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Pelayo

(Encyclopedia)Pelayo pāläˈyō [key], d. 737, first king (c.718–737) of Asturias. He was elected king by the tribespeople of Asturias and by Visigothic leaders who had escaped Tariq. His victory over the Moors ...

vespers

(Encyclopedia)vespers vĕsˈpərz [key] [Lat.,=evening], in the Christian Church, principal evening office. In the Roman rite, vespers have consisted since the 6th cent. of a few prayers, five psalms, a lesson, the...

Patrick, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Patrick, Saint, c.385–461, Christian missionary, the Apostle of Ireland, b. Bannavem Taberniae (an unknown place in Britain, possibly near the Severn or in Pembroke). He was one of the most successf...

Alexander, in the Bible

(Encyclopedia)Alexander, in the Bible. 1 Kinsman of Annas. 2 Son of Simon of Cyrene, probably a Christian. 3 Heretic condemned by Paul. 4 Coppersmith who did Paul harm. 5 Jew who tried to speak during a riot at Eph...

Akhmim

(Encyclopedia)Akhmim ăkhmēmˈ [key], city (1986 pop. 70,602), E central Egypt, on the Nile. Textiles and handicrafts are manufactured; grain, dates, and cotton are processed. The ancient Chemmis and Panopolis, th...

Eugene

(Encyclopedia)Eugene, city (2020 pop. 176,654), seat of Lane co., W Oregon, on the Willamette River; inc. 1862. A processing and shipping center in a farming area, th...

Fenech Adami, Edward

(Encyclopedia)Fenech Adami, Edward, 1934–, Maltese political leader, prime minister (1987–96, 1998–2004) and president (2004–9) of Malta. A lawyer, he joined the Christian Democratic Nationalist party in th...

Holy Innocents

(Encyclopedia)Holy Innocents, in the New Testament, children of Bethlehem “from two years old and under,” killed by the order of Herod the Great in the attempt to destroy the infant Jesus. The Innocents have be...

Gethsemane

(Encyclopedia)Gethsemane gĕthsĕmˈənē [key], olive grove or garden, E of Jerusalem, near the foot of the Mount of Olives. In the Gospels, it is the scene of the agony and betrayal of Jesus. A number of sites in...

Northwich

(Encyclopedia)Northwich nôrthˈwĭch [key], town (1991 pop. 32,664), Cheshire West and Chester, W central England, at the confluence of the Weaver and Dane rivers. Northwich was once the center of England's salt p...