Sign-In
Cart
The Life and Times of Saint Vincent Ferrer
Paperback
Religious BiographiesMedieval & Renaissance HistoryCatholicism
Publisher: Historia Magna
Published: Sep 25 2025
Pages: 308
Weight: 0.79
Height: 0.65 Width: 5.50 Depth: 8.50
Language: English
In the twilight of the medieval world, as plague ravaged Europe, rival popes divided Christendom, and ancient certainties crumbled, an extraordinary figure emerged whose voice would resonate from crowded city squares to remote mountain villages. Saint Vincent Ferrer (1350-1419), a brilliant Dominican scholar turned charismatic itinerant preacher, abandoned the comforts of the papal court to embark on a remarkable two-decade mission that would transform the religious landscape of Western Europe.
This vivid biographical portrait follows Vincent's extraordinary journey from his early academic brilliance in Valencia through his dramatic mystical conversion during a near-fatal illness, and across thousands of miles of medieval roads as he preached to crowds sometimes numbering in the tens of thousands. Drawing on rich archival sources, this book reconstructs the world of a man contemporaries called the Angel of the Apocalypse, whose thunderous sermons on the end times could reduce hardened sinners to tears while his reported miracles attracted followers from all walks of life.
Vincent's story unfolds against the panoramic backdrop of a Europe in crisis. We witness his crucial diplomatic role in resolving the Great Western Schism that had divided the papacy for forty years. We follow his controversial campaign to convert Spain's Jews, revealing both the sincere conviction that motivated him and the troubling methods he employed. We experience the day-to-day reality of his penitential processions-bands of flagellants who traveled with him from town to town-and the exhausting rhythm of his daily routine that began with prayer at midnight and included hours of preaching followed by individual ministry to the sick, troubled, and desperate.
More than just a biography of a medieval saint, this book uses Vincent's remarkable life as a lens to examine a pivotal moment in European history-a time of institutional breakdown, spiritual searching, and social upheaval that in many ways mirrors our own uncertain age. His journey from cloistered academic to apocalyptic prophet speaks to perennial questions about how to maintain spiritual integrity and prophetic witness during times of institutional crisis.
Meticulously researched yet accessibly written, this compelling narrative brings to life a complex figure whose voice still echoes across the centuries, challenging us to consider what it means to preach truth to power, to balance contemplation with action, and to maintain hope even when the world appears to be ending. For anyone interested in the late Middle Ages, the power of religious charisma, or the role of prophetic voices during times of social transformation, Vincent Ferrer's story provides a fascinating window into a world at once distant from and strikingly similar to our own.
Also from
Mitchell, Owen
Marriage as a Sacred Mystery - A Catholic Theology of Covenant, Sacrament, and Domestic Church
Mitchell, Owen
Paperback
The Doctors of the Church and the Virgin Mary: From Saint Ambrose to Saint Thérèse of Lisieux
Mitchell, Owen
Paperback
The Life and Times of Louis Veuillot (1813-1883): The French Leader of Ultramontanism
Mitchell, Owen
Paperback
Faithful to the Magisterium: The Conservative Vision of Bishop Athanasius Schneider
Mitchell, Owen
Paperback
The Catholic Church and the Rise of Nationalism in Nineteenth-Century Europe
Mitchell, Owen
Paperback
Intellectual Views on Class, Society and the Ideal Catholic Order in Nineteenth-Century Europe
Mitchell, Owen
Paperback
Sacred Resurgence: The Intensification of Eucharistic Devotion and Marian Piety After the French Revolution
Mitchell, Owen
Paperback
Also in
Religious Biographies
Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy: A Righteous Gentile vs. the Third Reich
Metaxas, Eric
Hardcover
Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy: A Righteous Gentile vs. the Third Reich
Metaxas, Eric
Paperback
American Pope: Leo XIV's Road from the South Side of Chicago to Vatican City
Detrow, Scott
Burke, Daniel
Hardcover
Minute by Minute: A Pivotal Question from God, My Response, and the Remarkable Miracles That Followed
Moody, Joanne
Paperback
The Gospel According to Hobby Lobby: Inside a Billionaire Family's Quest to Craft a Christian Nation
Blanding, Michael
Hardcover
The Hiding Place: The Triumphant True Story of Corrie Ten Boom
Boom, Corrie Ten
Sherrill, John
Paperback
A Thousand Shall Fall: The Electrifying Story of a Soldier and His Family Who Dared to Practice Their Faith in Hitler's Germany
Mundy, Susi Hasel
Paperback
On Fire for God: Fear, Shame, Poverty, and the Making of the Christian Right - A Personal History
Hesse, Josiah
Hardcover
Another Life: Discovering the Healing Power of Purpose on My Long Journey from Player to Preacher
Strawberry, Darryl
Hardcover
The Women of the Bible Speak: The Wisdom of 16 Women and Their Lessons for Today
Bream, Shannon
Hardcover
Water from a Deep Well: Christian Spirituality from Early Martyrs to Modern Missionaries
Sittser, Gerald L.
Paperback
The Priest Who Stayed in Gaza: A Witness to Hope in the Ruins
Romanelli, Fr Gabriel
de Dieuleveult, Guillaume
Paperback
He Leadeth Me: An Extraordinary Testament of Faith
Flaherty, Daniel L., S. J.
Ciszek, Walter J., S. J.
Paperback
Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of the Little Flower, St. Therese of Lisieux, with Additional Writings
St Therese of Lisieux
Hardcover
Dreams of a White Snow Lion: The Remarkable Life, Vision, and Deeds of the Dalai Lama
Dhargye, Sherab
Bianca, Mariateresa
Hardcover
I Met God in Hell: The True Story of a Rocker's Unexpected Rescue from Eternal Death Into the Arms of God
Ehmann, Tim
Paperback
Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of the Little Flower, St. Therese of Lisieux, with Additional Writings
St Therese of Lisieux
Paperback
Even If: Trusting God Through the Fire (the Official Book for I Can Only Imagine 2)
Noland, Robert
Millard, Shannon
Millard, Bart
Hardcover
New International Encyclopedia of Bible Characters: (Zondervan's Understand the Bible Reference Series)
Zondervan Publishing
Paperback
The Long Loneliness: The Autobiography of the Legendary Catholic Social Activist
Day, Dorothy
Paperback
The Missionary: A Memoir of Superheroes, Sin & Saving Souls for the Mormon Church
Hudson, Greg
Paperback
If Only We Could See: Reimagining Creativity, Compassion, and Calling Through the Extraordinary Life of Lilias Trotter
Trafton, Jennifer
Hardcover
Holy Disobedience: Sex, Sin, and Secrets in the Biggest Church No One Knows
Spiers, Melissa Duge
Paperback
John G. Paton, Missionary to the New Hebrides: An Autobiography (History of Vanuatu)
Paton, John G.
Paperback
Dinner for Vampires: Life on a Cult TV Show (While Also in an Actual Cult!)
Lenz, Bethany Joy
Paperback
Finding Quiet: My Story of Overcoming Anxiety and the Practices That Brought Peace
Moreland, J. P.
Paperback
Dinner for Vampires: Life on a Cult TV Show (While Also in an Actual Cult!)
Lenz, Bethany Joy
Hardcover
Run Baby Run (New Edition): The True Story of a New York Gangster Finding Christ
Cruz, Nicky
Paperback
Living Water: Powerful Teachings from the International Bestselling Author of the Heavenly Man
Yun, Brother
Paperback
Kisses from Heaven Book One: Unique, Inexplicable, Extraordinary, and Supernatural Tales from the Heart of a Miraculous God
Woodworth, C. B. Caleb
Paperback
Designed to Succeed: A Faith-Driven Blueprint to Building the Life You Were Created to Live
Donnell, Donovan
Olusola, Kevin
Hardcover
To End All Wars: A True Story about the Will to Survive and the Courage to Forgive
Gordon, Ernest
Paperback
The Shot Caller: A Latino Gangbanger's Miraculous Escape from a Life of Violence to a New Life in Christ
Diaz, Casey
Paperback
The Book of Heaven: A Story of Hope for the Outcasts, the Broken, and Those Who Lost Faith
Asher, Houston
Asher, Katie
Paperback
The Mothers and Daughters of the Bible Speak: Lessons on Faith from Nine Biblical Families
Bream, Shannon
Hardcover
To Heaven and Back: A Doctor's Extraordinary Account of Her Death, Heaven, Angels, and Life Again: A True Story
Neal, Mary C.
Paperback
The Autobiography of George Müller: You, Too, Can Experience Miraculous Answers to Prayer!
Muller, George
Paperback
Joy Isn't Canceled: What Grief Taught Us about Pain, Peace, and Purpose
Penavega, Carlos
Penavega, Alexa
Hardcover
Evidence Not Seen: A Woman's Miraculous Faith in the Jungles of World War II
Rose, Darlene Deibler
Paperback