The Pearl of Great Price
A short daily trip down the lane of Christian History. Looking at the fascinating people and events that have shaped a universal civilisation.
Feb 18 Bunyan's Pilgrims Progress
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A book that has never been out of print since it was published today in 1678, we look at puritan preacher John Bunyan's Pilgrims Progress
Feb 17 World Council of Churches
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Today we remember the ending of the assembly of teh world council of churchhes in Canbera, Australia. Looking at the evolution of this inter-church organisation and the challenges for it
Feb 16 People Power in the Philippines
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Today a relatively peaceful revolution took place in Mania removing the autocrat Ferdinand Marcos, We look at the crucial role church leaders played in this
Feb 15 Charbel Makhlouf enters a hermitage
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Today we remember the life of a Lebanese Saint who attracts thousands of Christians and Muslims to his grave every month. We look at the purported miracles that surround him,
Feb 14 Saint Valentine
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Today we try and get as close as we can to establishing who St Valentine actually was, and how his feast day has developed over time
Feb 11 First Apparition in Lourdes
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Today in 1858 a 14-year old girl, gathering firewood outside a grotto in South West France had the first encounter with a young woman which would transform the town and the area.
Feb 13 Glencoe Massacre
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Today in 1692, thirty members of the MacDonald clan were killed by troops of the Earl of Argyll's Regiment, as an example to the Clan chiefs who were dragging their feet in swearing allegiance to the Protestant William of Orange.... we explore the context in today's pod.
Feb 10 Paul shipwrecked in Malta
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Today Christians remember how St Paul was shipwrecked in Malta, looking at the story and the historical evidence linked to it
Feb 9 Unexploded Bomb in Genoa Cathedral
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Today we remember how a misdirected shell landed in Genoa Cathedral on Feb 9th 1941 and failed to explode. Called the miracle of St Lawrence.... we look at how people fall back on religious objects and places during times of war and stress.
Feb 6 Mexico's Cristero War
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Today we remember the execution on Feb 6 1927 in Mexico of a priest Fr Matteo Correa Magallenes. Exploring the Cristero War in Mexico and the involvement of the US.
Feb 5 Japan's Hidden Christians
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Today in 1597 we go to Nagasaki where 26 Christians were crucified, part of a long persecution against the Church. Forced underground, the 'Kakure Kirishitan' the hidden Christians of Japan developed an ingenious way of keeping the faith alive. Their story has been powerfully told by Shunsako Endo and most recently Martin Scorsese in the film 'Silence'
Feb 4 Mormons travel to Salt Lake Valley
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Today we remember how the Mormons left their Wintering Grounds in 1846 for the last part of their journey to establish the state of Utah. They received directions from an unlikely source....
Feb 3 Guttenberg and his printing press
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Today in 1468, Johannes Guttenberg invented a process for mass-producing movable type; mechanising the process, using adjustable moulds and oil-based ink for printing books. This was an epoch changing invention, changing mass communication for ever. We look at its impact and who used it
Feb 2 Candlemas
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Today's celebration of Candlemas is marked in different ways around the world. We look at the origins in scripture, in pre-Christian Roman practices, and how it is remembered from Mexico to France
Feb 1 Erasmus and the Bible
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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 Translation and how Erasmus' work became influential
Jan 31 Maronite Church & Lebanese Nationalism
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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,
Jan 30 - Oliver Cromwell and two executions
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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 experiment with republicanism
Jan 29 - Martin Luther's Wife
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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.
Jan 28 - Excommunicating an Emperor
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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.
Jan 27 - Dante's Exile and his Divine Comedy
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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 journey to God. Hear all about it in today's pod.
Jan 26 - India becomes a republic
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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 population identifying as Hindu with Christians about 2% of the population, but with a huge impact on education. Today's pod looks at how a Christian leader H.C. Mukherjee, became the Vice-President of the Constituent Assembly of India.
Jan 25 - Founding of Sao Paulo
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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 Portuguese village of São Paulo dos Campos de Piratininga which is now the most populous city in Brasil, and the fourth in the world.... This it's story
Jan 24 - Gregorian Calendar is now almost universal
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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.... Enjoy!
Jan 22 - Arrival of the Swiss Guard in the Vatican
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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.
Jan 23 - Netherlands Splits, start of the Dutch Empire
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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 force and heralds the beginning of the Dutch empire and the start of a Dutch Golden Age
Jan 21 - First prayer of Pilgrim Fathers in America
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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 journey and what motivated them.
Jan 20 - Communist Russia & Christianity
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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 religious instruction in schools was abolished.
Jan 19 - Premiere of Goethe's Faust
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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.
Jan 18 - Final Session of Trent Opens
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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.
Jan 17 - Baptising Children in Switzerland
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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,
Jan 16 - The Medici become the Popes Bankers
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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
Jan 15 James Naismith invents Basketball
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Today in 1892 chaplain and teacher James Naismith publishes the rules of basketball at the Springfield YMCA in Massachusetts. This is the story.
Jan 7 - Galileo's Moons cause a revolution
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Today in 1610 Galileo Galilei observed 4 moons of Jupiter. This observation changed the way we understood the universe and led to conflict with the scientific community and then the Church. Todays pod explores this story.
Jan 8 - Gauchito Gil, Argentinas folk saint
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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.
Jan 9 - The Black Nazarene
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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 podcast
Jan 10- Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II
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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
Jan 11 - The Danish Bishop who was the father of Geology
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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)
Jan 12 - Digging Up the Bible
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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.
Jan 13 - Mary Slessor dies in Nigeria
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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
Jan 14 - Albert Schweitzer
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The remarkable life and faith of Albert Schweitzer, who was born today in 1875
