Posts tagged Europe
‘Preserving Assisi’: Project Reveals Hidden Treasures Of St. Francis Basilica

A groundbreaking digital project, “Preserving Assisi,” uses gigapixel photography, 3D surveying and immersive technology to document the Basilica of San Francesco. Offering unprecedented access to its celebrated frescoes and architecture, the initiative also creates an invaluable digital record to support future research, conservation and restoration.

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Exploring A Hindu Ashram Inside The Prague Zoo

Prague Zoo’s Hindu ashram — built in 2013 as an educational attraction — has evolved into a living religious space. Visitors toss coins, perform rituals and treat its statues as sacred. The site raises questions about cultural representation, religious authenticity and appropriation in a European tourist attraction.

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Not So Holy Ghost: Tour The UK’s Spookiest Churches And Sacred Sites

From ghostly monks and spectral nuns to unexplained footsteps and phantom screams, Britain’s ancient religious sites are steeped in supernatural folklore. Discover how centuries of faith, conflict, burial traditions and architectural grandeur have inspired haunting legends that continue to captivate ghost hunters and Halloween enthusiasts alike.

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Confessions And Defenses Of A 17th Century Witch Hunter

In 1647, England’s Witchfinder General published a pamphlet to address criticisms he had received for his methods. He responded to each critique in turn, revealing the secrets of his complicated, misunderstood and undeniably cruel profession.


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Vatican Says Pope Leo XIV Diagnosed With Lung Cancer

Pope Leo XIV underwent surgery on Tuesday in Rome that confirmed he has lung cancer. Doctor’s removed the lower lobe of the pope’s right lung after tests confirmed the diagnosis. A Vatican statement made no mention of treatment going forward. The Vatican, however, said doctors were not currently speaking of chemotherapy or other therapies.

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Why People Keep Looking For Noah’s Ark In Turkey

(ANALYSIS) A team of researchers from Sivas Cumhuriyet University in Turkey is investigating a long-standing claim: That a boat-shaped geological formation in the country’s east contains the remains of Noah’s Ark. In the Book of Genesis, God decides to destroy the world with a flood. Following God’s instructions, Noah builds an ark to save himself, his family and animals of every kind.

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‘Sowing And Growing’: UK Churches Bring Back Community Gardens

More than 9,000 Anglican churches and chapels across the United Kingdom participate in the A Rocha U.K. Eco-Church movement, which encourages congregations to care for the environment around their buildings. This has become a bigger part of church outreach, especially in the six years since the pandemic.

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The Catchphrases We Inherit Without Thinking

(OPINION) Once we start using this lexicon, we have been successfully “groomed” into a new discourse we might not quite “get” — but which we begin to accept as normal. No, I’m not a signed up conspiracy theorist, and yes, language evolution is part of the dynamic of a lively society whose moods and modes it carries. But is that all it is? 

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Eiffel Tower Dispute Raises Questions About Observance and Public Spaces

(ANALYSIS) A visit by BAPS Hindu monks to the Eiffel Tower sparked a worker strike and broader debate over religious accommodation in public spaces. The controversy centers on brahmacharya, a Hindu discipline emphasizing control of the senses, which monks practice through strict celibacy and spiritual discipline.

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An English Church Has Hired Someone To Find Hidden Treasures

Walk along the River Thames, and you can encounter thousands of years of history through artifacts that wash ashore. Some “mudlarkers” spend significant time looking for the treasures — and now a nearby cathedral has named its first Mudlark-in-Residence to help visitors learn about the area’s history.

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Keep An Eye Out For London’s ‘Church Watchers’: ‘Beautiful Spaces And Interesting People’

The Church Watchers — all of whom are volunteers — are responsible for maintaining the openings of these small sanctuaries throughout the week. They take the job very seriously.

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Was Marx Right About Religion?: The Human Brain Has Entered the Debate

(OPINION) Marx saw religion as a top-down sedative administered by elites to dull the pain of feudalism. History offers a different perspective.

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Why French Officials Placed A Muslim War Memorial In The Heart Of Paris

(ANALYSIS) The Paris Grand Mosque — a cultural landmark located in the heart of the city — is celebrating its centenary. Built as a war memorial to honor Muslim soldiers killed during World War I, it was the first permanent mosque in the French capital and remains its only mosque built with a minaret and a dome.

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Beyond The Beautiful Game: How Roberto Baggio’s Buddhist Journey Delivered Resilience

(REVIEW) His crowning individual honors — the Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards in 1993 — cemented the striker’s place among the game’s all-time best. But Baggio, who was born and raised a Catholic, found inner peace after his conversion to Buddhism.

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How Evangelical Apocalypticism Hurts The Planet

On this week's podcast, anthropologist Susannah Crockford explains why she believes part of the root of climate change may be buried deep inside of evangelical Christianity.

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Murders And Theological Debates: Ranking The Anglican Priests Of ‘Grantchester’

After 11 seasons, PBS’s “Masterpiece Mystery!” series “Grantchester” has come to an end. For more than a decade, viewers returned to the quiet village of Cambridgeshire to watch an unlikely crime-solving duo: Anglican vicars and Det. Inspector George “Geordie” Keating.

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‘Impulse Towards Reform’: How Jewish Women Helped Shape Modern Design In Vienna

(REVIEW) The Jewish Museum’s exhibition “Modernity and Opulence: Women of the Wiener Werkstätte” highlights the pivotal role Jewish women played in Vienna’s influential design collective. Featuring nearly 200 works, the show explores how artists and patrons transformed modern art, fashion and women’s professional opportunities in the early 20th century.

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Camino De Santiago Attracts 500,000 Visitors A Year, But Climate Change Threatens It

It’s a life-changing religious pilgrimage. The Camino De Santiago trail has attracted hundreds of thousands of tourists to Spain and surrounding countries each year. But scorching heatwaves, caused by climate change, are threatening the ancient tradition and forcing hikers to rethink their plans.

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Crossroads Podcast: Politics And The Cultural Catholicism Of UK’s New Prime Minister

The new prime minister will almost certainly have a short political honeymoon. How will he handle his first public meeting with Pope Leo XIV? In terms of symbolism, will he seek a blessing?

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