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Sacred biography

Form
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A poetic account of a holy figure’s life, often blending history with devotional elements

Detailed Definition
Sacred biography is devotional poetry that recounts the life of a holy figure—saint, prophet, or mystic—with emphasis on spiritual trials, miracles, and divine communion; blending narrative with lyricism, it serves as both hagiography and meditative guide, inspiring emulation and faith.
Example
Example in poetry:
A poetic retelling of St. Augustine’s conversion; Verse biography of Hildegard of Bingen’s visions; Modern poem on Dorothy Day’s path to sainthood; Hagiographic verse blending fact and miracle in rhythmic prose
Additional Notes
Sacred biography blends factual and miraculous accounts of holy figures; poetic versions emphasize virtue, trial, and divine intervention; modern adaptations may focus on moral or social exemplars
Also Known As
hagiography spiritual life story devotional narrative sacred life account
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