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Altar of the Chair in St. Peter's Basilica, where Bernini's gorgeous bronze monument to the Chair of Peter acts as a massive
bronze reliquary for the historic wooden chair. / Credit: Vatican Media

Why Church has Celebrated the Chair of St. Peter Feast for 1,600 Years

Feb 22, 2025

Every year on Feb. 22, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of the Chair of St. Peter, a tradition that dates back more than 1,600 years.

St. John Bosco. / Credit: Public domain

The Little-known Story of When the Masons Tried to Kill Don Bosco

Jan 31, 2025

History notes how much the Freemasons hated St. John Bosco — whose feast the Church celebrates Jan. 31 — but less is known about their attempts to kill him.

Credit: Brigitte Pica2/Shutterstock

What Happens to the Saints Whose Feast Day Falls on Feb. 29 When There is no Leap Year?

Feb 29, 2024

The Church commemorates some saints on Feb. 29 — but what happens to them the other three years?

Painting of St. Stephen’s martyrdom. | Rembrandt

St. Stephen: Visiting the Spot Where the First Martyr Died

Dec 26, 2023

A chapel of one form or another memorializing Stephen’s martyrdom has existed at the site since at least the fifth century. 

Holy Trinity, detail of Iconostasis in Greek Catholic Co-cathedral of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Zagreb, Croatia. | Shutterstock

Trinity Sunday 2023: 10 Illuminating Quotes From the Saints about the Holy Trinity

Jun 4, 2023

The solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, also known as Trinity Sunday, is observed on the Sunday following Pentecost. This year’s feast falls on June 4 and draws our attention to the mystery of the Trinity — God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

"Massacre of the Innocents," by Mariano Rossi (1731-1807), in the church Chiesa id san Giuseppe alla Lungara, Rome. Shutterstock

Meet the Holy Innocents: The "infant martyrs" Who Died for Baby Jesus

Dec 28, 2021

The Holy Innocents did not know Jesus, but they died in his place. Dec. 28 marks the feast of these baby boys who are, today, recognized as the first martyrs and pro-life patron saints.