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Leo VI
Leo VI was emperor of the Byzantine empire from 886-912 CE. He was the second emperor of the Macedonian dynasty and is sometimes known as “Leo the Wise” in reference to his prolific literary output which ranged from orations to law codes...

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Pilgrimage in the Byzantine Empire
Pilgrimage in the Byzantine Empire involved the Christian faithful travelling often huge distances to visit such holy sites as Jerusalem or to see in person relics of holy figures and miraculous icons on show from Thessaloniki to Antioch...

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Monastic Orders of the Middle Ages
The monastic orders of the Middle Ages developed from the desire to live a spiritual life without the distractions of the world. Men and women who took religious vows were seeking a purity of experience they found lacking as lay people. Their...

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Saint Bridget of Sweden
Saint Bridget of Sweden (1303-1373), Saint Bridget on an Altar Piece, Hermann Rode, late 15th century. Taken from "The Swedish people through the ages. Our country's cultural history in descriptions and images. The second volume. The medieval...

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Christmas Through the Ages
The Christmas holiday has gathered around it customs and traditions for over two millennia, some of which even pre-date the Christian festival itself. From gift-giving to the sumptuous spread of a Christmas dinner table, this article traces...

Definition
Medieval Monastery
A medieval monastery was an enclosed and sometimes remote community of monks led by an abbot who shunned worldly goods to live a simple life of prayer and devotion. Christian monasteries first developed in the 4th century in Egypt and Syria...

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Basilica of Saint-Denis
The Basilica of Saint-Denis is located in a northern suburb of Paris, France. Extensively renovated by Abbot Suger (1081-1151 CE), a powerful figure in 12th-century CE France, Saint-Denis is considered to be the first-ever Gothic cathedral...

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Saint Patrick
A stained glass window depicting Saint Patrick, Ireland's patron saint. From the Saint Patrick Catholic Church, Junction City, Ohio.

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Basilica of Saint Augustine in Annaba, Algeria
The Basilica of Saint Augustine (Basilique de Saint-Augustin) is a Catholic basilica in Annaba, Algeria. It is dedicated to Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430 CE), who was elected bishop in Hippo Regius (modern Annaba), built his own monastery...

Definition
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter is the highest order of knighthood in Britain and the most exclusive with traditionally only 24 knights as full members at any one time, along with the reigning monarch and the Prince of Wales. Created by...