The Seven Deadly Sins

Updated February 21, 2017 | Factmonster Staff

The seven deadly sins are considered "deadly" because it is believed they can do terrible damage to the soul. The now-famous list does not appear in the Bible and may have been made by St. Gregory the Great (540-604). The deadly sins are sometimes known as "capital" or "cardinal" sins.


Cats Dancing Around a Praying Woman

The idea that there are seven deadly sins was of great interest during the Middle Ages. At that time the deadly sins were a popular theme among Christian thinkers, artists, and writers such as Dante and Chaucer.

  • Pride
  • Greed
  • Lust
  • Envy
  • Gluttony
  • Anger
  • Sloth
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