(REVIEW) With glittering treasures from Siena’s golden age at every turn, this outstanding exhibition at The National Gallery in London is the first outside of continental Europe to consider the major role that the Italian city played in the development of Western European art in the early decades of the 14th century. Siena was united in its devotion to the Virgin Mary, who was believed to be the city’s personal defender and celestial queen.
Read MoreSaturday’s majestic open-air funeral for Pope Francis is now followed by election of the next pope by the College of Cardinals in a process shrouded in secrecy. Indeed, the Latin root for “conclave” means “locked room”). Its legendary status was underscored in January when the fictionalized movie thriller “Conclave” was nominated for Best Picture and other Oscars.
Read More(EXPLAINER) Pope Francis’ death and funeral will usher in a period of transition for the Catholic Church, with cardinals gathering at the Vatican for the papal conclave, the secretive voting that will result in the election of a new pope. A conclave is the special gathering of cardinals for the purpose of electing a pope. The next conclave is not expected to begin before May 5.
Read MoreA crowd of 250,000 gathered in a sun-drenched St. Peter’s Square on Saturday to bid a final farewell to Pope Francis, who was remembered as having had “an open heart towards everyone.” The Argentine-born pope — the first Latin American and first Jesuit pontiff — died this past Monday at the age of 88 after suffering from cardiac arrest while recovering from pneumonia.
Read MoreCongressional representatives are seeking to protect the freedom of tax-exempt charitable groups by filing the Safeguarding Charity Act. The bill would reaffirm that a tax-exempt status is not financial assistance, making a group subject to federal regulations.
Read MoreA small Christian university in Gaffney, South Carolina, is facing possible closure if it doesn’t obtain immediate financial support of $6 million. Limestone University, founded as a nondenominational Christian women’s college in 1845, is facing imminent decisions about its continuation.
Read MoreThe Basilica of St. Mary Major is one of the four major papal basilicas located in Rome and the largest church dedicated to the Virgin Mary in the city. Its artistic splendor, architectural grandeur and storied past make it one of the most significant houses of worship in all of Christianity. It will now also serve as Pope Francis’ final resting spot.
Read MoreMore than 240 Christians were massacred in attacks on villages in Plateau and Benue states during Lent and Easter, some as they worshiped, news agencies and religious liberty advocates reported.
Read MoreMessianic apologist Michael Brown engaged in “sexually abusive misconduct” with one young woman and an “inappropriate relationship” with a second married woman in the early 2000s, a third-party investigative report by Firefly has found.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Canadians are roused by the U.S. president's musings on Canada as America's 51st state and driven apoplectic by his imposition of tariffs on the country. Canada is also a very secular country, but Trump's asseverations have re-awakened these currents and revived memories of 19th century American moves to annex Canada. This renewed animosity is unlikely to end soon.
Read MoreZeev Buium took the ice on Sunday for the Minnesota Wild, becoming the first NHL player born to Israeli parents and one of more than a dozen Jewish players to feature in a game this season. He might also be the first in the league with a tattoo featuring Jewish calendar dates. His parents, Sorin and Miriam Buium, immigrated in 1999 from Ashdod, a city in Israel, to San Diego.
Read MoreOver the coming days, tens of thousands of people are expected to pass through St. Peter’s Basilica to bid farewell to Pope Francis. His funeral Mass is scheduled for Saturday.
Read MoreWhen Jessica Yeroshalmi started her political science degree at Baruch College in New York six years ago, she was surprised to learn that some students in her classes had no idea there were Jews with roots in the Middle East. Yeroshalmi’s parents fled from Iran to New York after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. It was only once Yeroshalmi went to college that she realized that her peers had an Ashkenazi-centric image of what it means to be Jewish.
Read More(REVIEW) The Dalai Lama has hopes for Tibet, but as someone who knows the feeling of having governance forced upon him all too well, he does not say that these conditions are the absolutely correct ones. Instead, he makes clear that neither the CCP nor he should decide the destiny of the Tibetan people. While the Dalai Lama expresses disappointment at the fact that he will likely not return to Tibet.
Read MorePope Francis’ funeral will be held this Saturday in a ceremony to be held in St. Peter’s Square. The funeral Mass will be celebrated by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the College of Cardinals. The decision was announced after cardinals met at the Vatican to plan the events of the coming days.
Read MoreMost Americans may not regularly attend church themselves, but they have a higher threshold for calling someone a regular churchgoer than pastors.
Read MoreIn the still 5 a.m. darkness, street lights flicker as cars circle to find parking. Friends and families embrace at the base of Mount Rubidoux as the crowd quietly begins the 2.7 mile climb. Parents push strollers, while others help the elderly. Hundreds have gathered atop this mountain for the past 116 years to enjoy the sunrise and celebrate Easter Sunday.
Read More(EXPLAINER) The funeral rites take place in three parts, called stations. The first takes place in the pope’s private chapel, after medical professionals have certified his death. Until recently, this stage had taken place at the pope’s bedside. After the body lies in rest in the chapel, the cardinal serving as the pope’s camerlengo — the pope’s chief of staff — will make the arrangements for the funeral.
Read More(REVIEW) The university system is under attack. Professors risk careers by publicly speaking out on issues of intellectual freedom. Campuses have become tinderboxes. Meanwhile, the lines between church and state are blurring, imperiling the independence of the former while power-hungry political rulers seek to expand their iron-fisted grip over both. Welcome to the age of St. Thomas Aquinas.
Read MoreThe Catholic Church’s next leader will likely be chosen from a group of cardinals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership in both spiritual and organizational capacities. The process of choosing the next pope is known as a papal conclave. This occurs following the death or resignation of a sitting pope.
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