# Christianity

This year

2023

# Your Say

Poll: Are you giving anything up for Lent?

The Christian season lasts for forty days.

18.0k

Feb 23rd 2023, 9:48 AM

Last year

2022

# meaning of Christmas

Christmas explained: How and why did the festival begin and when did it become so secular?

It’s an important Christian holiday, but why do we celebrate it tomorrow.

18.7k

Dec 24th 2022, 9:00 PM

All time

# Iraq

'I have heard voices of sorrow and loss': Pope Francis leaves Iraq after historic trip

During the first ever papal trip to Iraq, the Pope called for an end to violence and extremism.

8.2k

Mar 8th 2021, 9:41 AM

# low key

'We didn't want to shout it from the rooftops' - Folau's unveiling at French club reportedly cancelled

The controversial ex-Wallabies star has linked up with rugby league outfit, the Catalans Dragons.

9.3k

Feb 4th 2020, 1:44 PM

Voices

Fr Richard Gibbons: 'When was the last time you did something truly selfless for someone else, even if they didn’t deserve it?'

Fr Gibbons – of Knock – writes about finding the true meaning of Christmas even when things feel hard.

16.1k

Dec 24th 2018, 5:30 PM

# red wednesday

Calls for churches to turn 'blood red' to highlight Christian bloodshed and persecution

On 28 November, some major landmarks around the world will light up “blood red” to raise awareness of the persecution of Christians.

18.0k

Nov 16th 2018, 6:15 AM

# book of mormon

Church urges followers to drop the Mormon name

Nelson, 93, said the decision on the proper terminology was revealed to him by God.

29.2k

Aug 20th 2018, 9:58 PM

# RIP

Tributes paid to influential US preacher Billy Graham who has died at age 99

He was the most widely heard Christian evangelist in history.

24.7k

115

Feb 21st 2018, 6:15 PM

# Christianity

Leader of Liberal Democrats won't say if he thinks being gay is a sin

Tim Farron’s comments have been criticised by some, but others have defended him.

17.6k

Apr 19th 2017, 8:52 AM

# Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Tomb of Jesus Christ completes €3.7 million renovation

The church contains the area where Jesus is believed to have been crucified.

33.7k

Mar 21st 2017, 9:16 PM

# o holy night

16 things that would happen if the Nativity was set in modern-day Dublin

What happened after Mary and Joseph locked eyes over a curry chip in Supermacs?

3.4k

Dec 24th 2016, 1:00 PM

# sacred places only

Vatican tells Catholics not to scatter ashes of the dead

German cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Muller advised people today to store them in places approved by the Church.

35.0k

170

Oct 25th 2016, 6:05 PM

# radical messages

Jewish extremists vandalise church where Virgin Mary is said to have died

The graffiti included threats of violence, messages degrading Jesus and a call for Christians to “go to hell”.

20.6k

121

Jan 18th 2016, 8:42 AM

# happy un-holy-days

This guy is trolling Christmas itself with his controversial zombie nativity scene

Step away from the manger.

14.7k

164

Dec 20th 2015, 8:30 AM

# word of life

Seven charged with murdering teenager in secretive church "confession" beating

19-year-old Lucas Leonard was trying to leave the “Word of Life” church in New York, when he was beaten to death over six hours.

26.4k

Nov 25th 2015, 8:40 PM

# charleston shooting

WATCH: Obama sings 'Amazing Grace' at funeral for Charleston church leader

He said the Charleston shooter was “blinded by hatred.”

21.5k

Jun 26th 2015, 9:02 PM

# voxpop

We asked these people what they want from a revamped Angelus

TheJournal.ie finds out what people really think of the daily prayer.

25.4k

205

Jun 13th 2015, 10:43 PM

# gotta have faith

Christians are leaving the faith in droves and the trend isn't slowing down

If the current trends continue beyond 2050 then by the year 2070 the world’s population of Muslims would roughly equal that of Christians.

17.7k

May 5th 2015, 5:55 AM

# San Diego

Parents sue over school yoga classes that 'promoted Hinduism over Christianity'

But a Californian court wasn’t having a bar of it.

18.7k

Apr 6th 2015, 11:23 AM

# Your Say

Poll: Should companies be allowed to refuse service on religious grounds?

An incident with a printers in Drogheda has everyone talking today.

21.7k

205

Mar 5th 2015, 10:28 PM

# long walk to freedom

Christian woman sentenced to death in Sudan arrives safely in the US

Who doesn’t love a happy ending?

14.7k

Aug 1st 2014, 1:39 PM

# Amen

US Supreme Court divided but the right to pray at Government meetings stays

At issue were town meetings in Greece, New York, where clergy had been invited to offer a prayer, which in the last eight years had been exclusively Christian.

7.2k

May 5th 2014, 6:29 PM

# Gay Rights

"Others cannot dictate to us": Uganda signs controversial anti-gay bill into law

The news has been condemned by Amnesty International, which described it as a “step backwards”.

10.8k

106

Feb 24th 2014, 1:59 PM

Voices

Column: What was the Christmas Star?

According to the Bible story, the Star of Bethlehem – or the Christmas Star – led the Three Wise men to the birth of Jesus 2,000 years ago. But was it an actual astronomic event?

Dec 25th 2013, 8:00 AM

Voices

Video blog: A brief history – Christmas, cheer, and commercialisation

What’s the true meaning of this holiday, again?

Dec 15th 2013, 12:00 PM

# Hidden Ireland

4 Irish sites to visit to get close to St Patrick mythology

Follow in the footsteps of St Patrick this weekend… or at least to the places he’s reputed to have visited for special events.

18.0k

Mar 16th 2013, 9:45 AM

# Dead Sea Scrolls

Google launches Dead Sea Scrolls online library

Only five conservators worldwide are authorized to handle the Dead Sea Scrolls, but now, everyone can view them.

5.7k

Dec 20th 2012, 9:58 AM

# Religion

Christians most populous of world's religions: report

Christians are the world’s biggest religious group, numbering some 2.2 billion people.

4.8k

Dec 18th 2012, 10:09 AM

# Egypt

Protests as Egyptian panel adopts draft constitution

Concerns have been raised about the content of the constitution and its potential restriction on freedom of expression.

2.0k

Nov 30th 2012, 7:50 AM

# Abortion

Bishop criticises opening of Marie Stopes clinic offering abortion

Bishop of Down and Connor Noel Treanor said the clinic undermines the dignity of human life in society.

8.6k

140

Oct 11th 2012, 10:22 PM

# Christianity

British Christians take religious dismissal cases to Strasbourg

The four Christians all believe they were sacked because of their religious beliefs, but lost employment tribunals.

4.6k

Sep 4th 2012, 12:08 PM

# Alpha Course

Eucharistic Congress will offer 'crash course in Christianity'

‘Alpha’ – described as a “parish tool for evangelisation” – will offer pilgrims and the public a chance to explore basic questions.

3.0k

Apr 11th 2012, 8:46 PM

# Urbi et Orbi

In full: Pope Benedict's Easter urbi et orbi address

The full text of Pope Benedict’s Easter morning address the world’s Catholics, as delivered in Rome this morning.

2.0k

Apr 8th 2012, 12:23 PM

# easter

Archbishop says Catholics should not fear 'bringing Jesus's message into the world'

In his Easter homily, the Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin says the Church in Ireland is enduring a process of “purification”.

2.9k

113

Apr 8th 2012, 7:30 AM

# easter

In pictures: Easter ceremonies begin around the world

Masks, processions, and real-life crucifixions…

4.8k

Apr 6th 2012, 2:45 PM

Voices

Column: If you're not religious, why observe a Lenten sacrifice?

As children, we used to try to get out of Lenten obligations – now we use them as if they are a second chance at New Year’s resolutions.

846

Feb 27th 2012, 7:30 AM

Voices

Column: Cardinal Rules - What NOT to do on your Lenten fast

This week, the (not) Primate of All Ireland tracks his colleague’s ‘progress’ with his sponsored fast – including an awkward incident with a chocolate Swiss roll…

Feb 24th 2012, 7:30 PM