Hagiography is a type of literature that involves the biographical accounts of the lives of saints, religious figures, and other individuals who are considered to be heroic or virtuous in their respective cultures.


There are two main types of hagiography, namely:

• Lives of Saints: This type of hagiography involves the biographical accounts of the lives of saints, their miracles, and their martyrdoms.


• Local Hagiography: This type of hagiography involves the biographical accounts of individuals who are not saints but are still considered to be heroic or virtuous in their respective cultures.

Hagiography serves several purposes, namely:

• To inspire and guide the faithful in their religious practices and beliefs.


• To provide a model for emulation and a source of guidance for those seeking to lead a virtuous life.


• To promote the veneration of saints and other religious figures.


• To preserve the memory of the lives of saints and other religious figures for future generations.

Hagiography has been criticized for several reasons, namely:

• Lack of objectivity: Hagiography tends to idealize the lives of saints and other religious figures, which may not be entirely accurate or objective.


• Myth-making: Hagiography often creates myths and legends around the lives of saints and other religious figures, which may not be historically accurate.


• Religious bias: Hagiography tends to promote the religious beliefs and practices of a particular culture or community.

Hagiography is a type of literature that involves the biographical accounts of the lives of saints and other religious figures. It serves several purposes, including inspiring and guiding the faithful in their religious practices and beliefs, providing a model for emulation, promoting the veneration of saints, and preserving the memory of their lives for future generations. However, it has been criticized for its lack of objectivity, myth-making, and religious bias.

Writing of saints lives