RELIGION

11 Illuminating Facts About Hanukkah

Every winter, Jewish people around the world spend eight nights lighting candles, eating latkes, and spinning dreidels. But what’s Hanukkah really all about?

Hieronymus Bosch’s triptych ‘The Garden of Earthly Delights.’

15 Fascinating Facts About Hieronymus Bosch’s ‘The Garden of Earthly Delights’

The Garden of Earthly Delights is a piece so ripe with symbolism that it inspires intense curiosity more than 500 years after it was painted.

You’ll see a lot of blue and white during Hanukkah.

Why Are Blue and White the Colors of Hanukkah?

In 1864, the Jewish poet Ludwig August Frankl named blue and white “the colors of Judah” in a poem not so surprisingly called “Judah’s Colours.”

The cover of Octavia E. Butler’s ‘Parable of the Sower.’

11 Fascinating Facts About Octavia E. Butler’s ‘Parable of the Sower’

When Octavia E. Butler wrote her science fiction novel ‘The Parable of the Sower,’ she vowed to include only things that could actually happen.

Use of the word ‘placebo’ in a medical context is more recent than you might think.

Why Is It Called the “Placebo Effect”?

What is a placebo? Technically, a Latin phrase meaning ‘I will please.’ It’s also a Catholic prayer and a clever insult.

Cults are a popular topic for true-crime TV.

6 Misconceptions About Cults

Not every cult is a commune-based religious organization run by a charismatic man.

Can Catholics Eat Meat This St. Patrick’s Day? It’s Complicated

For practicing Catholics, meat is off limits on Fridays during Lent. But they might be able to make an exception this March 17.

The History of 9 St. Patrick’s Day Traditions

Why do people wear green on St. Patrick's Day? And why do they dye rivers green? Let’s dive into the history of some popular St. Patrick’s Day traditions.

Why Do We Celebrate Christmas on December 25?

Jesus’s birthday is subject to interpretation, and there are plenty of intriguing theories to explain how we landed on December 25 to celebrate Christmas.

Ham feasts predate Christian traditions.

The Pagan Origins of Christmas Ham

The tradition of eating ham on Christmas dates back to Nordic animal sacrifices.

Watch Spooky Footage From a 1932 Séance, Featuring Lady Conan Doyle

If you’ve ever wondered what it was like to attend a séance during the spiritualist movement, this clip will give you an idea.

Madame Blavatsky, the Woman Who Brought the Occult to America

Blavatsky asserted that she was able to perform extraordinary paranormal feats because she had been given access to an ancient wisdom, known only to a select few.

Voting in a church can have some unexpected consequences.

Why Churches Are Such Popular Polling Places

Casting your ballot in a house of worship may influence you more than you realize.

Mary I (pictured) did not trust her younger half-sister.

5 Ways Mary I Tried to Thwart Elizabeth I

Despite being half-sisters, the relationship between Mary and Elizabeth Tudor was difficult.

Why Beavers, Muskrats, and Capybaras Aren't Considered Meat During Lent

Beavers, muskrats, and capybaras are acceptable to eat on Fridays during Lent, according to the Catholic Church.

What Is Fat Tuesday?

If you plan to celebrate Fat Tuesday on March 1 with a doughnut or slice of King Cake, learn about the origins of the tradition.

The Story Behind the Darth Vader Gargoyle at Washington’s National Cathedral

Star Wars’ most infamous fallen Jedi has been bearing down on unsuspecting cathedral visitors since 1986.

What Does Goodbye Actually Mean?

You’re not really wishing someone a good ‘bye.’ ‘Bye’ is just an abbreviation—and ‘good’ is sort of a mistake.

This hand contains one of Saint Nicholas’s fingers.

7 Places You Can See St. Nicholas's Bones

Over the centuries, relic fragments of what are said to be St. Nick’s bones have been acquired by an impressive number of churches around the world.

An 18th-century painting of an exorcism.

6 Chilling Historical Exorcisms

Exorcism has a fascinating, unsettling history, and it’s left an indelible mark on pop culture thanks to films like 1973's 'The Exorcist.' Here are six historical exorcisms that are every bit as chilling as anything Hollywood can produce.

Robert E. Lee and company in the National Cathedral's stained-glass windows.

The National Cathedral Will Replace Its Confederate-Themed Stained-Glass Windows

Stained-glass windows depicting Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson were removed in 2017. Now, Kerry James Marshall is working on their replacements.

Why Do Fire Departments Have Chaplains?

What does a fire department chaplain do? It all depends on where they work—here’s how they help out.

Rosary Beads Belonging to Mary, Queen of Scots Were Just Stolen As Part of a $1.4 Million Heist at Arundel Castle

Is the culprit Elizabeth I’s ghost, trying to make sure every last symbol of her cousin’s Catholic faith gets destroyed, once and for all?

5 Precariously Placed Monasteries

Medieval monks picked some very isolated places to build their monasteries.