In the United States, you can find museums for virtually anything related to the country’s history, especially its military history. As America approaches its 250th birthday, that means a lot of museums.  There are museums documenting everything from battles and wars America has fought to the leaders and heroes who have fought in them.  But it is only relatively recently that … [Read more...]

Unlike the East Coast, where Christianity was introduced in a haphazard multi-denominational fashion which followed the Colonial settlements, Christianity was established on the West Coast in a highly organized pattern under the auspices of the Spanish Empire and the Roman Catholic Church.  This was specifically true in California, where twenty one Catholic churches were … [Read more...]

Christians have embraced religious and spiritual music since ancient times, and there are few traditions as strong as that of hymn writing. This was especially true in the 19th and early 20th century, when prolific writers turned out literally thousands of hymns, especially in the English speaking world. America was no exception. While not all hymns are great or achieve … [Read more...]

In the 1440s, Johannes Gutenberg, a German inventor, developed the world’s first true printing press.  His invention revolutionized the production of printed materials, greatly contributing to the availability of less expensive books and subsequent increase in literacy.  One of Gutenberg’s first major printing projects, and arguably his famous, was the production of the first … [Read more...]

Ukraine is home to one of the oldest and most diverse Jewish communities in Europe.  Refugees from the anti-Roman rebellions are believed to have arrived here as early as Roman times, predating any other Jewish settlers in Central Europe, Eastern Europe or Russia.  The Jewish-ruled Khazar Empire dominated Ukraine in the Middle Ages.  In later years, Ukraine was a cradle of … [Read more...]

For many people who visit Israel as a pilgrimage, the prime destination, of course, is the Holy City of Jerusalem. Typically added to this are visits to Tel Aviv, Northern Israel, the fortress at Masada and the Dead Sea.  In addition, many travelers will venture a short distance into the West Bank in order to visit Bethlehem.  But due to concerns over safety or time … [Read more...]

For most Christians and Jews, as well as many Muslims, a visit to the Holy City of Jerusalem is the dream trip of a lifetime. Dreams of sacred places swim in the heads of millions of pilgrims who make their way to Israel every year.  They come from all corners of the Earth, seeking answers, seeking miracles, seeking validation of faith, or simply seeking to walk through ancient … [Read more...]

Eastern Orthodoxy was one of the last major Christian denominations to be established in the United States.  Nevertheless it has a long and rich history that dates back to before the American Revolution.  Although first introduced by Russian Orthodox immigrants in Alaska and the West Coast, it was by the Greek Orthodox immigrants to the East Coast that the Orthodox Church … [Read more...]

When one thinks of America’s most historic Catholic churches, most people think in terms of cities like Boston, New York and Chicago, where enormous Catholic communities boomed during the immigrations of the late 19th and early 20th century.  However, it is neither the Northeast nor the Midwest, but rather the South, that is the true birthplace of the Roman Catholic Church in … [Read more...]

The select few Americans who have achieved the distinction of sainthood in the Roman Catholic Church were almost all missionaries and, with a few exceptions, virtually all of them were women.  Five extraordinary women, all nuns, served the Church in the United States by creating and expanding religious orders, leaving a trail of schools, hospitals and missions in their wake.  … [Read more...]