Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Meletius, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Meletius, Saint mĭlēˈshəs [key], d. 381, Catholic bishop, leader of the Meletian faction in the Antiochene schism. Meletius became (361) Catholic patriarch after the Arians deposed Eustathius. The...

Clare, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Clare or Clara, Saint, 1193?–1253, Italian nun of Assisi, devoted from her youth to St. Francis, to whom she took a vow of poverty. She led a life of great austerity. She organized her companions in...

Hayne, Paul Hamilton

(Encyclopedia)Hayne, Paul Hamilton, 1830–86, American poet, b. Charleston, S.C., grad. Charleston College. Considered the last of the Southern literary cavaliers, he wrote a book of nature poetry (1855) and edite...

Joseph Barsabas, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Joseph Barsabas, Saint bärˈsəbəs [key], surnamed Justus, Matthias' competitor for the place among the disciples left vacant by Judas Iscariot. Lots were drawn, and Matthias won. Feast: July 20. ...

Matthew, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Matthew, Saint, in the New Testament, one of the Twelve Apostles. Also called Levi, he was a publican (tax collector) from Capernaum. Since the 2d cent. the first Gospel (see Matthew, Gospel according...

Sebastian, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Sebastian, Saint, fl. 3d cent.?, Roman martyr. Little is known of his life. According to tradition he was an officer of the Praetorian guards much favored by Emperor Diocletian, who did not know that ...

Littré, Maximilien Paul Émile

(Encyclopedia)Littré, Maximilien Paul Émile mäksēmēlyăNˈ pōl āmēlˈ lētrāˈ [key], 1801–81, French lexicographer. Known as a positivist philosopher and as professor of history and geography at the Éc...

Columban, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Columban, Saint kəlŭmˈbən [key], c.540–615, Irish missionary to the continent of Europe, also called Columbanus. He was trained in the abbey at Bangor. He and 12 companions, including St. Gall, ...

Canute the Saint

(Encyclopedia)Canute the Saint, d. 1086, king (1080–86) and patron saint of Denmark. He built churches and cathedrals and raised the bishops to the rank of prince. In 1085 he made an unsuccessful attempt to invad...

Cézanne, Paul

(Encyclopedia)Cézanne, Paul pōl sāzänˈ [key], 1839–1906, French painter, b. Aix-en-Provence. Cézanne was the leading figure in the revolution toward abstraction in modern painting. Cézanne's influence on...