbols of his or her own agonizing death. (Then again, the cross is also such a symbol...)

Some of the entries here were for saints - including the occasional archangel; seriously, doesn't "archangel" trump "saint" rank-wise? Why bother canonizing an angel? - whom I'd heard of before, read about in the Bible, or was otherwise familiar with, but many were for less well-known figures, and ranging from Biblical times to the 19th century. Their accomplishments range from early martyrdom to long lives of good works, translating or spreading the Gospel.

[Just for fun, there's a TV Tropes page on patron saints, with notes on canonization and on the ways in which various saints have been designated as "patron saints".]

Journal Entry 5 by wingGoryDetailswing at Kearney Square in Lowell, Massachusetts USA on Thursday, November 19, 2015

Released 8 yrs ago (11/19/2015 UTC) at Kearney Square in Lowell, Massachusetts USA

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

I meant to save this for a geocache release, but when I came across the impressive "Agápetimé" sculpture by Greek-American artist Dimitri Hadzi on the grounds of Middlesex Community College at Kearney Square, I had to leave the book there. Hope the finder enjoys the book!

*** Released as part of the 2015 Keep Them Moving release challenge. ***

*** Released as part of the 2015 The 'The' release challenge. ***

*** Released as part of the Looks Like Athens To Me release challenge in honor of the 2016 BookCrossing Convention in Athens. ***

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