Phyllis Jestice, "Holy People of the World: A Cross-Cultural Encyclopedia (3 Volume Set)"(repost)

The theme of this work "is that most effective intermediary between heaven and earth: the holy human being who has a foot in both realms." More than 1,000 of the 1,183 entries are biographical sketches of men and women from a variety of religious traditions, including African religions, Amerindian religions, Bahaism, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Shinto, and Sikhism.