The Pope’s Elephant: The Story of the Papal Elephant Buried Underneath...

In 1962, Vatican workers digging in the Belvedere courtyard unearthed elephant bones, bones that would tell the story of the pope's pet elephant, Hanno.

Did You Know? “Innocent Until Proven Guilty” Came From a Medieval...

Presumed innocence forms the bedrock of our modern society. Did you know that the idea of "innocent until proven guilty" was first expressed by a Medieval Catholic Cardinal?

Wear Glasses? You Can Thank This Medieval Catholic Friar for Them

Almost a billion and half people worldwide require glasses or some other form of vision correction to see. If you wear glasses, you have medieval friar Blessed Jordan of Pisa to thank. 

Do You Believe in Aliens? Meet the Medieval Cardinal Who Proposed...

"Truth cannot contradict truth" - if evidence was found, would you say you believe in aliens? Meet the medieval cardinal who certainly did, inventing the idea of extraterrestrial life.

The Untold Story of When the Vatican Was Bombed During World...

Despite both Allied and Axis aircraft crews being commanded to respect Vatican neutrality, twice did the Vatican see bombs dropped within its walls.

The Catholic Origins of the Christmas Tree

Christmas is hardly imaginable without the ornamented spectacle found in homes across the world: the Christmas tree. Would it surprise you to learn that the age old tradition began with the swing of an axe by a Catholic saint?

How Jesuit Priests Survived the Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Thanks to the...

The atomic bomb dropped over Hiroshima annihilated everything within a one mile radius, leveling the city to the ground. One building miraculously remained: a Catholic presbytery with four priests inside.

Creator Of Nutella Says Secret Ingredient Of Success Was the Virgin...

It might surprise you to learn that founder and inventor of Nutella credits all of his success to Our Lady of Lourdes.

The Miraculous True Story of Saint Michael Saving a U.S. Marine...

Separated from his unit during the Korean war and caught face to face with seven enemy soldiers, guns drawn ready to fire: this is the story of the US Marine miraculously saved by Saint Michael the Archangel

Holy Water History: Why Catholics Bless Themselves Entering a Church

As Catholics, one of the first things done upon entering a Church is making the sign of the cross with Holy Water from the nearest font. But have you ever wondered what the origin of the practice is?