"The Cult of the Dead tells a strangely neglected yet all too obvious story: the history of Christianity is the history of a martyr cult. Of all the world's religions, it is Christianity that is most obsessed with violence, martyrdom, and the remains of the dead. From the time of the apostles to today, this mania for martyrs has profoundly affected all forms of Christian devotion and cultural expression, from its liturgy and literature to its art and architecture. In this fascinating and compelling new account of the past two thousand years of Christianity, Kyle Smith offers a new history of an old religion, ranging widely over ancient relics, the Reformation, medieval pilgrims, persecuted evangelicals, and many more besides. Through ten, character-driven chapters, Cult of the Dead takes readers on the grand tour of Christianity's rich cultural heritage, developed around and was sustained by the memory of its sainted martyrs. This book tells the story of how Christianity became-and remains-a cult of the dead"--