saints

Representational image of Saint Theodora of Vasta. Source: Francis Valadj / Adobe Stock

22 January, 2023 - 22:00 Cecilia Bogaard

Saint Theodora of Vasta Spawned a Miraculous Church of Sprouting Trees

When discussing Saint Theodora , most people are referring to the rags-to-riches story of the prostitute-come-empress, and wife of Justinian I , who worked to promote women rights in the 6th century...

The saying “to cut off your nose to spite your face” is said to have its origins in the actions of Saint Aebbe and the marauding Vikings. Source: LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS / Adobe Stock

5 January, 2023 - 00:52 Cecilia Bogaard

Saint Aebbe Cut Off Her Nose to Spite Her Face

If you’ve ever heard the saying “cut off your nose to spite your face,” have you ever wondered where it came from? Legend has it that Saint Aebbe, also known as Saint Ebba or Æbbe the Younger, was a...

The saints Chrysanthus and Daria being pushed underground to their horrible death in a salt mine. Source: Public domain

24 May, 2022 - 22:57 Sahir

Legendary Christian Martyrs Chrysanthus and Daria Proved To Be Real

Legend has it that the now Christian saints Chrysanthus and Daria, who lived in the third century AD, converted thousands of fellow Romans to the Christian faith. This resulted in their arrest and...

17th-century icon of the Translation of the Relics of Saint. Nicholas of Myra. Historic Museum in Sanok, Poland. (Public Domain)

2 May, 2022 - 20:35 Dr Marion Dolan

Furta Sacra: Medieval Trafficking In Saintly Relics

It is hard to imagine that the gruesome topic of bodysnatching and the ghastly, gory and gorgeous world of relics would be a main focus of religious veneration throughout the Middle Ages. Through...

Saint Oswald's Church, Ashbourne, Derbyshire, England, dedicated to King Oswald of Northumbria, who became a saint. Source: Peter / Adobe Stock

20 December, 2021 - 14:01 Aleksa Vučković

King and Saint: King Oswald of Northumbria and His Lost Throne Quest

Much of English history was defined by critical wars, conflicts, and invasions. However, not everything was drenched in chaos and bloodshed. Throughout the ages, powerful rulers were there to keep...

7 August, 2021 - 15:00 Meagan Dickerson

Holy Sovereignty: How the English Church Resisted a Norman Takeover

The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 brought enormous social and political upheaval to English society. Structures and institutions that had been in place for centuries were replaced by Norman ones...

18 September, 2020 - 23:07 mrreese

Bardsey Island – A Small Land for 20,000 Holy Souls

For being only one mile long by less than a mile wide, Bardsey Island is a small piece of land, but it is of great historical and cultural significance. The island’s reputation is bolstered through...

Drinking Horn by Brynjólfur Jónsson of Skarð, South Iceland – 1598

29 March, 2017 - 01:58 ancient-origins

Icelandic Drinking Horn Changes Our Historic Understanding of Saint Olav

After the Reformation, Norway's Olav Haraldsson was no longer supposed to be worshipped as a saint. An Icelandic drinking horn offers some clues on how the saint's status changed over time. Drinking...

Fresco by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo of Rachel sitting on the idols.

17 January, 2017 - 03:44 Natalia Klimczak

The Tomb of the Biblical Matriarch Rachel, Entwining Faiths and Generations

The tomb of the Biblical matriarch Rachel became the basis for many Christian, Jewish, and Muslim stories. The remarkable chamber located in Bethlehem is not only a part of cultural and historical...

26 October, 2016 - 14:52 Dr. Andrew Chesnut

Viva La Muerte! Santa Muerte, Folk Saint and Holy Personification of Death, Healer and Protector

Some people become devotees on their own initiative, actively seeking out Santa Muerte upon the recommendation of friends or family members. Others receive an unexpected call or visit from the Skinny...

The painting of Saints Cosmas and Damian that shows the reported miraculous healing of a man by amputating his leg and transplanting the healthy leg of a dead man onto his body, then placing the diseased leg in the casket of the deceased.

24 June, 2016 - 00:39 Mark Miller

14th Century Painting Depicts Limb Transplant That Occurred 1,500 Years Ago

Researchers say they have found the earliest representation of transplant surgery in a painting that depicts a scene from somewhere around the 5 th century AD, at least 1,400 years before modern...

3 May, 2016 - 21:55 dhwty

Queen Tamar: The Confident Female Ruler of the Georgian Golden Age

Queen Tamar was a ruler of Georgia who lived between the 12th and 13th centuries AD. This monarch presided over what is today known as the Georgian Golden Age . This was a period that began in the...

The altar in the lower chamber, Mamertine prison Rome, Italy

19 July, 2015 - 01:17 Bryan Hill

The Infamous Mamertine Prison and the Supposed Incarceration of Saint Peter

The Mamertine Prison (a.k.a Carcere Mamertino in Italian) is an ancient prison located in Rome at the foot of Capitoline Hill overlooking the ruins of the Roman forum. When it was built, this was...

15 May, 2014 - 00:06 aprilholloway

Researchers chart thousands of miracle stories recorded about saints of the British Isles

A conference which took place in the Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic at the University of Cambridge saw the launch of a project to categorise and chart the thousands of miracle stories...