What is the Immaculate Conception?

The Immaculate Conception does not refer to Christ’s being born of a virgin.

Instead, it is the Roman Catholic belief that Mary was without original sin from the moment of her conception.

What was the original meaning of the word scapegoat? As described in Leviticus 16:1-27, part of a Hebrew ritual on the Day of Atonement involved the presentation of two male goats at the altar of the tabernacle. After lots were cast, one…
Is there anything in astronomy that might explain the Star of Bethlehem? No comets, novae, or supernovae are recorded for 6 B.C., the estimated year of Christ's birth. But there was one odd celestial event that stargazing Wise Men might have observed and thought to…
When was hymn-singing introduced into Christian churches? Ambrose, bishop of Milan, introduced hymn-singing into Christian churches in A.D. 386. When was incense introduced? Incense was introduced in A.D. 500.
What are the canonical hours? The canonical hours are times of day set aside for prayer. As specified by church regulations, the divisions of the day are: matins, lauds, prime, terce, sext, none, vespers, and compline.
Which religion uses a prayer wheel? Tibetan Buddhists developed the prayer wheel as a substitute for the repeated recitation of mantras (syllables or verses of mystical power). The wheel is a hollow metal cylinder mounted on a rod, with…
Does Freemasonry have anything to do with stone masonry? The secret fraternal order of Free and Acceptable Masons has its origins in communities of actual stoneworkers, the masons who built cathedrals in the Middle Ages. Eventually, lodges in need of new members…