A striking feature of California is the frequency with which its natural landmarks and cities are named for Christian saints. Many place names are traceable to the seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Spanish navigators, soldiers, and friars who christened the geographical sites they crossed and the missions and presidios they founded as they sought to secure California under Spanish rule. These explorers and the settlers who followed them often named sites for the saint whose feast day fell on the day the location was named.

The authors highlight the appearances of more than ninety saints' names--from San Agustin to San Ysidro--in present-day California. A sketch of the historical origin for each place name is followed by a brief overview of the life of the saint for whom it is named. This handy little volume will be a valued source for anyone interested in the fascinating history of the Golden State....

If you have ever looked at a religious painting, a statue or a stained glass window, and wondered who that person is, then this book is for you. Taking 130 of the most popular and widely represented saints (from the archangels and the Apostles to Saint Bernadette and Padre Pio), the authors provide brief accounts of each saint's achievements (real or legendary) and details of their conventional attributes - usually the tools of their trade or the instruments of their martyrdom. They provide a clear colour representation of each saint - a likeness which may be a work of high art, but equally may be taken from the popular imagery of playing cards, inn signs or advertisements. A comprehensive reference index enables the reader to identify the saints, by looking up the attributes represented - from anchors (St Clement) to wounds (St Roch if in the leg, St Rita if in the brow). Practical, attractive and well-informed, this little book will be invaluable for students and lovers of art of all ages....

If you have ever looked at a religious painting, a statue or a stained glass window, and wondered who that person is, then this book is for you. Taking 130 of the most popular and widely represented saints (from the archangels and the Apostles to Saint Bernadette and Padre Pio), the authors provide brief accounts of each saint's achievements (real or legendary) and details of their conventional attributes - usually the tools of their trade or the instruments of their martyrdom. They provide a clear colour representation of each saint - a likeness which may be a work of high art, but equally may be taken from the popular imagery of playing cards, inn signs or advertisements. A comprehensive reference index enables the reader to identify the saints, by looking up the attributes represented - from anchors (St Clement) to wounds (St Roch if in the leg, St Rita if in the brow). Practical, attractive and well-informed, this little book will be invaluable for students and lovers of art of all ages....