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Amnesty International

(Encyclopedia)Amnesty International (AI,) human-rights organization founded in 1961 by Englishman Peter Benenson; it campaigns internationally against the detention of prisoners of conscience, for the fair trial of...

Montreuil

(Encyclopedia)Montreuil môNtröˈyə [key], town (1990 pop. 95,038), Seine–Saint-Denis dept., N central France, a suburb of Paris. Long famous for its peaches and pears, Montreuil has a variety of light industri...

Linus, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Linus, Saint līˈnəs [key], d. a.d. 76?, pope (a.d. 67?–a.d. 76?), martyr, an Italian; successor of St. Peter and predecessor of St. Cletus (or Anacletus). Nothing is known of his life, but he has...

Tenerani, Pietro

(Encyclopedia)Tenerani, Pietro pyĕˈtrō tānāräˈnē [key], c.1789–1869, Italian sculptor. He studied with both Canova and Thorvaldsen. Of his many works on classical and Christian subjects, the best known in...

Carmarthen

(Encyclopedia)Carmarthen kərmärˈᵺən [key], Welsh Caerfyrddin, town, Carmarthenshire, S Wales, on the ...

pun

(Encyclopedia)pun, use of words, usually humorous, based on (a) the several meanings of one word, (b) a similarity of meaning between words that are pronounced the same, or (c) the difference in meanings between tw...

Porta, Giacomo della

(Encyclopedia)Porta, Giacomo della jäˈkōmō dĕlˈlä pôrˈtä [key], c.1540–1602, Italian architect and sculptor. After working with Vignola and Michelangelo, he completed several important works designed or...

veronica, Christian relic

(Encyclopedia)veronica vərŏnˈĭkə [key] [Lat., probably connected with Greek Berenice], relic preserved in St. Peter's Church, Rome. It is said to be a veil that a woman used to wipe the face of Jesus as he was...

Charles II, king of Naples

(Encyclopedia)Charles II (Charles the Lame), 1248–1309, king of Naples (1285–1309), count of Anjou and Provence, son and successor of Charles I. In the war of the Sicilian Vespers between Charles I and Peter II...

John I, king of Portugal

(Encyclopedia)John I (John the Great), 1357?–1433, king of Portugal (1385–1433), illegitimate son of Peter I. He was made (1364) grand master of the Knights of Aviz and exercised his influence in opposition to ...