Panegyric (Lat. panegyricoe orationes) is the name of the orations pronounced upon the graves of the early Christian martyrs. They were especially a labor of love with the Church fathers, who thus came to compose some of their most praised homilies (q.v.). Among the ablest were those by Chrysostom. Basil the Great, the Gregories of Nazianzum and of Nyssa, Ambrose, Augustine, Leo, Chrysologus, and others. These panegyrics contained partly thanksgivings to God for the mercy shown the martyrs, partly encouragement to like action for remaining faithful if the occasion should arise, partly intercessory prayers for the whole Church, and encouraging reminders of the approaching resurrection of the dead. See Siegel, Christliche Alterthumer, 3:281.
The Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature was edited by John McClintock and James Strong. It contains nearly 50,000 articles pertaining to Biblical and other religious literature, people, creeds, etc. It is a fantastic research tool for broad Christian study.
John McClintock was born October 27, 1814 in Philadelphia to Irish immigrants, John and Martha McClintock. He began as a clerk in his father's store, and then became a bookkeeper in the Methodist Book Concern in New York. Here he converted to Methodism and considered joining the ministry. McClintock entered the University of Pennsylvania in 1832 and graduated with high honors three years later. Subsequently, he was awarded a doctorate of divinity degree from the same institution in 1848.WikipediaRead More