"Inspired by Vatican II, which attributed a special apostolate to the laity and affirmed their calling to holiness, this volume of original essays focuses on the shifting points of intersection between changing historical definitions of laity and sanctity. Ann W. Astell and ten other scholars examine a series of medieval and modern lay "saints" in order to explore how these figures perceived their own lay status and how this status has been perceived by others."--BOOK JACKET.