Religion

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…

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 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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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?…

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…

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…

God sees and provides: just one of the most famous religious proverbs. Let’s discover the others. Don’t look in the mouth of a horse that was a gift. A word to the wise is enough. Strike while the iron is hot. The old hen makes…

Contents1 The Angelus Prayer2 The Pope’s Angelus in St Peter’s Square3 The Angelus with Pope Francis From a Marian prayer to a papal blessing, the Angelus is a moment of devotion and dialogue between the Pontiff and the faithful, renewed every Sunday. We often hear…

Contents1 How the feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, came about2 Why it falls on the Monday after Pentecost3 Prayer to Mary, Mother of the Church The Roman rite celebrates Mary, Mother of the Church, on the Monday after Pentecost. Here’s…

Contents1 Elizabeth and Mary2 When is the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary celebrated?3 Prayer for the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary The Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary commemorates a key moment in the history of Salvation. In the encounter…

Contents1 Sanctuary of Our Lady of Divine Love2 Sanctuary of Our Lady of Sorrows in Pietralba3 Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Guard in Genoa4 Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary in Pompeii5 Sanctuary of Our Lady of Saint Luke6 Basilica of the…

Contents1 Saint Mamertus2 Saint Pancras3 Saint Servatius4 Saint Boniface of Tarsus5 Saint Sophia of Rome Who are the Ice Saints, who in the heart of spring return us, for a few days, to the depths of winter? Halfway between peasant tradition and devotion, here’s what…