Spiritual Leaders & Religious Figures, A C-ARN
Religious and spiritual leaders have shaped beliefs, practices, and traditions throughout history. Learn more about influential religious leaders, spiritual teachers, founders, reformers, mystics, and other notable figures.
Spiritual Leaders & Religious Figures Encyclopedia Articles By Title
A Call to Compassion
When we are concerned mainly with our own interests, inevitably we tend to neglect othersâ interests. Because of......
Aaron
Aaron was the traditional founder and head of the Israelite priesthood, who, with his brother Moses, led the Israelites......
Abdul Rauf, Feisal
Feisal Abdul Rauf is a Kuwaiti-born Egyptian American imam, author, and interfaith leader. He led an effort to......
Abel
Abel, in the Old Testament, second son of Adam and Eve, who was slain by his older brother, Cain (Genesis 4:1â16).......
Abiathar
Abiathar, in the Old Testament, son of Ahimelech, priest of Nob. He was the sole survivor of a massacre carried......
Abigail
Abigail, in the Old Testament, the wife of Nabal of southern Judah, on whose death she became one of the first......
Abijah
Abijah, (âYahweh Is My Fatherâ), any of nine different persons mentioned in the Bible, of whom the most noteworthy......
Abraham
Abraham was the first of the Hebrew patriarchs and a figure revered by the three great monotheistic religionsâJudaism,......
Absalon
Absalon was an archbishop, statesman, and close adviser of the Danish kings Valdemar I and Canute VI. Scion of......
Acosta, José de
José de Acosta was a Jesuit theologian and missionary to the New World known chiefly for his Historia natural y......
Acosta, Uriel
Uriel Acosta was a freethinking rationalist who became an example among Jews of one martyred by the intolerance......
Adalbero Of Ardennes
Adalbero Of Ardennes was an archbishop of Reims who, by declaring the Frankish crown to be elective rather than......
Adalbert
Adalbert was a German archbishop, the most brilliant of the medieval prince bishops of Bremen, and a leading member......
Adalbert, St
St. Adalbert ; canonized 999; feast day April 23) was a Bohemian-born bishop, missionary, and martyr who became......
Adams, Hannah
Hannah Adams was an American compiler of historical information in the study of religion. Adams was the daughter......
Adhémar of Monteil
Adhémar of Monteil was a French bishop, papal legate, and a leader of the First Crusade. Adhémar was bishop of......
Adler, Nathan Marcus
Nathan Marcus Adler was the chief rabbi of the British Empire, who founded Jewsâ College and the United Synagogue.......
Adret, Solomon ben Abraham
Solomon ben Abraham Adret was an outstanding spiritual leader of Spanish Jewry of his time (known as El Rab de......
Aelfheah, Saint
Saint Aelfheah ; feast day, April 19) was the archbishop of Canterbury who was venerated as a martyr after his......
Affre, Denis-Auguste
Denis-Auguste Affre was the archbishop of Paris and an opponent of King Louis-Philippe. Affre is remembered for......
Aga Khan I
Aga Khan I was the imam, or spiritual leader, of the NizÄrÄ« IsmÄÊżÄ«lÄ«te sect of the ShÄ«Êżite Muslims. He claimed......
Aga Khan II
Aga Khan II was the eldest son of Aga Khan I. In 1881 he succeeded his father as imam, or spiritual leader, of......
Aga Khan III
Aga Khan III was the only son of the Aga Khan II. He succeeded his father as imam (leader) of the NizÄrÄ« IsmÄÊżÄ«lÄ«......
Aga Khan IV
Aga Khan IV was the wealthy and worldly spiritual leader of the NizÄrÄ« IsmÄÊżÄ«lÄ« sect from his appointment as the......
Aga Khan V
Aga Khan V is the 50th in the line of spiritual and worldly leaders of the NizÄrÄ« IsmÄÊżÄ«liyyah and the fifth in......
Agatha, St
St. Agatha ; feast day February 5) is a legendary Christian saint and virgin martyr. She is venerated as the patron......
Agnes, St
St. Agnes ; feast day January 21) was a Roman virgin martyr, possibly legendary, who is one of the most-celebrated......
Agnihotri, Shiv Narayan
Shiv Narayan Agnihotri was the Hindu founder of a quasi-religious reform movement called Dev Samaj (âDivine Societyâ).......
Agobard, Saint
Saint Agobard ; feast day June 6) was the archbishop of Lyon from 816, who was active in political and ecclesiastical......
Agreda, MarĂa de
MarĂa de Agreda was an abbess and mystic. In 1620 she took her vows as a Franciscan nun and in 1627 became abbess......
Ahab
Ahab was the seventh king of the northern kingdom of Israel (reigned 874âc. 853 bce), according to the Bible, and......
Ahasuerus
Ahasuerus, a royal Persian name occurring throughout the Old Testament. Immediately preceding Artaxerxes I in the......
Ahaz
Ahaz was a king of Judah (c. 735â720 bc) who became an Assyrian vassal (2 Kings 16; Isaiah 7â8). Ahaz assumed the......
Ahithophel
Ahithophel, in the Old Testament, one of King Davidâs most trusted advisers. He took a leading part in the revolt......
Aidan, Saint
Saint Aidan ; feast day August 31) was an apostle of Northumbria, monastic founder, and the first bishop of Lindisfarne,......
Ailly, Pierre dâ
Pierre dâAilly was a French theologian, cardinal, and advocate of church reform whose chief aim was to heal the......
Akinola, Peter
Peter Akinola is a Nigerian Anglican archbishop who served as primate of the Church of Nigeria (2000â10). In 2007......
Akiva ben Yosef
Akiva ben Yosef was a Jewish sage, a principal founder of rabbinic Judaism. He introduced a new method of interpreting......
Alban, Saint
Saint Alban ; feast day June 22) was the first British martyr. According to the historian Bede, he served in the......
Albert
Albert was a margrave of Brandenburg, cardinal, and elector of Mainz, a liberal patron of the arts known chiefly......
Albert VII
Albert VII was a cardinal archduke of Austria who as governor and sovereign prince of the Low Countries (1598â1621)......
Albertus Magnus, St
St. Albertus Magnus ; canonized December 16, 1931; feast day November 15) was a Dominican bishop and philosopher......
Albornoz, Gil Ălvarez Carrillo de
Gil Ălvarez Carrillo de Albornoz was a Spanish cardinal and jurist who paved the way for the papacyâs return to......
Alcock, John
John Alcock was an architect, bishop, and statesman who founded Jesus College, Cambridge, and who was regarded......
Alcoforado, Mariana
Mariana Alcoforado was a Portuguese nun, long believed to have written Lettres portugaise (1669; âPortuguese Lettersâ),......
Aldhelm
Aldhelm was a West Saxon abbot of Malmesbury, the most learned teacher of 7th-century Wessex, a pioneer in the......
Aleandro, Girolamo
Girolamo Aleandro was a cardinal and Humanist who was an important opponent of the Lutheran Reformation. A remarkable......
Aleksey II
Aleksey II was the Russian Orthodox Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia from 1990 to 2008. Ridiger graduated from......
Aleni, Giulio
Giulio Aleni was a Jesuit priest who was the first Christian missionary in the province of Kiangsi, China. Aleni......
Alexander I, St.
St. Alexander I ; feast day May 3) was the sixth pope and successor to St. Evaristus. Little is known about Alexanderâs......
Alexis I
Alexis I was the Russian Orthodox Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia (1945â70) whose allegiance to the Soviet government......
Alexis, St.
St. Alexis ; canonized 1448; feast day October 5) was the metropolitan of Moscow from 1354 to 1378 and the first......
Alger Of LiĂšge
Alger Of LiĂšge was a Flemish priest famed in his day for his learning and writings. Alger was first a deacon of......
Alkalai, Judah ben Solomon Hai
Judah ben Solomon Hai Alkalai was a Sephardic rabbi and an early advocate of Jewish colonization of Palestine whose......
Allen, Richard
Richard Allen was the founder and first bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, a major American denomination.......
Allouez, Claude-Jean
Claude-Jean Allouez was a Jesuit missionary to New France who has been called the founder of Catholicism in the......
Alzon, Emmanuel dâ
Emmanuel dâ Alzon was a French ecclesiastic who founded the order of Augustinians of the Assumption (or Assumptionists).......
Amboise, Georges dâ
Georges dâAmboise was a cardinal and chief minister of the French state under King Louis XII, known for his domestic......
Ambrose, St
St. Ambrose ; feast day December 7) was the bishop of Milan, a biblical critic, and the initiator of ideas that......
Amiot, Jean-Joseph-Marie
Jean-Joseph-Marie Amiot was a Jesuit missionary whose writings made accessible to Europeans the thought and life......
Amos
Amos was the first Hebrew prophet to have a biblical book named for him. He accurately foretold the destruction......
Amsdorf, Nikolaus von
Nikolaus von Amsdorf was a Protestant Reformer and major supporter of Martin Luther. Educated at Leipzig and then......
Anacletus, St.
St. Anacletus ; feast day April 26) was the third pope (76â88 or 79â91), following St. Peter the Apostle and St.......
Anastasius I, Saint
Saint Anastasius I ; feast day December 19) was the pope from Nov. 27, 399, to 401, succeeding Pope Siricius. Anastasius......
Anastasius the Librarian
Anastasius the Librarian was a language scholar, Roman cardinal, and influential political counselor to 9th-century......
Anchieta, St. José de
St. José de Anchieta ; beatified June 22, 1980; canonized April 3, 2014; feast day June 9) was a Spanish Jesuit......
Andreis, Felix de
Felix de Andreis was a Vincentian priest and pioneer missionary to the American West. Ordained at Piacenza (Italy)......
Andrew Of Caesarea
Andrew Of Caesarea was a bishop of Caesarea, and the author of possibly the most significant Greek commentary on......
Andrew Of Carniola
Andrew Of Carniola was an archbishop, advocate of conciliar rule in the Western churchâi.e., the supremacy of a......
Andrew of Crete, Saint
Saint Andrew of Crete ; feast day July 4) was the archbishop of Gortyna, Crete, regarded by the Greek Church as......
Andrew, St
St. Andrew ; feast day November 30) was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus and the brother of St. Peter. He is......
Andrewes, Lancelot
Lancelot Andrewes was a theologian and court preacher who sought to defend and advance Anglican doctrines during......
Andrews, Charles Freer
Charles Freer Andrews was an English missionary whose experiences in India led him to advocate for Indian independence......
Anezaki Masaharu
Anezaki Masaharu was a Japanese scholar who pioneered in various fields of the history of religions. After graduating......
Anicetus, St.
St. Anicetus ; feast day April 17) was the pope from approximately 155 to approximately 166. Possibly a Syrian,......
Anno, Saint
Saint Anno ; canonized 1183; feast day December 4) was the archbishop of Cologne who was prominent in the political......
Anokye, Okomfo
Okomfo Anokye was a fetish priest (traditional spiritual leader) and cofounder of the Asante empire who was considered......
Anquetil-Duperron, A.-H.
A.-H. Anquetil-Duperron was a scholar and linguist who was generally credited with supplying the first translation......
Anselm of Canterbury, St
St. Anselm of Canterbury ; feast day April 21) was an Italian-born theologian and philosopher, known as the father......
Ansgar, St
St. Ansgar ; canonized 865; feast day February 3) was a missionary of medieval Europe and the first archbishop......
Anterus, St.
St. Anterus ; feast day January 3) was the pope for several weeks at the end of 235 and the beginning of 236. He......
Anthimus I
Anthimus I was a Greek Orthodox patriarch of Constantinople (reigned 535â536), the last notable Byzantine churchman......
Anthimus VI
Anthimus VI was an Eastern Orthodox patriarch of Constantinople who attempted to maintain his ecclesiastical authority......
Anthimus VII Tsatsos
Anthimus VII Tsatsos was an Eastern Orthodox patriarch of Constantinople (1895â96), theologian, orator, and a leading......
Anthony III Studite
Anthony III Studite was a Greek Orthodox monk and patriarch of Constantinople (reigned 974â979) who advocated the......
Anthony of Egypt, St
St. Anthony of Egypt ; feast day January 17) was a religious hermit and one of the earliest Desert Fathers. He......
Anthony Of Novgorod
Anthony Of Novgorod was a monk and archbishop of Novgorod, Russia (1211âc. 1231), noted for his political and commercial......
Anthony of Padua, St
St. Anthony of Padua ; canonized 1232; feast day June 13) was a Franciscan friar and a dedicated patron of the......
Antonelli, Giacomo
Giacomo Antonelli was a cardinal and secretary of state to Pope Pius IX. Though he was never ordained as a priest,......
Antoninus, Saint
Saint Antoninus ; canonized 1523; feast day May 10) was the archbishop of Florence who is regarded as one of the......
Aphraates
Aphraates was a Syrian ascetic and the earliest-known Christian writer of the Syriac church in Persia. Aphraates......
Apollinaris The Younger
Apollinaris The Younger was a bishop of Laodicea who developed the heretical position concerning the nature of......
Aquaviva, Claudio
Claudio Aquaviva was an Italian Roman Catholic priest and the fifth and youngest general of the Society of Jesus......
Arason, JĂłn
JĂłn Arason was a poet and the last Roman Catholic bishop in Iceland, remembered as a national as well as a religious......
Arculf
Arculf was a bishop who was the earliest Western Christian traveler and observer of importance in the Middle East......
Arishtanemi
Arishtanemi, the 22nd of the 24 Tirthankaras (âFord-maker,â i.e., saviour) of Jainism, a traditional religion of......
Aristide, Jean-Bertrand
Jean-Bertrand Aristide is a Haitian politician and Roman Catholic priest of the Salesian order, who was a vocal......
Aristides
Aristides was an Athenian philosopher, one of the earliest Christian Apologists, his Apology for the Christian......
Arius
Arius was a Christian priest whose teachings gave rise to a theological doctrine known as Arianism. Arianism affirmed......
Arnauld, Jacqueline-Marie-Angélique
Jacqueline-Marie-Angélique Arnauld was a monastic reformer who was abbess of the important Jansenist centre of......