A CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX FOR THE REV. ALBAN BUTLER’S LIVES OF THE SAINTS

CONTAINING

The names of the Popes, Principal Heretics; Roman Emperors; Emperors of the East and West, King of England and of France; Martyrs, Holy Fathers, and other Ecclesiastical Writers; Saints of England, Scotland, Ireland, and of other countries,—who are mentioned in Mr. Butler’s Lives of the Saints or who have existed since the commencement of the Christain Æra to the present time the General Councils; Principal Events, Persecutions, &c., that have taken place during the above period; including also the Doctrine and Discipline, Religious Institutes, and other miscellaneous subjects which occur in the history of each Age.

THE following Index exhibits a sketch of a regular history of the Christian church, of which many interesting subjects occur in the course of the Lives of the Saints. It is divided into eighteen ages or centuries, and each age comprises the principal objects of Church History, classed in ten general heads.

The First General Head contains the names of all the Popes from St. Peter to Pius VII. The two dates placed before their names, denote the years of their election and demise. A reference is given after their names, to the day of the month under which the history of their lives may be found, or, at least, some mention of them is made. Though there are some popes, heretics, &c., of whom no mention occurs in the course of these Lives of the Saints, it was thought proper to insert their names in the Index, that the list of the successors of St. Peter, &c., might not be incomplete.

In the Second Head may be found the succession of the Roman Emperors, till the destruction of the empire; then the Emperors of the East and West.

The Third and Fourth Heads comprise the Kings of England and France.

Under the Fifth Head are comprised the General Councils, and such particular councils as are of note, or occur in these Saints’ Lives, with their dates, and references to the places where they occur.

The Sixth Head contains a catalogue of the Holy Fathers of the Church, and other Ecclesiastical Writers, who in every age have defended and propagated the purity of Catholic doctrine, and the sanctity of Christian morality. The years of their deaths are assigned in the chronological margin.

The Seventh Head comprises a catalogue of the Saints of England, Scotland, Ireland, and of other countries, whose names are not under some other division of this plan.

Under the Eighth Head are given the names of the principal Heretics of each age, with the years in which they began to teach their doctrines, or were condemned; and a reference to the day of the month under which some account is given of them.

In the Ninth Head, under the general title of Events, many different objects are included; 1st. The Persecutions of the Church, with the names of the most illustrious martyrs who suffered in them; 2nd. The Conversion of Nations, with the names of the apostolic men who were the instruments of God in that great work; 3d. The Doctrine and Discipline of the age, as far as any mention of it occurs in the lives of the Saints of that age; 4th. Religious institutes, with the names of their founders, and the dates of their establishment; 5th. Miscellaneous subjects, which occur in the history of the age, and are mentioned in this work.

As it may be a satisfaction to some to see the Articles of Doctrine collected together, and placed in a more regular order than that in which they stand in the above-mentioned Index, another Index is added, presenting, at one view, some select articles of doctrine and points of discipline, with references to the day of the month and page of the volume where they may be found.

The sketch given in these Indexes shows, at once, the perpetual and visible existence of the Catholic church, from the time of Christ to the present day; the uninterrupted succession of her chief pastors in the chair of St. Peter; the origin of heresies; the councils in which most of them were condemned; the doctors who refuted them, and stood forth, in every age, as defenders and witnesses of the true faith; the persecutions in which thousands of Christian heroes sealed their faith with their blood; the ancient and uniform doctrine and tradition of the church; and the bright examples of sanctity which have illustrated her in every age.