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Catholic Church

AI representation of Martin Luther nailing his 95 Theses to the door of the castle church in Wittenberg in 1517.           Source: Nevio/ Adobe Stock

Why did the Protestant Reformation Happen? (Video)

​ The Protestant Reformation, often attributed solely to Martin Luther's 95 theses, was a multifaceted movement with roots deeply embedded in the challenges faced by Western Christianity. Luther's...
Gates of Paradise. Baptistery of Saint John (1128). Florence. Source: dbrnjhrj/Adobe Stock

The Gates of Paradise in Florence - A Masterpiece of Renaissance Art

Florence, called by many the cradle of the Renaissance, is home to many architectural masterpieces that embody the artistic and intellectual glory of that era. Among these treasures, one stands out...
St. Francis of Assisi was said to preach to animals as well as humans.	Source: J. Ossorio Castillo / Adobe Stock

St. Francis of Assisi: The Transformation from Spoiled Rich Kid to Saint

St. Francis, born Giovanni di Pietro Bernadore, was a mystic Italian Catholic friar. To this day, he is one of the most revered of all the saints and is remembered as the founder of the Franciscan...
Medieval sex was frequently restricted by the Catholic Church in many ways. Detail from The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch, circa 1500. Source: Public Domain

Medieval Sex Rules - How Not to Have a Good Time

These days, sex is everywhere. It's in our books, films, songs, TV shows, and now, even our history articles. Although some countries still impose strict rules upon sex, the fact is most western...
Medieval lovers. Source: guruXOX / Adobe Stock

Pope Pius II Wrote a Bestselling Erotic Novel Before Turning to the Cloth

Pope Pius II was an unconventional Pope. Before turning to priesthood, he bore children out of wedlock, enjoyed the flames of love, and wrote of adultery, scandal and fiery passion in his erotic...
The decadence of Rome, as depicted in Thomas Couture's famous painting, is still celebrated today in film and literature. And no event was reported as more scandalous than the Banquet of Chestnuts in 1501, held the night before Halloween.

The Banquet of Chestnuts: A Perverse Pastime at the House of Borgia?

On October 30, 1501, the most decadence of festivals occurred in the papal palace of Cardinal Cesare Borgia. A party that his own father, Pope Alexander VI, not only attended but participated in. The...
Scientists Totally Despiritualize A Group Of Holy Relics

Scientists Totally Despiritualize A Group Of Holy Relics

Since the sixth century AD a church in Rome has treasured what the devout have believed to be the holy relics of the two apostles Saint James the Younger and Saint Philip. Now, new scientific...
Vatican City

Vatican City: The Tiniest Country with the Biggest Influence

Vatican City, known officially as the Vatican City State, is the smallest and one of the most remarkable countries in the world. It is enclaved within Rome , the capital of Italy . There are only...
Will Pope Apologize to Mexico for Church Complicity during Spanish Conquest?

Will Pope Apologize to Mexico for Church Complicity during Spanish Conquest?

The President of Mexico has written a letter to Pope Francis asking for an apology over the Catholic Church’s role in the brutal repression of indigenous people during the Spanish conquest of the...
Pope Alexander VI inspired the Showtime mini-series “The Borgias”,

Pope Alexander VI: Unscrupulous Borgia Patriarch With a Lust for Power

Alexander VI was a pope who lived during the 15 th century, when Italy was experiencing the Renaissance . He is considered to be one of the most controversial popes in the history of the Roman...
The Phantom Time Hypothesis questions the motives and outcomes of Pope Gregory XIII's commission to reform the Julian calendar in 1582                Source: Scipio Turaminus / Public domain

The Phantom Time Hypothesis: The Greatest Fiction Ever Written?

Most researchers and scholars alike praise the importance of studying history. “The Phantom Time Hypothesis” contradicts the reliability of written history and asks key questions. What if it turned...
This is a CGI reconstruction of Thomas Beckets shrine.           Source: Dr John Jenkins / Taylor & Francis Group

Thomas Becket’s Sacred Healing Shrine Digitally Reconstructed

800 years to the day since the body of England ’ s legendary Saint Thomas Becket was moved to Canterbury Cathedral in Kent, in southeast England, this mysterious and deeply sacred building has been...
The location of the Treasure of Lima remains a mystery. Source: fergregory /Adobe Stock

Search for the Treasure of Lima and Wealth Beyond Measure

We all remember how the daring, thrilling novels of pirates, buried treasures, and exciting swashbuckling sparked our imagination when we were kids. The iconic novels such as “Treasure Island” by...
Christ the Redeemer struck by lightning. Credit: Cecilia / Adobe Stock

Rio’s Christ the Redeemer Statue Survives Despite Lightning Strikes

Perhaps the best-known landmark in the vast country of Brazil is the colossal statue, ‘Christ the Redeemer’. At 125 feet high, it continues to stand tall despite the fact that it has been struck by...
St Augustine and the Donatists

Cartennas, Algeria: An Ancient Scandal That Nearly Ripped the Catholic Church Apart

Phoenicia was a seafaring empire and trading culture that spread across the Mediterranean from 1550 to 300 BC. They were famed for their valuable purple dye which was used for, among other things,...
Black Madonna of Częstochowa with crown.

Are the Black Madonnas found around the World intentionally so?

‘Black Madonna’ is a term used to describe depictions of the Virgin Mary (usually statues or paintings) that have dark-colored skin. In such images, the Virgin is often shown with the infant Jesus,...
 Illustration of Dante’s Paradise by Giovanni de Paulo.

What is Heaven?

Joanne M. Pierce / The Conversation When a family member or a friend passes away, we often find ourselves reflecting on the question “Where are they now?” As mortal beings, it is a question of...
Rediscovery of the Relics of St Mark, a 14th century painting by Paolo Veneziano

Religious Artifacts found alongside Bones in Attic may be Relics of a Saint

A resident of St. John, New Brunswick, Canada, has found what may be religious relics hundreds of years old in his attic. The man's daughter contacted a museum, an archaeologist, some nuns, a jeweler...
St Peter - Vatican

Vatican Announced Bones of St Peter will be Displayed Publicly for First Time

The Vatican has announced that it will display for the first time in history the remains of St Peter to mark the end of the Year of Faith. According to the New Testament, Saint Peter was one of Jesus...