Religion

The Madonna’s Birthday: Was She Born on 5 August or 8 September?

The Madonna’s Birthday: Was She Born on 5 August or 8 September?

Contents1 The Madonna’s Birthday in Medjugorje2 The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary According to the Church3 Prayer to the Child Mary The birthday of the Madonna: 5 August or 8 September? Let’s discover when and why the Church celebrates the Nativity of Mary, Mother…

The Missionaries of Charity of Mother Teresa of Calcutta

The Missionaries of Charity of Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Contents1 The History of the Missionaries of Charity2 The Attire of the Missionaries of Charity3 The Missionaries of Charity Around the World The Missionaries of Charity of Mother Teresa of Calcutta live daily the legacy of love and compassion promoted by their foundress, Mother Teresa…

Saint Corbinian, the Saint Who Travelled to Rome with a Bear

Saint Corbinian, the Saint Who Travelled to Rome with a Bear

Contents1 Who Was Saint Corbinian2 The Bear of Saint Corbinian3 The Bond Between Pope Benedict XVI and Saint Corbinian Much beloved by Pope Benedict XVI, Saint Corbinian was a monk, hermit, and Bishop of Freising. At the Pope’s request, he evangelised Bavaria and even convinced…

Acutis and Frassati: the first canonisations of Pope Leo XIV

Acutis and Frassati: the first canonisations of Pope Leo XIV

Contents1 A Pope for young people and the future2 Carlo Acutis: The Saint of the Net and the Eucharist3 Pier Giorgio Frassati: The Saint who came down from the peaks to serve Pope Leo XIV chose his first Saints. They are Carlo Acutis and Piergiorgio…

What is the most frequently used name by popes?

What is the most frequently used name by popes?

Contents1 The names that wrote the legend of the popes2 The names of the first popes in history3 How many popes have there been4 Names of popes from 1900 to the present What is the most frequently used name by popes? A journey through the…

Our Lady of the Snow and the miracle of 5 August

Our Lady of the Snow and the miracle of 5 August

On 5 August in Rome, Our Lady of the Snow is commemorated, marked by a spectacular snowfall on the square of the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, dedicated to her. This is how the cult was born Our Lady of the Snow and the miracle of…

Episcopal Ring with Amethyst: What Is Its Meaning

Episcopal Ring with Amethyst: What Is Its Meaning

Contents1 The Meaning of the Amethyst in the Episcopal Ring2 The Bishop’s Ring3 The Archbishop’s Ring4 The Cardinal’s Ring Amethyst for Bishops, yellow topaz for Archbishops, sapphire or ruby for Cardinals—the episcopal ring, between symbolism and spirituality. As with every other aspect of religion, the…

Templar Symbols: The history and meaning of these ancient symbols

Templar Symbols: The history and meaning of these ancient symbols

Contents1 History of the Templars2 Templar seal3 Templar cross The Order of the Templars no longer exists but remains present in history also thanks to the esoteric Templar symbols linked to it. Let’s find out what they are and what they mean. Among the various…

The Wedding of Cana: explanation, miracle and message

The Wedding of Cana: explanation, miracle and message

The Wedding of Cana tells the story of the first miracle performed by Jesus. Let us see what message this story hides The evangelist John tells us in his Gospel about the first miracle that Jesus would perform. Known as the miracle of the Wedding…

Saint James the Apostle: The Story Behind the Saint of the Famous Pilgrimage Route

Saint James the Apostle: The Story Behind the Saint of the Famous Pilgrimage Route

Contents1 Saint James the Greater: The History2 The Link to the Camino de Santiago3 The Camino of Saint James in Sicily Saint James the Apostle was one of Jesus’ closest disciples. The first of the Apostles to suffer martyrdom, he still guides thousands of pilgrims…

Pope Leo XIV: The New Face of the Catholic Church in the Third Millennium

Pope Leo XIV: The New Face of the Catholic Church in the Third Millennium

Contents1 The Origins and Identity of a “Quiet American Citizen” Pope2 A Vocation Carved Through Time and Space3 The Road to the Chair of Peter4 The Choice of Name: A Pontifical Programme5 A Pontificate Marked by Peace and Reconciliation6 The Augustinian Tradition as Compass The…

What Saint Malachy’s Prophecy Says About the Popes

What Saint Malachy’s Prophecy Says About the Popes

Contents1 Who Was Saint Malachy2 Malachy’s Prophecy3 Prophecy About the Last Pope Saint Malachy’s Prophecy on the End of the Papacy: Between Vision and Deception, Faith and Unease In an age where the world seems to be rushing ever faster towards an uncertain future, ancient…

How a Pope is Elected: The Role of the Conclave and the Secrets of the Rite

How a Pope is Elected: The Role of the Conclave and the Secrets of the Rite

Contents1 Who Elects the Pope2 The Rules of the Conclave3 Black Smoke or White4 Habemus Papam How a Pope is Elected. History, Tradition and Mystery of an Ancient Rite: the Conclave When the papal throne becomes vacant, the Catholic Church prepares to experience one of…

What Happens When a Pope Dies: All the Stages from Death to the Election of His Successor

What Happens When a Pope Dies: All the Stages from Death to the Election of His Successor

Contents1 The Role of the Camerlengo2 The Pope’s Funeral3 Francis’ Exception: Choosing Santa Maria Maggiore4 The Conclave and the Election of the New Pope The Death of a Pope: What Really Happens Between His Passing and the Election of the Next Pontiff The death of…

Via Francigena: Among the Oldest Pilgrimage Routes

Via Francigena: Among the Oldest Pilgrimage Routes

Contents1 What is the Via Francigena2 Sigeric’s Itinerary3 Via Francigena: the stops in Italy4 Pilgrim Passport From Canterbury to Puglia stretches a road travelled for centuries by people in search of God and of themselves. This is the Via Francigena. Most of us have probably…

The Functions of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints

The Functions of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints

Contents1 The Congregation for the Causes of Saints2 What Does the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints Do?3 The Difference Between Venerable, Blessed, and Saint4 The Process of Beatification and Canonisation What is the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, and what does it do?…

Consistory of Cardinals: What It Is and How It Works

Consistory of Cardinals: What It Is and How It Works

Contents1 What Does Consistory Mean?2 Ordinary and Extraordinary Consistories3 Who Can Be Appointed Cardinal? The Consistory is a gathering of cardinals around the Pope to make important decisions. But how has it evolved throughout history, and how does one become a cardinal? The word Consistory…

How Does One Become a Saint? Explaining the Process of Sanctification

How Does One Become a Saint? Explaining the Process of Sanctification

Contents1 What Is the Difference Between Sanctification and Beatification?2 Who Decides Sanctification?3 The Process of Sanctification The process of sanctification consists of various stages and unfolds over a long period. Here’s how one becomes a Saint. How does one become a Saint? It may seem…