Since the earliest days of the church, artists and sculptors have been creating paintings, frescoes, mosaics, statues and sculptures of the Virgin Mary in all her various forms. Sometimes she appears in a small niche as the Madonna and Child; sometimes she is painted on an altarpiece or shown in a stained glass window as Mary, Queen of the Universe. Cathedrals, basilicas and … [Read more...]
WHAT HAPPENED TO TRICK-OR-TREATING?
A few years ago I wrote an article entitled “The War on Holidays”, which I refreshed and republished just a few weeks ago. It effectively posited the proposition that holidays, at least as celebrated in America, are just not what they used to be. The article meandered through the list of major holidays, both secular and religious, and how they have changed over the last … [Read more...]
AVE MARIA GROTTO AT THE ST. BERNARD ABBEY
Tucked away in northern Alabama, a short detour off of I-65 about halfway between Birmingham and Huntsville, is one of the most spectacular collections of Christian folk art to be found in the United States. This treasure trove of art is hidden away at the unassumingly named Ave Maria Grotto (www.avemariagrotto.com). Located on the grounds of the St. Bernard Abbey in Cullman, … [Read more...]
HISTORY’S GREATEST RELIGIOUS BUILDERS
The world is filled with literally thousands of religious architectural wonders. The date from the dawn of civilization to the modern age, and span nearly every culture that has existed throughout history. But who was responsible for building all of these amazing places of worship? In most cases it is a combination of a leader with deep faith, grand vision and deep pockets; … [Read more...]
THE WAR ON HOLIDAYS
October is here (not that you would know it from the weather), and once again we are plunging headlong into the ever-lengthening holiday season. While I freely admit that I do love this time of year, I can’t help but think that holidays are fundamentally different today than they were in the days of my increasingly distant youth. There was a time when most holidays, both … [Read more...]
TOP CITIES IN AMERICA FOR RELIGIOUS SITESEEING – PART II
The Complete Pilgrim is currently working on a survey regarding the best religious sites in America. While those results are a ways off, the initial results have yielded some interesting facts about where some of the largest clusters of major religious destinations are to be found. Not surprisingly, the largest clusters are to be found in bigger cities, with the heaviest … [Read more...]
TOP CITIES IN AMERICA FOR RELIGIOUS SITESEEING – PART I
The Complete Pilgrim is currently working on a survey regarding the best religious sites in America. While those results are a ways off, the initial results have yielded some interesting facts about where some of the largest clusters of major religious destinations are to be found. Not surprisingly, the largest clusters are to be found in bigger cities, with the heaviest … [Read more...]
HISTORIC JEWISH SITES OF GERMANY THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE HOLOCAUST
When it comes to Jewish history, few countries, if any, have as troubled a past as Germany. From the Rhineland massacres of 1096 through the almost incomprehensible systematic slaughter of the Holocaust in the 20th century, anti-Semitic violence was once a regular occurrence in Germany for the better part of a thousand years. But Germany also enjoyed many periods where Jews … [Read more...]
MEDIEVAL SYNAGOGUES OF SPAIN AND PORTUGAL
Throughout the Middle Ages, synagogues were constructed by Jewish communities all over Europe. While very few survive from this period, there are several noteworthy clusters of historic medieval synagogues that are still standing throughout the continent. One such cluster can be found in the Iberian Peninsula. Many synagogues were built in Spain and Portugal during the … [Read more...]
HOMES AND OTHER SITES OF GREAT JEWISH INTELLECTUALS OF THE EARLY MODERN AGE
Sandwiched between the persecutions and pogroms of the Middle Ages and the terrifying years of the Holocaust, there was a golden age of Jewish culture that flourished in Europe. From France to Russia, and especially in Central Europe, some of the greatest Jewish thinkers of all time emerged during this period. The era produced brilliant Jewish philosophers, phenomenally … [Read more...]