Stephanos Efthymiadis is Professor at the Open University of Cyprus.

Contents: Introduction, Stephanos Efthymiadis. Part I Genres, Varieties and Forms: Byzantine hagiography and its literary genres. Some critical observations, Martin Hinterberger; Greek passions of the martyrs in Byzantium, Marina Detoraki; Collections of miracles (fifth-fifteenth centuries), Stephanos Efthymiadis; Collections of edifying stories, André Binggeli; Greek Byzantine hagiography in verse, Stephanos Efthymiadis; Symeon Metaphrastes and the metaphrastic movement, Christian Hÿgel; Synaxaria and the synaxarion of Constantinople, Andrea Luzzi. Part II Hagiography as Literature: The Byzantine hagiographer and his text, Martin Hinterberger; Audience, language and patronage in Byzantine hagiography, Stephanos Efthymiadis - Nikos Kalogeras; Byzantine hagiography and hymnography: an interrelationship, Antonia Giannouli; Fiction and/or novelisation in Byzantine hagiography, Charis Messis; Holy actors and actresses fools and cross-dressers as the protagonists of saints' Lives, Stavroula Constantinou; The literary portrait of Byzantine female saints, Nathalie Delierneux. Part III Hagiography and Society: Economy and society in Byzantine hagiography: realia and methodological questions, Michel Kaplan - Eleonora Kountoura-Galaki; The city in Byzantine hagiography, Helen G. Saradi; The hagiography of doubt and scepticism, Anthony Kaldellis. Indexes.