Why Can the Dead Do Such Great Things?

Why Can the Dead Do Such Great Things? traces the history and development of Christian saints and their cults from the early martyrs through the Middle Ages. This comprehensive work examines how saints were created, recognized, and venerated across Europe over more than a millennium. The book details the practices and beliefs surrounding saints' relics, pilgrimages, miracle stories, and feast days. It presents the social and political impacts of saint veneration on medieval society, from local parishes to papal politics. The text analyzes primary sources including hagiographies, church records, and material evidence from shrines and religious sites. Through these materials, it reconstructs the complex networks of devotion that connected believers to saints and their remains. This study reveals how the cult of saints shaped fundamental aspects of medieval Christianity and continues to influence religious practice today. The work demonstrates the intersection of popular devotion, institutional religion, and power structures in medieval Europe.

Readers describe this book as a comprehensive academic history of saint cults and medieval Christianity. On Goodreads and Amazon, reviewers note the exhaustive research and extensive footnotes. Likes: - Clear organization by topic rather than chronology - Inclusion of primary source documents and examples - Coverage of both Western and Eastern saint traditions - Balance between scholarly analysis and readable narrative Dislikes: - Dense academic writing style can be dry - Length (over 700 pages) feels excessive for some readers - Focus on institutional Church rather than folk practices - Limited coverage of modern-day saint veneration Ratings: Goodreads: 4.3/5 (32 ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (22 ratings) Several academic reviewers praised the book's comprehensive scope, with one calling it "the new standard reference work on medieval saints." Multiple readers noted it works better as a reference text to consult sections rather than reading cover-to-cover.

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🌟 The book's title comes from a quote by St. Augustine, who was addressing why miracles occurred at martyrs' shrines 🌟 Author Robert Bartlett spent over 10 years researching and writing this comprehensive history of saints, which covers nearly 2,000 years of Christian devotion 🌟 The practice of preserving saints' relics led to a fascinating medieval trade network, with some body parts becoming more valuable than gold and precious stones 🌟 In medieval Europe, saints were often "tested" by fire - their relics were thrown into flames, and if they emerged unscathed, their authenticity was confirmed 🌟 The book discusses how some saints became associated with specific professions or ailments purely by accident - St. Barbara became the patron saint of artillery because her father was struck by lightning