Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Brendan, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Brendan, Saint, d. 577?, Irish abbot of Clonfert, Co. Galway. A popular medieval story told how he traveled westward to wonderful islands—an Irish version of a widespread legend. His feast is May 16...

Walker, Horatio

(Encyclopedia)Walker, Horatio, 1858–1938, Canadian painter, b. Ontario, largely self-taught. Though he lived in Rochester and New York City, he painted chiefly scenes from the simple life of the inhabitants of th...

Beatitudes

(Encyclopedia)Beatitudes bē-ătˈĭto͞odzˌ [key] [Lat.,=blessing], in the Gospel of St. Matthew, eight blessings uttered by Jesus at the opening of the Sermon on the Mount. Some, counting verses differently, say...

Serpukhov

(Encyclopedia)Serpukhov syĕrˈpo͝okhəf [key], city (1989 pop. 143,600), central European Russia, on the Oka River. It is an important textile center. A fortress town since 1339, it retains a stone kremlin (16th ...

Saint Catharines

(Encyclopedia)Saint Catharines, city (1991 pop. 129,300), S Ont., Canada, on the Welland Ship Canal. An industrial center in a rich fruit-growing region, it has canneries and wineries as well as textile and paper m...

Ignatius of Constantinople, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Ignatius of Constantinople, Saint, c.800–877, Greek churchman, patriarch of Constantinople. A son of Byzantine Emperor Michael I, he was castrated and shut up in a monastery (813) by the man who dep...

Northampton, city, England

(Encyclopedia)Northampton, city (1991 pop. 154,172) and district, Northamptonshire, central England, on the Nene River. The city of Northampton is the county seat. Shoemaking has long been the chief industry; engin...

novena

(Encyclopedia)novena nōvēˈnə [key] [Lat.,=a group of nine], in the Roman Catholic Church, primarily a series of public or private prayers extending over nine consecutive days, especially nine days preceding a f...

Paul, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Paul, Saint, d. a.d. 64? or 67?, the apostle to the Gentiles, b. Tarsus, Asia Minor. He was a Jew. His father was a Roman citizen, probably of some means, and Paul was a tentmaker by trade. His Jewish...

Martin, Saint, c.316–397, bishop of Tours

(Encyclopedia)Martin, Saint, c.316–397, bishop of Tours. Born a heathen in Pannonia (in modern Hungary), the son of a soldier, he became a convert and refused to fight Christians. He went (c.360) to St. Hilary of...
 

Browse by Subject