Bibliotheca Hagiographica Latina
Encyclopedia
The Bibliotheca Hagiographica Latina is a catalogue of Latin
hagiographic materials, including ancient literary works on the saint's
lives, the translations
of their relics
, and their miracles
, arranged alphabetically by saint
. It is usually abbreviated as BHL in scholarly literature. The listings include MSS
, incipits
, and printed editions. The first edition (1898-1901) and supplement (1911) were edited by the Bollandists, which included the Jesuit scholar Hippolyte Delehaye
. The most recent supplement has been the product of a single editor Henryk Fros. The BHL along with the BHG
and BHO
are the most useful tools in the research of literary documents concerning the saints.
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
hagiographic materials, including ancient literary works on the saint's
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
lives, the translations
Translation (relics)
In Christianity, the translation of relics is the removal of holy objects from one locality to another ; usually only the movement of the remains of the saint's body would be treated so formally, with secondary relics such as items of clothing treated with less ceremony...
of their relics
Relic
In religion, a relic is a part of the body of a saint or a venerated person, or else another type of ancient religious object, carefully preserved for purposes of veneration or as a tangible memorial...
, and their miracles
Miracle
A miracle often denotes an event attributed to divine intervention. Alternatively, it may be an event attributed to a miracle worker, saint, or religious leader. A miracle is sometimes thought of as a perceptible interruption of the laws of nature. Others suggest that a god may work with the laws...
, arranged alphabetically by saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
. It is usually abbreviated as BHL in scholarly literature. The listings include MSS
Manuscript
A manuscript or handwrite is written information that has been manually created by someone or some people, such as a hand-written letter, as opposed to being printed or reproduced some other way...
, incipits
Incipit
Incipit is a Latin word meaning "it begins". The incipit of a text, such as a poem, song, or book, is the first few words of its opening line. In music, it can also refer to the opening notes of a composition. Before the development of titles, texts were often referred to by their incipits...
, and printed editions. The first edition (1898-1901) and supplement (1911) were edited by the Bollandists, which included the Jesuit scholar Hippolyte Delehaye
Hippolyte Delehaye
Hippolyte Delehaye was a Belgian Jesuit who was a hagiographic scholar and an outstanding member of the Bollandists, who established critical editions of texts relating to the Christian saints and martyrs that were based on applying the critical method of sound archaeological and documentary...
. The most recent supplement has been the product of a single editor Henryk Fros. The BHL along with the BHG
Bibliotheca Hagiographica Graeca
The Bibliotheca Hagiographica Graeca is a catalogue of Greek hagiographic materials, including ancient literary works on the saint's lives, the translations of their relics, and their miracles, arranged alphabetically by saint. It is usually abbreviated as BHG in scholarly literature. The...
and BHO
Bibliotheca Hagiographica Orientalis
The Bibliotheca Hagiographica Orientalis is a catalogue of Arabic, Coptic, Syriac, Armenian, and Ethiopian hagiographic materials, including ancient literary works on the saint's lives, the translations of their relics, and their miracles, arranged alphabetically by saint. It is usually...
are the most useful tools in the research of literary documents concerning the saints.
Editions
- Bibliotheca hagiographica latina antiquae et mediae aetatis, ed. Société des Bollandistes, Subsidia Hagiographica 6 (Bruxelles: Société des Bollandistes, 1898-1901).
- Bibliotheca hagiographica latina antiquae et mediae aetatis. Supplementi editio altera auctior, ed. Société des Bollandistes, Subsidia Hagiographica 12 (Bruxelles: Société des Bollandistes, 1911).
- Bibliotheca hagiographica latina antiquae et mediae aetatis. Novum Supplementum, ed. Henryk Fros, Subsidia Hagiographica 70 (Bruxelles: Société des Bollandistes, 1986).