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Geghard Monastery

Geghard Monastery: Ancient Guardian of the Lance that Stabbed Jesus?

According to the Gospel of John, Jesus was stabbed in his side by a lance whilst hanging from the cross. As a result, this weapon is believed to possess supernatural powers and it became an important...
The ruined Christian church in Turkey's Lake Iznik is thought to have been built over a Roman Pagan temple

Christian Basilica, and now Possibly a Roman Pagan Temple Found in a Turkish Lake

The foundations of a massive submerged ancient church in Turkey are suspected to have been built on top of an even greater treasure, an older Roman pagan temple dedicated to the sun god Apollo...
The door to the crypt was broken into.

Disrespect for the Dead: Disturbing Theft of 21 Skulls from an English Church

The BBC is reporting a bizarre and grisly crime, that took place in Kent, England. Thieves have stolen some 21 human skulls from St Leonard's Church in Hythe, Kent. They were stored in a charnel...
3-dimensional model of the Shroud of Turin imprint

Investigators use a Volunteer and Real Blood in Forensic Testing of the Shroud of Turin

It is reported in several news outlets that another test has been conducted on the controversial Shroud of Turn which indicates that it is most likely a forgery. This shroud is believed by many to be...
The church on top of Rock of Cashel, Ireland. Credit: Ioannis Syrigos

Rock of Cashel: From 2,000-Year-Old Royal Stronghold to Symbol of Christian Power

Steeped in mythology and immersed in over two millennia of history, the Rock of Cashel is one of Ireland’s most important archaeological sites. Prior to the arrival of the Normans, the Rock of Cashel...
St Mary’s Collegiate Church, Youghal. Credit: Ioannis Syrigos

800-Year-Old Church in Ireland Survives Viking Presence, an English Invasion and War

St. Mary's Collegiate Church is a stunning medieval church located in the 13 th century town of Youghal, in the eastern part of County Cork, the southernmost county of Ireland. When you enter the...
Painting of Father General Saint Francis Borgia, SJ, performing an exorcism, by Goya.

Exorcism – How Does it Work and Why is it on The Rise?

Exorcism is again in the news, as the Vatican announces a new training course will be held to meet increased demand for deliverance ministry. So, what does this actually mean, and should it be a...
The Lady Chapel, Glastonbury Abbey.

Glastonbury: Archaeology is Revealing New Truths About the Origins of British Christianity

Roberta Gilchrist/The Conversation New archaeological research on Glastonbury Abbey pushes back the date for the earliest settlement of the site by 200 years – and reopens debate on Glastonbury’s...
Remains of the original apse built in 1077 was unearthed during excavation work at St Albans Cathedral.

1,000-Year-Old Norman Cathedral Ruins Unearthed Beneath Church in England

The foundations of a Norman cathedral have been found under just 3ft (90cm) of soil during excavations at St Albans Abbey, the oldest place of continuous Christian worship in England. They are dated...
The Shroud of Turin: modern, digitally processed image of the face on the cloth

Blood on the Shroud: An Interview with the Blood Investigator of the Shroud of Turin Research Project

In 1978 a large team of American scientists under the auspices of the Shroud of Turin Research Project (STURP) spent over two years prior to embarking for Turin, planning a large number of specific...
The Holy relic, St. Francis Xavier’s arm.

Sacred Mummified Arm Traverses Canada on a Holy Relic Road Show

A highly-venerated sacred arm and hand once belonging to St. Francis Xavier is being displayed on Canadian soil for the first time ever, and Angèle Regnier, co-founder of Catholic Christian Outreach...
St. Lambertus Church, Immerath.

Impressive Neo-Romanesque Church Destroyed by Mining Company in Germany

A 19th century Catholic Church in Germany was demolished last week by an energy company that destroyed an entire village in order to make way for coal mining in Immerath, Western Germany. The company...
Venus and Mars, c 1485. Tempera and oil on poplar panel, National Gallery, London.

Trial by Public Performance: The Impotence Trials of Pre-Revolutionary France

The impotence trials of prerevolutionary France sound a bit like a political joke. France had mostly squelched the ability for couples to divorce, and it was in the wake of this that the impotence...
The marital prison in Biertan, Romania

Locked into a Relationship: The Medieval Remedy for Divorce Still Requested in Romania

Global divorce rates are on the rise. Some people see this as a social issue. But the small Romanian village of Biertan has a unique method to remedy this problem. They follow a tradition which has...
‘The Divorce of the Empress Josephine’ (1843) by Henri Frédéric Schopin

Breaking Up is Hard to Do: Divorce Laws Have Evolved, But One Country Is Holding Back

Divorce can be traced all the way back to ancient Greek and Roman societies. But the idea of marriage in these cultures was different from what is found in modern Western society, so it makes sense...
A fitting, probably from a book. The style is typical of Celtic and Irish areas and dates from the 800s. Silver with traces of gilding. Image Credit: Åge Hojem, NTNU University Museum

Archaeologists in Search of Beer End Up Discovering Valuable Viking Trove

A team of archaeologists searching to find beer and other brewing materials, ended up discovering something way more valuable; a trove of amazing Viking artifacts, including an out of place Celtic...
Sealings from the archive of Doliche.

Discovery of 1,000 Sealings Reveals an Ancient City’s Devotion to the Graeco-Roman Pantheon

Classical scholars from the Cluster of Excellence "Religion and Politics" of the University of Münster discovered a large number of sealings in south-east Turkey. "This unique group of artifacts...
The document was found hidden under the wooden loin cloth of the statue

Secret Centuries-Old Document Discovered Inside Buttocks of Jesus Statue

During restorations of an 18th century wooden statue of Jesus Christ, Spanish workers discovered a peculiar note that appears to be a makeshift time capsule. The most surprising and bizarre thing...
A Sheela na gig carving on a church in Kilpeck, England

Why Are There Carvings of Women Flashing Their Genitals on Churches Across Europe?

The last place one would expect to see an image of a woman flashing her genitals is a church wall, but across Europe, most notably Ireland and Britain, there are dozens of them. Most are old women...
The tomb of Jesus Christ in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem.

The Tomb of Jesus Christ is Proven Older than Experts Thought

The tomb where Jesus Christ is said to have been prepared for burial and then buried following his crucifixion has now been dated to the imperial Roman era around the time of Constantine. A recent...
Detail of ‘Monk tasting wine’ by Josef Wagner-Höhenberg.

Feeling Guilty About Drinking? Well, Ask the Saints

Michael Foley / The Conversation Each year the holidays bring with them an increase in both the consumption of alcohol and concern about drinking’s harmful effects. Alcohol abuse is no laughing...
Dried corpse hanging on the wall in the chapel at Évora

The Macabre Capela dos Ossos: Why was it Decorated with the Dead?

When one thinks about the interior design of a place of worship, one generally includes statues of religious icons, paintings of important religious events, perhaps the odd stained-glass window and...
The tombstone is engraved with a cross.

Intriguing Coptic Tombstone Belonging to a Little Girl Discovered in Luxor

A team of archaeologists in Egypt has recently uncovered an ancient Coptic tombstone during the excavation works taking place in the Avenue of Sphinxes. Now archaeologists suggest that the tomb...
Himmerod Abbey and Church building

900-Year-Old German Monastery Forced to Shut Down Because of Monk Shortage

Himmerod Abbey, a Cistercian monastery that's existed for almost 900 years in what is now western Germany is closing down for good, due to running expenses and also a shortage of monks. Notably, the...

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