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The Oxford Dictionary of Saints gives concise accounts of nearly 1100 saints who lived, died, or have been venerated in Great Britain and Ireland, as well as others of notable historical importance from around the world. The entries range from the famous to the obscure, from the great saints of early Christendom to often forgotten local saints. The new edition includes entries on martyrs from the early Christian centuries, additional entries on Greek and Russian saints, and recently canonized modern saints. An introduction describes the tradition of English hagiography and traces the history of saints' cults from earliest Christian times through the Middle Ages to the reform of the Roman calendar in 1969. Bibliographies are provided and a topographical index lists places in Great Britain and Ireland with which saints are associated. Also included are a calendar of principal feasts and indexes of iconographical emblems.