In July 2006, the Centre for Marian Studies, then a mere decade old, organized a conference in York, England, and presentations there have been reworked into most of the 10 essays here. British and American biblical and religious scholars seek the birth of the cult in various times, places, literatures, and intellectual ferments. Among their topics are Mary in the apocryphal New Testament, Cyril of Alexandria, Candlemas, and Pope John VII. Burns and Oates is an imprint of Continuum. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)