The Saint is a novel written by the Italian author Antonio Fogazzaro. It tells the story of a young man named Piero Maironi, who is deeply religious and devoted to his faith. However, he is also torn between his love for his wife, Tullia, and his desire to live a life of celibacy and devotion to God.As Piero struggles with his conflicting desires and beliefs, he becomes involved in a number of complex relationships with other characters in the novel, including his mentor, Father Salvatore; his cousin, Countess Laura; and a young woman named Luisa.Throughout the novel, Fogazzaro explores themes of faith, morality, and the struggle between desire and duty. The Saint is a deeply introspective and philosophical work, and it offers a complex and nuanced exploration of the human psyche and the search for meaning and purpose in life.Overall, The Saint is a thought-provoking and engaging novel that will appeal to readers who are interested in exploring the complexities of the human experience and the nature of faith and morality.1906. From the Introduction: Senator Fogazzaro, in The Saint, has confirmed the impression of his five-and-twenty years' career as a novelist, and, thanks to the extraordinary power and pertinence of this crowning work, he has suddenly become an international celebrity. The censors of the Index have assured the widest circulation of this book, by condemning it as heretical. In the few months since its publication, it has been read by hundreds of thousands of Italians; it has appeared in a French translation in the Revue des Deux Mondes and in German in Hochland. It has become the storm centre of religious and literary debate. Now it will be bought be a still wider circle, eager to see what the doctrines are, written by the leading Catholic layman in Italy, at which the Papal advisers have taken fight. Time was when it was the books of the avowed enemies of the Church-of some mocking Voltaire, some learned Renan, some impassioned Michelet-which they thrust on the Index; now they pillory the Catholic layman with the largest following in Italy, one who has never wavered in his devotion to the Church. Whatever the political result of their action may be, they have made the fortune of the book they hoped to suppress, and this is good, for The Saint is a real addition to literature.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.