(TRAVEL) It's a city of contrasts, where vestiges from the colonial era are juxtaposed with cutting-edge technological advancements. Amid this dynamic backdrop, Bangalore’s churches stand out as remarkable symbols of the city’s diverse cultural and religious tapestry. Each church tells a distinct story of architectural splendor intertwined with a deep spiritual heritage.
Read MoreMillions of pilgrims honor the 45 Catholic and Anglican men who were sentenced to death by Kabaka Mwanga II of the Buganda Kingdom. Ugandan reporter Deborah Laker walks in the footsteps of the 22 Catholic martyrs and unearths the tale of religious devotion, complex relationships and colonial oppression.
Read More(PHOTO STORY) On Nyepi, which is the most special day of the year in the Balinese Saka Calendar, the island of Bali turns off all lights and sounds, stops all traffic, renounces all worldly activities, and meditates while silence and serenity reign over the entire island.
Read More(TRAVEL) In the beginning of Revelation, John issues letters of encouragement, admonition and warning that he says Jesus instructed him to write to seven church communities in the Roman province of Asia Minor, which is now Turkey. The churches were: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.Remnants of these cities from the New Testament can still be found on Turkey’s Western coast, hundreds of miles across the country from where the devastating earthquake occurred in February.
Read MoreLutefisk is a tradition I found out, but it’s reserved for the late fall and early winter celebrations. You cannot get it over July 4th weekend, sorry to say. Nevertheless, I pressed on to learn about the culture of lutefisk, Lutheranism and other elements of the faith-inflected Scandinavian ways of the upper Midwest.
Read MoreFrom Addis Ababa to Tehran, Daniel Herszberg visited synagogues, schools, cemeteries and Sabbath services in hospitable homes. In Suriname and Poland, in Pakistan and Sudan, Barbados and Brazil, Herszberg not only discovered cherished archives and legacies but connected with locals who shared their stories — both lived and long forgotten. In some instances, he was the first person to have visited Jewish heritage sites in decades.
Read MoreIn Cambodia, the three days of celebration are centered on religious observances. The vast majority of Cambodians are Theravada Buddhists, and during this time they visit temples to complete various rituals. These include merit-making activities, such as praying and offering food to monks in exchange for a blessing. They also build sand hills on the temple grounds. These symbolize the heavenly “stupa” where relics of the Buddha’s earthly remains are believed to be kept.
Read MoreThe world's largest mud-brick structure is one of the most iconic structures in both Islamic and African architectural history. The community of Djenne, home to approximately 40,000 residents, sits near the Ban River. That river allowed the grand mosque to be built from a resource that is both local and sustainable: calcite-rich mud.
Read MoreEgypt is developing the Holy Family Trail — a pilgrimage of sites from Jesus’ infancy to his wandering in the desert — hoping to revive its tourist industry battered by two years of COVID-19 travel restrictions.
Read More(PERSONAL ESSAY) I’d arrived in the United Kingdom for a five-week summer study-abroad program with the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. My short adventure would begin, and part of my quest was to learn more about a couple of my literary heroes along the way, all while studying environmental policy and scientific history.
Read MoreWe visited one of the first churches in downtown Honolulu — Kawaiahao Church — that was made from white corral and dedicated in 1842. Nicknamed the “Westminster Abbey of the Pacific,” the church offers services in Hawaiian and English each Sunday. Unfortunately, my trip was from a Monday to Saturday, which meant I wouldn’t be able to visit a service. Everywhere we went in downtown and on the outskirts of Honolulu seemed infused with Houses of Worship and spiritual meaning.
Read MoreIn July, after five years of work, Father Francesco Patton inaugurated the multimedia exhibition “The Experience of Resurrection,” housed at the Franciscans’ Christian Information Center located inside the Old City of Jerusalem’s Jaffa Gate. The 656-square-foot installation, spread over six rooms, takes 40 minutes to view.
Read MoreSwedish Lutherans built the Gloria Dei church between 1698 and 1700 and worshipped along the Delaware River for several generations before it became part of the Episcopal Church in 1845. The church’s story and presence symbolize a unique chapter in American religious history and valuable contributions that Swedes made to religious freedom and tolerance in America.
Read MoreLike many people seeking special companions in the Northeast and Midwest regions of the United States, we drove hours, invested hundreds of dollars and loads of emotional energy into this pilgrimage to a unique religious and cultural landscape. We’d come to adopt a five-pound, brown, furry little friend. She was an Amish-born canine Doodle princess. Her given name: Alisha.
Read More(OPINION) Will more Americans — from the right and the left — untangle their bizarre fantasy with a misappropriating, rather cowardly, cult-like entertainment industrial complex? Has Disney going woke finally caused Americans to wake up from their slumber like Rip van Winkle? Mickey Mouse can’t have his cake and eat it too anymore.
Read MoreIn this week’s Weekend Plug-in, Bobby Ross Jr. reflects on a reporting trip to Alaska. Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.
Read MoreNamed La’eeb — which FIFA, world soccer’s governing body, said is “an Arabic word meaning super-skilled player” — the World Cup mascot triggered plenty of confusion and scorn on social media. But the mascot was primarily an homage to Arab garments known as the “keffiyeh” and “thawb.”
Read MoreLithuania’s Hill of Crosses, where many visitors have left crosses to honor soldiers who died in uprisings against czarist Russia, has become a site to pray for Ukraine. The history of the Hill of Crosses is unclear. Folklore says the first cross was placed on the hill, formerly the home of a wooden castle, to remind others to pray for mercy and health of people. Soon, crosses began appearing to honor soldiers who died fighting against Russia, which disapproved and repeatedly demolished them.
Read MoreThe Mount Angel Abbey, a Benedictine brewery in Mount Angel, Oregon, welcomes visitors year-round to taste and believe that the Lord is good. They follow the tradition of Saint Benedict, the late fifth-century founder of the Benedictine order who created self-sufficient communities in which the monks could make their own food and drink.
Read MoreThe 2022 World Cup, which will be held in the Middle Eastern nation of Qatar, will test the majority-Muslim country in several ways — primarily when it comes to religious mores around public intoxication and homosexuality, both of which are illegal there.
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