Today in 1516 Erasmus dedicated his amendment to St Jerome's New Testament to Pope Leo X.  A great achievement by this 'Prince of Humanists', did it unwittingly trigger the reformation?  We look today at the history of Biblical Transl...

Today in 1867,  the Maronite Nationalist Leader Karam was sent into exile by the French. We look at the long fight for Lebanese independence, and today we look at St Maron, the church in Lebanon and its struggle for recognition, 

Today in  1661, Oliver Cromwell's dead body was exhumed and beheaded in revenge for his execution of King Charles I on Jan 30 in 1649.  We look at how Cromwells puritanism motivated him, his disputed legacy, and Englands brief experim...

Today we look at the life of Katarina Von Bora, who after a daring escape from a convent, married Martin Luther, had 6 children and ran many successful enterprises. We also take a tentative look at her influence on her husband. 

Todays pod looks at the incredible story of the walk to Canossa, where in the dead of winter, Henry IV crossed the Alps by foot in a penitential act. Today Pope Gregory VII lifted his excommunication. 

Today in 1302,  Italy's finest poet and some say the father of the Italian language, Dante Alighieri was exiled from Florence. In exile, he wrote the Divine Comedy, the greatest poem of the middle ages, and an allegory of the Soul's journe...

In 1950 on Jan 26 the Constitution of India came into force, forming a republic.  One of the oldest civilisations in the world, India is officially a secular country nut with a deeply religious population. With 80% of the huge populatio...

A group of Jesuit missionaries built a mission on top of a steep hill on the Piratiningha plains.  As part of the mission they founded the Colégio de São Paulo de Piratininga today on January 25, 1554. Around the mission, grew up the Portu...

Today in 1918 the Gregorian calendar was introduced in Russia by decree of the Council of People's Commissars making its coverage almost universal.  Today's pod looks at the history of it, why it was needed and how it was rolled out.......

Seismic events in Northern Europe today on the 23rd of January and the Union of Utrecht effectively unites the northern provinces of the Netherlands. A radical experiment in Religious Freedom leads to the waning of Spain as an international for...

 On Jan 22 1506 the first contingent of 150 Swiss Guards arrives at the Vatican. Todays pod looks at the historical context for their arrival, their famous colourful uniforms and how their role is changing all the time. 

On this day in Christian History, we go back to the year 1621 and the Pilgrims from England left their ship the Mayflower and gathered on shore at Plymouth, Massachusetts, for their first religious service.  The story of their grueling jou...

Today in 1918 we remember how the Bolshevik-controlled government in Russia enacted the Decree that proclaimed the separation of church and state .   This effectively meant that all church property in Russia was confiscated and all re...

Today in 1829 – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust receives its premiere performance, we look at the story behind the greatest work of German Literature.  

The final session of the Council of Trent opened today in 1562. This would define Catholicism for the next four hundred years, a sadly mark the definite rupture with Protestantism. 

Today in 1525, the Zurich City Council arranged a public debate between Ulrich Zwingli and the Anabaptists who were opposed to infant Baptism.   In reality there was more at stake than baptism, 

Its 1412, The church is divided into three claims to the papacy, and the Medici become the Pope's bankers and one of the most powerful families in Europe

Today in 1892  chaplain and teacher James Naismith publishes the rules of basketball at the Springfield YMCA in Massachusetts. This is the story. 

The remarkable life and faith of Albert Schweitzer, who was born today in 1875

Today's pod looks at the life of a remarkable Scottish Woman, who dedicated her life to saving twins from infanticide amongst tthe Okoyong people in Nigeria

Today in 1897 saw the discovery of some half a million papyrus fragments in a remarkable archeological discovery in Egypt. This increased our knowledge of the ancient world include the Bible.  

Today the 11th of January we remember the Danish Bishop and pioneer in anatomy and geology Nicholas Steno, who was born today (according to the Gregorian Calendar)

On the 10th of January 1984, The United States and the Vatican established full diplomatic relations for the first time in 117 years.  Today's pod looks a little at the bromance between President Reagan and Pope John Paul II <...

Today millions of Phillipinos accompany a 7km procession of a statue of Christ carrying his cross in Manila. It lasts up to 22 hours and the intensity of devotion it inspires leads some to  risk their lives... find out why in today's podca...

Today's episode looks at the curious phenomenon of Gauchito Gill killed today in1878. With his roadside shrines all over Argentina, he is venerated as a saint although not yet declared one by the church.