Bollandists
Belgian saint researchers
The Bollandists are a group of Jesuit scholars dedicated to studying and publishing the lives of Christian saints.
Founded in the seventeenth century, they produce the *Acta Sanctorum*, a massive critical edition of hagiographic texts.
The name comes from Jean Bolland, the Belgian priest who began the project.
Bollandist work applies rigorous historical methods to religious biography, separating documented fact from legend.
Biographies of holy people
- legendsTraditional stories or icons
- miraclesSupernatural extraordinary events
- beatificationDeclaring someone among blessed
- canonizationOfficial declaration of sainthood
veneration · relics · feast days · sanctity · piety · devotion · martyrdom · patronage
Ignatius-founded Catholic order
- AntwerpBelgian port city
- BrusselsBelgian capital
- apostolateReligious mission work
- suppressionForcible prevention or concealment
restoration · companions · theology · spiritual exercises · Counter-Reformation
Handwritten or typed originals
- philologyStudy of historical texts
- historiographyStudy of history-writing
- paleographyStudy of ancient handwriting
- archivesStored historical documents
bibliography · footnotes · monographs · research · academic · peer review · journals · conferences
saints' lives
Biographies of holy people
- legendsTraditional stories or icons
- miraclesSupernatural extraordinary events
- beatificationDeclaring someone among blessed
canonization · veneration · relics · feast days · sanctity · piety · devotion · martyrdom · patronage · intercession
Society of Jesus
Ignatius-founded Catholic order
- AntwerpBelgian port city
- BrusselsBelgian capital
- apostolateReligious mission work
suppression · restoration · companions · theology · spiritual exercises · Counter-Reformation
manuscripts
Handwritten or typed originals
- philologyStudy of historical texts
- historiographyStudy of history-writing
- paleographyStudy of ancient handwriting
archives · bibliography · footnotes · monographs · research · academic · peer review · journals · conferences · primary sources
- historianshistorian, historians, chronicler, chroniclers, annalist
- hagiographysaints' lives, hagiographer, hagiography, vita, vitae
- SaintsSaint Patrick, Saint Nicholas, Saint Valentine, Saint George, Saint Peter