Stories of the lives of saints were among the most popular narratives of the Middle Ages. Their tales were often sensational, full of unlikely supernatural incidents and gruesome deaths. The Church encouraged believers to revere saints as examples of virtue, miracle workers and martyrs. But the interest in saints was not purely religious; saints also offered a valuable opportunity for individuals and organisations to exercise wider forms of influence. Their sacred power could be leveraged for social, cultural and political purposes that the saints themselves might have found surprising. In this talk we will discuss a number of saints and their images, exploring the changing ways in which their lives were represented over time to reflect the evolving needs of communities.
Dr Sarah James is a Teaching Fellow in the Centre for Languages, Culture and Communication at Imperial College, London. Previously a Senior Lecturer and Head of School at the University of Kent, she has published widely on medieval saints and theology, and spoken at numerous national and international academic conferences and public events. Sarah's current projects include fundraising for major works planned at the Eastbridge Hospital in Canterbury, and a collaboration with the London Charterhouse exploring maps and manuscripts.
