Buenos Aires, Argentina No city in the world boasts more basilicas, or other sites of Catholic interest, than Rome. While this probably does not come as a surprise, what might is the city that takes the number two spot. It’s not in Italy, or even in Europe. It’s not even located in the two Catholic giants of the Western Hemisphere, Brazil or Mexico. It is, strangely, … [Read more...]
Archives for February 2015
CHURCHES OF THE PLAZA DES ARMAS
Cuzco, Peru The wealthy land of Peru became a major Spanish colony in the 16th century, and it was from here that Christianity spread out along the western coasts of South America. As such it boasts some of the oldest, largest and most beautiful churches and cathedrals on the continent. The Cathedral of Lima notwithstanding, the churches lining the Plaza des Armas in the … [Read more...]
CHURCH OF OUR LORD IN THE ATTIC
Amsterdam, Netherlands Since the end of the Roman persecutions in the 4th century AD, the open practice of the Christian faith has rarely, if ever, been a problem. This has especially been true for the Catholic Church, which has dominated Christianity for well over a thousand years, especially in the west. However, there have been times when the practice of Catholicism has … [Read more...]
CATHEDRAL OF ST. MARY OF THE SEE
Seville, Spain During the late Middle Ages and Renaissance eras, the Spanish monarchs endeavored to make their country a bastion of the Church, both religiously and politically. During this era, no other major power was as closely tied to Rome as Spain. In recognition of this, the Iberian Peninsula was adorned with countless new churches. The greatest of these, without … [Read more...]
CATHEDRAL OF ST. STEPHEN
Vienna, Austria St. Stephen’s Cathedral is the great church of the city of Vienna. For many centuries it was also the home church of the Hapsburg dynasty, which ruled over much of Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries, making its clergy among the most influential in the world. Many of the city’s bishops are buried within, as are a few members of the Hapsburg royal family, … [Read more...]
CATHEDRAL OF CLERMONT-FERRAND
Clermont, France The city of Clermont-Ferrand in Central France was the site of one of the most important moments in the history of the Church. Prior to the Second Council of Clermont in 1095, Catholicism and the Papacy were purely religious entities, though with enormous influence over Christian Europe. After the council, the Church was transformed into a major world power … [Read more...]
CATHEDRAL OF TRIER
Trier, Germany The Cathedral of Trier was the first major church to be established in what is now Germany, and is the oldest standing cathedral in Europe east of France. Once the most important Christian center in the Rhine region, the Archbishops of Trier were among the most powerful and influential outside of Italy. In early centuries the Cathedral of Trier was a major … [Read more...]
ANCIENT CHURCHES OF SALZBURG
Salzburg, Austria The city of Salzburg was probably the first place north of the Alps to receive Christianity, and was a major early gateway for the spread of faith into Germanic Europe. The city boasts a phenomenal collection of Christian sites, both ancient and famous, which collectively make for a worthy pilgrimage destination. St. Peter’s Church was founded in … [Read more...]
ANCIENT CHRISTIAN MONUMENTS OF RAVENNA
Ravenna, Italy The city of Ravenna in Northern Italy is famous for its place in Christian history, not for its association with any great Catholic saints. But this unlikely former capital of Roman Empire is home to over half a dozen essentially intact churches and other Christian sites which date back to the 5th and 6th centuries. This amazing collection of churches from the … [Read more...]
BASILICA OF SAINT-PIERRE-AUX-NONNAINS
Metz, France Of all of the great Catholic pilgrimage destinations in northwestern Europe, few have a history that can compare with the Basilica of Saint-Pierre-Aux-Nonnains. One of the only fully intact Roman-era buildings in Europe still standing, the basilica has served as a spa, a Benedictine chapel, a royal mausoleum, a church, a warehouse and a concert hall. It is also … [Read more...]
