Religion

President Dwight Eisenhower at the annual National Prayer Breakfast in Washington on Feb. 2, 1956.

The History of the National Prayer Breakfast

The tradition began with President Eisenhower and has often been a place for the chief executive to talk about his faith

Astrolabes were astronomical calculating devices that did everything from tell the time to map the stars. This 16th century planispherical astrolabe stems from Morocco.

The Story of the Astrolabe, the Original Smartphone

Prosperous times likely paved the way for this multifunctional device, conceptual ancestor to the iPhone 7

Anger is no match for Patience—no matter how large her sword.

Here’s What Happens in a "Comic Book" Drawn by Medieval Monks

<i>Psychomachia</i> pits vice against virtue in a battle for human souls

Why the Templar Secret Rituals Were So Controversial

From spitting on the Christian cross to strange sexual acts, the Knights Templar's secret rituals were controversial

Capt. (Dr.) Tejdeep Singh Rattan (right) checks in a patient during the triage portion of an exercise during the Basic Officer Leadership Course at Camp Bullis, Texas in 2010. Rattan was the first Sikh allowed to keep his articles of faith while in uniform in 23 years.

Muslim and Sikh Troops Can Now Wear Beards, Turbans and Headscarves

The U.S. Army just changed its grooming regulations to accommodate observant soldiers

Was This Hidden Tunnel Used by the Knights Templar?

It's unclear if the Knights Templar created the secret tunnel in Acre, Israel, as an escape route or a way to secretly export valuable items

Sabbathday Shaker Village in New Gloucester, Maine used to be a thriving community.

There Are Only Two Shakers Left in the World

One of America’s oldest religious sects still survives

How the Knights Templar Came to Be

After a group of pilgrims were murdered in 1119, nine crusaders formed a pact to protect any others like them from harm

Refugees wait for water at a camp in Delhi. The partition of India put millions on the move.

After Nearly 70 Years, the India-Pakistan Partition Gets a Museum

The Partition Museum is unrelenting in its portrayal of a brutal era

Michelangelo's frescoes in the Sistine Chapel are just some of the Vatican Museums' vast holdings.

The Vatican Names Its First Woman Museum Director

Barbara Jatta just smashed through one frescoed ceiling

An interior shot of Hagia Sophia. Its name means "Holy Wisdom" or "Sacred Wisdom."

You Can Hear Hagia Sophia’s Sublime Acoustics Without a Trip to Istanbul

Stanford scientists have digitally created the building’s unique sound, taking listeners back to the Middle Ages

Patrons of the sciences once offered cash prizes, exotic pets and even islands for world-changing discoveries. Here, Louis XIV surveys the members of the Royal Academy of Sciences in 1667.

For Your Contributions to Science, I Humbly Bequeath You This Pet Moose

A history of motivating scientific endeavor through cash prizes, islands and exotic pets

The National Menorah and one of the state Christmas trees near the White House in 2009.

Someday, Maybe We’ll Have Hanukkah in July

Hanukkah and Christmas fall on the same day this year because not everyone follows the same calendar

Nazi Christmas ornaments

The Nazis Fought the Original War on Christmas

As they rose to power, party leaders sought to redefine the holiday to suit their own political needs

This Christmas, St. Peter's Square has a tree, a nativity scene and a message about refugees.

Pope’s New Nativity Scene Raises Awareness of Worldwide Refugee Crisis

It's a lavish display complete with a plea for racial tolerance

Do We Finally Know How the Holy Grail Disappeared?

How did an onyx cup thought to be the Holy Grail disappear from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in 909 AD?

A detailed image of the baby crocodiles inside the mummy.

Crocodile Mummy Found Packed With Dozens of Smaller Crocodile Mummies

The little critters escaped notice until high-powered modern scanners tackled the mummified remains

What Pilgrims Heard When They Arrived in America

They came to America seeking religious freedom, but what did their prayers, and those of the local Native Americans, sound like?

Sylvester James Gates, a theoretical physicist and voice for faith and science.

Why Theoretical Physicist Sylvester James Gates Sees No Conflict Between Science and Religion

“I got used to the idea that questions had answers.”

The Birmingham Central Mosque in the United Kingdom.

How Astronomy Cameras Are Helping British Muslims Schedule Morning Prayers

The cameras would help track exactly when the sun rises

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