In this richly illustrated volume, Pope Benedict examines the great Saints of the middle ages from St Odo, Abbot of Cluny, to St Peter Lombard the twelfth-century theologian. With the Holy Father as our expert guide, we delve into the great debates of scholastic and monastic theology meeting figures such as Hugh and Richard of Saint Victor, St Peter Damian and St Bernard of Clairvaux. An exploration of the theological meaning behind the Romanesque and Gothic Cathedral architecture of this time provides further depth.


Through his series of catecheses on the life and works of great witnesses to the faith, Pope Benedict XVI helps us to understand "what it means to be a Christian today." These portraits of the distinguished figures of the medieval Church are not just biographical sketches but also provide the ecclesial backdrop against which they lived out their 'yes' to Christ. Through the words of the Holy Father, these great Saints and teachers of the faith come alive and call us to reawaken and deepen our faith.