stackyFACTSFor nearly seventy years, the Vatican wasn't actually in the Vatican. Due to extreme political chaos in Rome, the entire papal court packed their bags and moved to Avignon, effectively turning the papacy into a purely French institution. It was the historical equivalent of corporate headquarters relocating for better tax incentives.
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Before you pour your morning espresso, say a quick thanks to an obscure 12th-century holy man. Saint Drogo suffered from a disfiguring affliction that forced…
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Nothing keeps your ego in check quite like a constant reminder of your own impending doom. To avoid becoming too arrogant, this pontiff kept a beautifully…
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Taking a drag of tobacco in the seventeenth century could literally cost you your eternal soul. The Pope was so deeply annoyed by people taking loud,…
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The meaning of words can devolve drastically over a few centuries. The term 'gossip' comes from the Old English 'godsibb,' which meant a godparent or a deeply…
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When you're trying to establish a brutal fascist regime, it helps to have God on your payroll. In 1929, Mussolini signed the Lateran Treaty with the Holy See.…
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Because the Earth bulges at the equator, the peak of Mount Chimborazo is physically further from the center of the planet than Everest. It casually steals the…
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