Judaism is one of the oldest religions in the world (among the major active religions it is only predated by Hinduism). Despite this, little if anything remains of Jewish religious sites prior to the Middle Ages.  Thousands of years of wars and persecutions have left little in the way of ancient synagogues.  The world’s last intact Roman-era synagogue was sadly destroyed when a … [Read more...]

The Holy Grail, the cup from which Jesus drank during the Last Supper and which caught at least some of his blood during the Crucifixion, is (no pun intended) the Holy Grail of religious artifacts. This vessel, if it could be found and verified, would undoubtedly be the greatest treasure of the Christian faith.  Its existence and location have been the subject of countless … [Read more...]

September is almost here, and so is college football season. For die-hard collegiate football fan the question is, “How can we get a little divine assistance in reaching bowl season?” Well, fear not. The Complete Pilgrim has you covered. From the SEC to the PAC12, some of the best college chapels and churches in the United States can be found at Division 1-A schools. So throw … [Read more...]

Few things garner as much attention for an historic site then the title of ‘oldest’, and the oldest churches are certainly no exception.  Determining what is, in fact, the oldest church in America is a matter of some debate, as there are many ways to consider the question.  Do churches on U.S. territories count?  Did they actually have to be constructed in the United States?  … [Read more...]

Millions of visitors flock to the British Isles every year, inundating the famous castles of England, Scotland and Ireland.  Countless tourists make their way to such iconic sites as Windsor Castle, Edinburg Castle, Blarney Castle, and the world’s most famous of medieval fortresses, the Tower of London.  But what about Doune Castle in Scotland?  Or Trim Castle in Ireland?  … [Read more...]

When one thinks of immense Christian statues, the first (and often only) one that comes to mind is the Statue of Christ the Redeemer, the immense depiction of Jesus with arms outspread overlooking the magnificent beach and skyline of the city of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. However, this is far from the world’s tallest Christian statue. It barely makes the list of top ten in the … [Read more...]

There are literally hundreds of thousands of churches, cathedrals, synagogues, and sacred Jewish and Christian shrines to be found all over the world.  Of these, hundreds, if not thousands, are of particular religious and/or historic importance.  But are there seven that stand out above all of the rest?  Well, sort of.  The most important sacred sites of both religions can be … [Read more...]

The United States military establishment has always taken the spiritual needs of its members very seriously.  Nowhere is this tradition more strongly represented than at the various American military academies.  Some of the oldest and most historic military chapels in the United States are to be found at West Point, Annapolis and the various senior military colleges, while the … [Read more...]

The military history of America has many great traditions, but few permeate the lives of day to day Americans the way that military music does. Some of America’s greatest composers and lyricists have contributed to the genre, from poets like Francis Scott Key and Julia Ward Howe to full time musicians like John Phillip Sousa.  Their music is both inspirational and timeless, and … [Read more...]

Much has been said about the theological roots of the United States and the extent to which the Founding Fathers were truly religious men.  Whatever the truth about their religious convictions, there is no doubt that most of the Founding Fathers were, in fact, churchgoers throughout their lives.  George Washington, John Adams, Alexander Hamilton and even the unorthodox Benjamin … [Read more...]