A cross-cultural encyclopedia of the most significant holy people in history, examining why people in a wide range of religious traditions throughout the world have been regarded as divinely inspired. * Approximately 1,200 entries including biographical sketches of holy men and women, plus 20 overview articles and 64 comparative essays * 270 contributors include scholars from 20 countries-all leading authorities on the individuals and religions they write about * Hundreds of historical photographs, illustrations, and paintings depicting holy men and women * End-of entry bibliographic citations to guide readers to further sources on each topic * Exhaustive subject index * Rich cross-referencing structure that aids navigation among related entries