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Abihail

(Encyclopedia)Abihail ăbəhāˈəl [key], in the Bible. 1 Father of Queen Esther. 2 Gadite. 3 Merarite woman. 4 Wife of Abishur. 5 Mother-in-law of Rehoboam. ...

Ferdinand VI, king of Spain

(Encyclopedia)Ferdinand VI, b. 1712 or 1713, d. 1759, king of Spain (1746–59), son of Philip V by his first queen, Marie Louise of Savoy. When Ferdinand succeeded his father, his stepmother, Elizabeth Farnese, lo...

Lambert, John

(Encyclopedia)Lambert, John, 1619–83, English parliamentary general. He fought in the first civil war (1642–46) and assisted Henry Ireton in drawing up the Heads of the Proposals in 1647. In 1648 he commanded t...

Holy Family

(Encyclopedia)Holy Family, term referring to the child Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. In the Roman Catholic Church the feast in its honor falls usually on the first Sunday after the Epiphany. In art the theme of the Holy...

Saint Andrews, University of

(Encyclopedia)Saint Andrews, University of, at St. Andrews, Scotland; founded 1410. It is the oldest university in Scotland. It has faculties of arts, science, and divinity. St. Salvator's College was founded in 14...

Haderslev

(Encyclopedia)Haderslev hăˈᵺərslĕv [key], Ger. Hadersleben, city, Sønderjylland co., S Denmark, a se...

Medjugorje

(Encyclopedia)Medjugorje, town (2010 est. pop. 4,000), Herzegovina region, Bosnia and Herzegovina, about 16 mi (25 km) SW of Mostar. In 1981 six children claimed to have seen visions of the Virgin Mary there, which...

Magnificat

(Encyclopedia)Magnificat măgnĭfˈĭkăt [key] [Lat.,=magnifies], song of the Virgin Mary, beginning “Magnificat anima mea Dominum” [my soul doth magnify the Lord], from Luke 1.46–55. It is the daily vesper ...

Braxton, Carter

(Encyclopedia)Braxton, Carter, 1736–97, political leader in the American Revolution, signer of the Declaration of Independence, b. King and Queen co., Va. He lived (1757–60) in England, returned to America, and...

Lear, Norman

(Encyclopedia)Lear, Norman, 1922–2023, American television and film producer, director, and writer, b. New Haven, Conn. He wrote for comedians and television shows ...

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