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encyclical

(Encyclopedia)encyclical, originally, a pastoral letter sent out by a bishop, now a solemn papal letter, meant to inform the whole church on some particular matter of importance. Benedict XIV circulated the first k...

Faustina

(Encyclopedia)Faustina fôstīˈnə [key], name of two women, wives of Roman emperors. 1 The elder (c.104–141) was the wife of Antoninus Pius, who founded a school for orphan girls in her honor. 2 The younger (c....

Mary, the mother of Jesus

(Encyclopedia)Mary, in the Bible, mother of Jesus. Christian tradition reckons her the principal saint, naming her variously the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady, and Mother of God (Gr., theotokos). Her name is the He...

Cabrini, Saint Frances Xavier

(Encyclopedia)Cabrini, Saint Frances Xavier zāˈvyər kəbrēˈnē [key], 1850–1917, American nun, founder of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, b. near Lodi, Italy. Founded in Italy in 1880, h...

Amboise, Georges d'

(Encyclopedia)Amboise, Georges d' zhôrzh däNbwäzˈ [key], 1460–1510, French statesman, cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He became archbishop of Rouen in 1493. In 1498, as an intimate friend of the new ki...

Paul IV

(Encyclopedia)Paul IV, 1476–1559, pope (1555–59), a Neapolitan named Gian Pietro Carafa; successor of Marcellus II. First superior of the Theatines (see Cajetan, Saint), he was sternly ascetic. A leading reform...

Blanche of Castile

(Encyclopedia)Blanche of Castile bläNsh, kăstēlˈ [key], 1185?–1252, queen of Louis VIII of France and regent during the minority (1226–34) of their son Louis IX. A forceful and capable ruler, she checked th...

Vincennes, town, France

(Encyclopedia)Vincennes văNsĕnˈ [key], town (1990 pop. 42,651), Val-de-Marne dept., N central France, an industrial and residential suburb E of Paris. Radio, electrical, and photographic equipment, machinery, an...

Louis, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Louis, Saint: see Louis IX, king of France. ...

Charles Borromeo, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Charles Borromeo, Saint bōrōmāˈō [key], 1538–84, Italian churchman, b. near Lago Maggiore. His uncle, Pius IV, summoned Charles, a student at Pavia, to Rome in 1560. In rapid order he was made ...