Religion

The Satanic Temple holiday display at the Florida Capitol on Monday — before it was vandalized.

Satanic Temple's Holiday Display Vandalized In Florida Capitol

5:50pm December 23, 2014

by Krishnadev Calamur

A woman is in custody and the atheist group behind the display said it plans to press charges. The diorama of Lucifer falling into the flames of hell was part of the rotunda's free speech zone.

A member of the activist group Women in White is arrested during a demonstration to commemorate Human Rights Day in downtown Havana, on Dec. 10. Members of the opposition movement say they feel betrayed by the U.S. decision to restore ties with Cuba's com

Cuba's Jews, Catholics Have Very Different Takes On The U.S. Thaw

1:33pm December 22, 2014

by Carrie Kahn

The country's tiny Jewish community is embracing the breakthrough. But some Catholics feel betrayed by President Obama's overtures to Cuba's communist government.

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Pope Francis delivers his message during a meeting with cardinals and bishops of the Curia at the Vatican on Monday. The pope said the Curia suffered from

Pope Francis, At Christmas Gathering, Blasts Vatican's Bureaucrats

1:14pm December 22, 2014

by Krishnadev Calamur

He accused the Curia, which oversees the world's 1.2 billion Catholics, of "spiritual Alzheimer's" and careerism. Francis has made reforming the Vatican a major part of his agenda.

Staff Picks: An Evangelical Christian Believer In Climate Change

12:52pm December 21, 2014

Weekend Edition staff have been picking their favorite interviews from 2014. Editor Natalie Winston talks with NPR's Rachel Martin about an interview with an evangelical Christian climate scientist.

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In Jerusalem, Syrian Orthodox Christian Nadia Ishaq prepares her burbara porridge with boiled what kernels, raisins, dried plums and dried apricots, topped with ground coconut in the shape of a cross. The holiday honors St. Barbara, an early convert to Ch

A Holy Land Christmas Porridge Honors A Damsel In Distress

4:19pm December 18, 2014

by Daniella Cheslow

Some Christians in Israel and the West Bank celebrate Eid el-Burbara on Dec. 17. The feast honors St. Barbara, an early convert to Christianity whose story is echoed in the Rapunzel tale.

Vatican Tries To Mend Fences With American Nuns

2:46pm December 17, 2014

by Sylvia Poggioli

The Vatican issued a report praising the work of U.S. nuns — a relief to those worried that a probe started in 2008 would be critical of a perceived liberal streak among American nuns.

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Halal jamón products made with lamb and beef inside the Balkis Gourmet curing room in Cumbres Mayores in Andalusia, Spain.

At Last, Muslims Can Savor A Halal Spin On Spain's Famous Jamón

11:29am December 17, 2014

by Lauren Frayer

Authentic jamón ibérico from free-range pigs fed on acorns is a key Spanish food that observant Muslims can't enjoy. But a Tunisian emigre is now making halal ham from lamb and beef in southern Spain.

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Wrapped in gold and silver foil, chocolate gelt are often handed out as a little treat for children (and adults) during Hanukkah. Turns out, the tradition is rooted in real money.

Hanukkah History: Those Chocolate Coins Were Once Real Tips

2:09pm December 16, 2014

by Deena Prichep

Many Jewish families celebrate the holiday by handing out gelt, chocolate coins covered in gold and silver. These days they're treats for kids. But the practice began as a way to thank labor.

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Vatican, Citing 'Delicate Situation,' Rejects Dalai Lama Meeting With Pope

8:48am December 15, 2014

by Krishnadev Calamur

It's an apparent reference to the Holy See's relations with China — they haven't had diplomatic ties since 1949. Tibet's spiritual leader is in Rome for a meeting of Nobel Peace Prize winners.

Religion

Hanukkah's Real (And Imagined) History

6:16pm December 12, 2014

Robert Siegel speaks with Simon Schama, author of The Story of the Jews, about the political history of Hanukkah.

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