Mary Ann Bernal

Ancient Origins Hanging a Christmas tree from the ceiling makes some sense – it can keep your floor space clear and may protect your pe...

June 30 296 St Marcellinus began his reign as Catholic Pope. The violent persecution of Roman Emperor Diocletian dominated his papac...

June 27 678 St Agatho began his reign as Catholic Pope. The great event of this pontificate was the Sixth General Council, the Third of ...

May 15 1213 King John named Stephen Langton Archbishop of Canterbury after submitting to the Pope's authority and offering to make...

May 13 1497 Pope Alexander VI (Rodrigo Borgia) excommunicated Girolamo Savonarola (Italian Dominican friar and an influential contrib...

May 3 996 Gregory V was consecrated as pope. The pontificate of Gregory was brief and turbulent, and was interrupted by the installati...

April 25 799 Pope Leo III was attacked during a procession in Rome due, in part, for recognizing Charlemagne as patricius of the Romans...

April 20 1314  Clement V died. Clement, who owed his election largely to King Philip IV of France, chose to move the Papacy to Avignon,...

March 26 752 Pope Stephen (II) III elected; he was the first sovereign of the Papal States, crowned Pepin as King of the Franks, corre...

March 23   752 Stephen's two-day pontificate began. Elected to succeed Zachary, Stephen II died before his consecration; earlier wri...

March 13 483 Felix III became pope.   He repudiated the Henoticon, a deed of union originating with Patriarch Acacius of Constantinople ...

March 7 1530 King Henry VIII's divorce request was denied by the Pope, which prompted Henry to declare himself as supreme head of ...

February 21 1173 Thomas Becket was canonized. The Archbishop of Canterbury, one-time friend and opponent to King Henry II of England, ...

History Extra Wallis and Edward, 1939. (Keystone-France\Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images) Marie Curie dedicates her life to t...

February 12 881 Pope John VIII crowned Charles the Fat, the King of Italy, Holy Roman Emperor. Charles was the grandson of Charlemagne ...

January 31 314 Silvester I began his reign as Pope of the Catholic Church, succeeding Pope Miltiades. During his pontificate, the Basili...

January 28 1495 Pope Alexander VI gave his son Cesare Borgia as a hostage to Charles VIII of France to ensure the Pope's good behav...

January 18  1562 Pope Pius IV reopened the Council of Trent for its third and final session, which defined the mass as a true sacrifice ...

December 30  39 Titus was born. He was Roman emperor from 79-81 and during his reign the Coliseum was completed.  1370 Pope Gre...

December 23 484 Huneric died and was succeeded by his nephew Gunthamund, who became king of the Vandals. During his reign the Catholi...