Christianity | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/christianity/RSS feed for ChristianityenTue, 12 May 2026 11:30:00 +0000An English King Minted These Coins to Ward Off a Viking Invasion. Instead, the Seafaring Raiders Turned the Pennies Into Jewelryhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-english-king-minted-these-coins-to-ward-off-a-viking-invasion-instead-the-seafaring-raiders-turned-the-pennies-into-jewelry-180988716/Aethelred the Unready viewed the attacks on his kingdom as divine retribution. He hoped that a show of public penance, including the creation of coins featuring religious imagery, would help earn God's forgivenessTue, 12 May 2026 11:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-english-king-minted-these-coins-to-ward-off-a-viking-invasion-instead-the-seafaring-raiders-turned-the-pennies-into-jewelry-180988716/Six Decades Ago, a Boy Stole Medieval Tiles From an English Monastery. He Just Returned the Illicit Souvenirshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/six-decades-ago-a-boy-stole-medieval-tiles-from-an-english-monastery-he-just-returned-the-illicit-souvenirs-180988663/A ghoulish face and a graceful dragon decorate the broken clay tiles from the late 13th century or early 14th century. They were found tucked in an old toffee tinFri, 01 May 2026 18:39:46 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/six-decades-ago-a-boy-stole-medieval-tiles-from-an-english-monastery-he-just-returned-the-illicit-souvenirs-180988663/A Collection of Maps Owned by England's First Queen Spent Centuries Overlooked in a Family Library. Now, the Rare Volume Is on Sale for $1.6 Millionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/a-collection-of-maps-owned-by-englands-first-queen-spent-centuries-overlooked-in-a-family-library-now-the-rare-volume-is-on-sale-for-16-million-180988604/Created for Mary I, the first woman to rule England in her own right, the book is "perhaps the most significant artifact of Tudor intellectual history still in private hands," the seller saysMon, 27 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/a-collection-of-maps-owned-by-englands-first-queen-spent-centuries-overlooked-in-a-family-library-now-the-rare-volume-is-on-sale-for-16-million-180988604/Rolled Up in a Cellar for Decades, This Artemisia Gentileschi Painting Is Now Up for Auction. Why Is Mary Magdalene's Face Missing From the Portrait?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rolled-up-in-a-cellar-for-decades-this-artemisia-gentileschi-painting-is-now-up-for-auction-why-is-mary-magdalenes-face-missing-from-the-portrait-180988537/Found in Berlin, the artwork was probably damaged in the chaotic aftermath of World War II. Despite the gaping hole in the canvas, it could sell for upwards of $180,000 later this monthMon, 13 Apr 2026 17:10:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rolled-up-in-a-cellar-for-decades-this-artemisia-gentileschi-painting-is-now-up-for-auction-why-is-mary-magdalenes-face-missing-from-the-portrait-180988537/Jesus's Burial Cloth or Medieval Forgery? DNA Evidence Further Complicates the Debate Over the Shroud of Turinhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/jesus-burial-cloth-or-medieval-forgery-dna-evidence-further-complicates-the-debate-over-the-shroud-of-turin-180988514/A new analysis revealed traces of various plants, animals and humans on the controversial linen cloth. But outside experts are skeptical of the findings, which could complicate efforts to identify the shroud's original wearerThu, 09 Apr 2026 15:17:46 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/jesus-burial-cloth-or-medieval-forgery-dna-evidence-further-complicates-the-debate-over-the-shroud-of-turin-180988514/