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Langton, Stephen

(Encyclopedia)Langton, Stephen, c.1155–1228, English prelate, cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He was educated at Paris. Innocent III named him cardinal in 1206, and he became archbishop of Canterbury the f...

confirmation

(Encyclopedia)confirmation, Christian rite in which the initiation into the church that takes place by baptism is confirmed. In the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Eastern churches, it is a sacrament by which a Christi...

Latimer, Hugh

(Encyclopedia)Latimer, Hugh lătˈəmər [key], 1485?–1555, English bishop and Protestant martyr. Latimer was educated at Cambridge, entered the church, and came under the influence of the Reformation. He first b...

Vatican Council, First

(Encyclopedia)Vatican Council, First, 1869–70, the 20th ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church (see council, ecumenical), renowned chiefly for its enunciation of the doctrine of papal infallibility. Tw...

Papal States

(Encyclopedia)Papal States, Ital. Lo Stato della Chiesa, from 754 to 1870 an independent territory under the temporal rule of the popes, also called the States of the Church and the Pontifical States. The territory...

Good Friday

(Encyclopedia)Good Friday, anniversary of Jesus' death on the cross. According to the Gospels, Jesus was put to death on the Friday before Easter Day. Since the early church Good Friday has been observed by fasting...

Schmalkaldic League

(Encyclopedia)Schmalkaldic League shmälkälˈdĭk [key], alliance formed in 1531 at Schmalkalden by Protestant princes and delegates of free cities. It was created in response to the threat (1530) by Holy Roman Em...

Altötting

(Encyclopedia)Altötting ält-öttĭng [key], town, Upper Bavaria, Bavaria, S Germany, near the Inn River and the Austrian border, 42 mi (68 km) SW of Passau. The town is a Roman Cathol...

pontifex maximus

(Encyclopedia)pontifex maximus pŏnˈtĭfĕks măkˈsĭməs [key], highest priest of Roman religion and official head of the college of pontifices. As the chief administrator of religious affairs he regulated the c...

Maury, Jean Siffrein

(Encyclopedia)Maury, Jean Siffrein zhäN sēfrăNˈ môrēˈ [key], 1746–1817, French churchman, cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. A court preacher and writer before the French Revolution, he was known in th...