The Medieval Cult of Saints

A revisionist history of the medieval cult of saints, arguing that its emergence and development were not spontaneous expressions of popular devotion, but rather the result of calculated institutional strategies tied to monastic reform, ecclesiastical politics, and economic interests in the 11th and 12th centuries.

Abou-El-Haj disputes traditional views that portray saints’ cults as arising naturally from the religious feelings of the masses. Instead, she shows how monastic and clerical elites actively promoted saints to consolidate authority and orthodoxy.

Abou-El-Haj's The Medieval Cult of Saints radically reframes how historians understand medieval piety. Instead of a bottom-up religious movement, she presents a top-down, orchestrated system driven by monastic ambition, economic gain, and political consolidation. Her work underscores the need to critically assess sources, read religious practices in their institutional contexts, and remain skeptical of romanticized narratives about the Middle Ages.