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Resources for Byzantine Hagiography

Hagiography Database

The online version of the Dumbarton Oaks Hagiography Database, originally released in 1998 as a set of floppy disks, has two sections. The introduction contains general information about the project and bio-bibliographical introductions to each of the saints of the eighth to tenth centuries included in the project. The database itself is divided into three sections: a list of saints, a list of authors, and a search of citations. The Greek texts that we have been permitted to reproduce either in their entirety or in sections may be accessed through the saint list (entire texts) or search citations (partial texts).

Translations of Byzantine Saints’ Lives

This survey of translations of Byzantine saints’ lives into select modern languages (English, French, German, Italian, and others) is available in two formats: alphabetically by name of saint and chronologically by century in which the saint lived. The survey was prepared by Alice-Mary Talbot, Director of Byzantine Studies emerita at Dumbarton Oaks, with the assistance of Johan Heldt. Stephanos Efthymiadis, Professor in Byzantine Studies, Program in Hellenic Studies, Open University of Cyprus, took over management of the resource in 2018. Please send any corrections or updates to him at efthymst@gmail.com.

Alphabetical List Chronological List

Dumbarton Oaks Publications

Dumbarton Oaks has published Byzantine saints’ lives in a number of different series. For more information about the titles and how to purchase, click the titles below.

Byzantine Saints’ Lives in Translation

Holy Women of Byzantium: Ten Saints’ Lives in English Translation
Edited by Alice-Mary Talbot

Byzantine Defenders of Images: Eight Saints’ Lives in English Translation
Edited by Alice-Mary Talbot

The Life of Lazaros of Mt. Galesion: An Eleventh-Century Pillar Saint
Richard P. H. Greenfield

Dumbarton Oaks Studies

The Life of Saint Basil the Younger: Critical Edition and Annotated Translation of the Moscow Version
Denis F. Sullivan, Alice-Mary Talbot, and Stamatina McGrath

Dumbarton Oaks Texts

Nicetas David, The Life of Patriarch Ignatius
Text and Translation by Andrew Smithies, with Notes by John M. Duffy