Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

John of the Cross, Saint

(Encyclopedia)John of the Cross, Saint, Span. Juan de la Cruz, 1542–91, Spanish mystic and poet, Doctor of the Church. His name was originally Juan de Yepes. He was a founder of the Discalced Carmelites and a clo...

Hailsham of Saint Marylebone, Quintin McGarel Hogg, Baron

(Encyclopedia)Hailsham of Saint Marylebone, Quintin McGarel Hogg, Baron məgârˈəl, hālˈshəm əv sənt mârˈĭbōnˌ [key], 1907–2001, British politician, b. London. A lawyer, he served (1938–50) as a Con...

Islam in Africa

(Encyclopedia)Islam in Africa, the development of the Muslim religion on the African continent. During Muhammad's lifetime a group of Muslims escaped Meccan persecution (615) by fleeing to Ethiopia, where the Negus...

Mary, persons in the Bible

(Encyclopedia)Mary, in the New Testament. 1 Mary, the Virgin. 2 Mary Magdalene. 3 Wife of Cleophas. 4 Mary of Bethany, sister of Lazarus and Martha. She sat at Jesus' feet while Martha served. She has come to symbo...

Saint Marys, rivers, United States and Canada

(Encyclopedia)Saint Marys. 1 River, c.175 mi (280 km) long, rising in Okefenokee Swamp, SE Ga., and flowing, with a great southern bend, E to the Atlantic Ocean. It forms part of the Georgia–Florida line. The low...

Saint John the Divine, Cathedral of

(Encyclopedia)Saint John the Divine, Cathedral of, New York City, the world's largest Gothic cathedral. The Episcopal cathedral was begun in 1892 in the Byzantine-Romanesque style after designs by G. L. Heins and C...

heath, in botany

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Rhododendron, Rhododendron maximum, a member of the heath family heath, in botany, common name for some members of the Ericaceae, a family of chiefly evergreen shrubs with berry or capsule fru...

Saint Bartholomew's Day, massacre of

(Encyclopedia)Saint Bartholomew's Day, massacre of, murder of French Protestants, or Huguenots, that began in Paris on Aug. 24, 1572. It was preceded, on Aug. 22, by an attempt, ordered by Catherine de' Medici, on ...

Vladimir I

(Encyclopedia)Vladimir I vŭlˌədyēˈmyĭr [key], or Saint Vladimir, d. 1015, first Christian grand duke of Kiev (c.980–1015); son of Sviatoslav. In 970, Vladimir was sent by his father to govern Novgorod. Afte...

James, Saint (the “brother” of Jesus)

(Encyclopedia)James, Saint, in the Bible, the “brother” of Jesus. The Gospels make several references to the brothers of Jesus, and St. Paul speaks of “James the Lord's brother.” While Protestants generally...