Religion | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/religion/RSS feed for ReligionenMon, 18 May 2026 20:10:47 +0000Stunning Frescoes in This Madrid Church Received a Facelift—But the Spanish Artist Buried Beneath Them Is Still Missing His Headhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/stunning-frescoes-in-this-madrid-church-received-a-facelift-but-goya-the-spanish-artist-buried-beneath-them-is-still-missing-his-head-180988756/Goya's frescoes are given new life in a church in Spain that also serves as the final resting place for most of the artist's body. The mystery of his missing skull has inspired poems and artworksMon, 18 May 2026 20:10:47 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/stunning-frescoes-in-this-madrid-church-received-a-facelift-but-goya-the-spanish-artist-buried-beneath-them-is-still-missing-his-head-180988756/Meet 'Gabi,' the Robot That Just Became a Monk at a Buddhist Temple in South Korea. It’s the Latest Robot to Take Up Religious Practicehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-gabi-the-new-robot-monk-at-a-buddhist-temple-in-south-korea-its-the-latest-robot-to-take-up-religious-practice-180988695/The humanoid promised to obey humans, save energy and treat other robots peacefully. South Korean Buddhist leaders have recently started to embrace artificial intelligenceThu, 07 May 2026 21:21:32 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-gabi-the-new-robot-monk-at-a-buddhist-temple-in-south-korea-its-the-latest-robot-to-take-up-religious-practice-180988695/This Dazzling Tiffany Stained-Glass Window Adorned a Church for More Than a Century. Now It Needs a New Homehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-dazzling-tiffany-stained-glass-window-adorned-a-church-for-more-than-a-century-now-it-needs-a-new-home-180988590/The Second Congregational Church of Winsted in Connecticut will auction off the colorful artwork featuring a stunning waterfall and sunsetWed, 22 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-dazzling-tiffany-stained-glass-window-adorned-a-church-for-more-than-a-century-now-it-needs-a-new-home-180988590/This Ancient God’s Name Was 'Mud.' Archaeologists Discovered a Water-Filled Temple Possibly Tied to Him in Egypthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-ancient-gods-name-was-mud-archaeologists-discovered-a-water-filled-temple-possibly-tied-to-him-in-egypt-180988581/A structure blending Egyptian, Greek and Roman styles was discovered in the ancient city of Pelusium at the edge of the Nile DeltaTue, 21 Apr 2026 01:59:49 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-ancient-gods-name-was-mud-archaeologists-discovered-a-water-filled-temple-possibly-tied-to-him-in-egypt-180988581/These Big-Brained Ancestors May Have Loved Crystals Just as Much as Modern Humans Do, According to New Researchhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/newly-discovered-stone-tools-made-from-geodes-and-fossils-hint-at-homo-erectus-connection-with-the-cosmos-180988565/Archaeologists in Israel unearthed prehistoric hand axes that Homo erectus crafted from stones including fossils and crystals, perhaps a sign that they wanted to connect with the cosmosMon, 20 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/newly-discovered-stone-tools-made-from-geodes-and-fossils-hint-at-homo-erectus-connection-with-the-cosmos-180988565/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/Experts Are Carefully Restoring a 15th-Century Masterpiece by Giovanni Bellini—and You Can Watch Them Workhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/experts-are-carefully-restoring-a-15th-century-masterpiece-by-giovanni-bellini-and-you-can-watch-them-work-180988466/The two-year project is expected to cost around $580,000, and visitors to the Gallerie dell’Accademia in Venice will be able to observe the process in personThu, 02 Apr 2026 21:05:57 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/experts-are-carefully-restoring-a-15th-century-masterpiece-by-giovanni-bellini-and-you-can-watch-them-work-180988466/Does This Skeleton Found Beneath a Dutch Church Belong to D'Artagnan, the Man Who Inspired 'The Three Musketeers'?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-skeleton-found-beneath-the-floor-of-a-dutch-church-may-belong-to-dartagnan-the-fourth-musketeer-180988448/Workers discovered the skeleton during recent repair work at the church in Maastricht. D'Artagnan died during the siege of the city in 1673Fri, 27 Mar 2026 21:36:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-skeleton-found-beneath-the-floor-of-a-dutch-church-may-belong-to-dartagnan-the-fourth-musketeer-180988448/This Spellbinding Exhibition Explores How Ancient Cultures Used Magic to Navigate Life's Challengeshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-spellbinding-exhibition-explores-how-ancient-cultures-used-magic-to-navigate-lifes-challenges-180988436/The Toledo Museum of Art is showcasing a treasure trove of masks, amulets, spellbooks and gems dating to between 2000 B.C.E. and 300 C.E.Thu, 26 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-spellbinding-exhibition-explores-how-ancient-cultures-used-magic-to-navigate-lifes-challenges-180988436/