Italy
Pope Gregory’s Sneeze
RETRO
Why do we say ‘God Bless You’ when we sneeze? Some historians trace it back to 16th February, 600 – and a decree supposedly issued by the pun-loving, God-fearing Pope Gregory to ward off the effects of the plague that had killed his predecessor. (Sadly, Gregory’s other idea to fight off the disease wasn’t quite …
There’s Something About Mary
RETRO
The Pope defined the dogma of The Immaculate Conception – confirming that, in the view of the Catholic Church, Christ’s mother Mary had not only been ‘full of grace’, but was completely absent of sin even at her own conception – on 8th December, 1854. Despite this having been an unofficial concept amongst the faithful …