HI7142 Saints and Sanctity in Ireland, Britain and Europe, c.500-1600

Module Coordinator: Dr David Ditchburn
Duration: Hilary Term
Contact Hours: 2 hours per week
Assessment: 1 x 3,500-5,000 essay on an approved topic relating to the module
ECTS: 10

This module provides an interdisciplinary approach to saints’ cults between c.500 and c.1600. It considers the creation and reception of cults in an international context, drawing on evidence from Ireland, Britain and continental Europe. Particular attention is devoted to the nature of the evidence for cults, the development of liturgy and the role of visual images and buildings in shaping and sustaining devotional practice. The module is taught by staff from different disciplines who bring different perspectives to key issues including the significance of relics, pilgrimage, liturgy, music and the visual arts, and religious and lay devotion.

Learning outcomes:

On successful completion of the module students should be able to:

• identify and contextualize key issues and patterns in the development of saintly cults
• place this knowledge in the context of a broader knowledge and understanding of relevant political, social and cultural developments in the Latin West
• formulate research questions for the purposes of essay writing and oral presentations
• engage critically and in-depth with primary texts and secondary literature
• attempt an interdisciplinary approach to the study of saintly cults
• complete an intensive, self-motivated study of a relevant problem, with high quality research organization and presentation