Bethlehem: Did you mean...?

There were many famous women of early Christianity who made significant contributions to the development of the faith but have since been largely forgotten. Some have been canonized by the Church or recognized in other ways, but their efforts...

As a youngster, David (the later king of Israel), slew Goliath, a giant, who was the champion of Israel’s enemy, the Philistines. "David and Goliath" became a metaphor for an underdog who nevertheless is victorious over a more powerful opponent...

The Christmas holiday has gathered around it customs and traditions for over two millennia, some of which even pre-date the Christian festival itself. From gift-giving to the sumptuous spread of a Christmas dinner table, this article traces...

In April 2019, The Museum of Cultural History in Oslo, Norway, opened its doors to the new exhibition VÍKINGR, containing rich treasures and unique archaeological finds from the Viking Age (c. 750-1050). The Viking Age is considered Norway's...

Christmas was one of the highlights of the medieval calendar, not only for the rich but also for the peasantry. For the longest holiday of the year, typically the full twelve days of Christmas, people stopped work, homes were decorated and...

The only sources for the life of Jesus of Nazareth are in the canonical gospels (or the gospels that were included in the authorised version of the New Testament). We have no contemporary, eyewitness testimony from the time that he lived...

Today, Marseille is known more for its modern history – World War II, North African immigration, and, of course, the rousing choruses of France's national anthem, La Marseillaise. Yet it is also one of France's most ancient cities, one rich...

A Byzantine wall mosaic from Ravenna showing the three Wise Men or Magi (aka the Three Kings) who visited the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. The three figures are traditionally named as Balthazar, Melchior, and Caspar, although they...

The Virgin, in the center, sits and holds the child Christ in her lap. To the left behind her right shoulder, an angel carries a cross-staff. The 3 Magi (dressed in trousers, chlamyses and Phrygian caps) present their offerings with veiled...

The Romanized peoples of Pannonia remained Christian under Avar rule. This brooch from the region shows the adoration of the Magi, a well-known Christian scene. On the right, 3 bearded men bring gifts to the infant Christ in the stable at...