Austrian News

The Vatican claims that St. Peter, one of Jesus’ apostles and the first pope, is buried beneath St. Peter’s Basilica. But how solid is the evidence? According to Christian tradition, Peter was martyred in Rome around 64 AD during Emperor Nero’s persecution. Early Christians reportedly buried him in a simple grave on Vatican Hill, a site that later became a significant place of worship. In the 4th century, Emperor Constantine built the original basilica directly over what was believed to be Peter’s tomb. Fast forward to the 20th century: during…

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The world is bidding farewell to Pope Francis: hundreds of pilgrims and 200 state guests are expected to attend the grand papal funeral in St. Peter’s Square in Rome on Saturday. Billions of people worldwide can follow the historic event live on television. The Italian capital is in an emergency, with the highest security precautions in place. More than 1,000 police officers will be on duty to ensure the safety of the 170 delegations in Rome.Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen and Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker (ÖVP) will lead the…

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The term “pope” comes from the ancient Greek word “πάππας” (Latin “papa” = father).The term “pope” is an honorary title. The title comes from the Greek world, where it initially referred to abbots and bishops, and from the 5th century AD, to both the Bishop of Rome and the other patriarchs. Since the Middle Ages, the term “Pope” has been used as shorthand for the holder of the Petrine office, although the term “Bishop of Rome” is formally the correct term. As Bishop of Rome and thus successor to the…

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Typically, the body begins to decompose about 24 hours after death. In the case of Pope Francis, this process was halted using a special method. Thanatopraxy was used to ensure that the faithful could say goodbye to the head of the church one last time. Thousands of people will file before Pope Francis’s body in St. Peter’s Basilica until Friday. For Catholics, the opportunity to bid farewell to the dead pope is a ritual and a gesture of gratitude. So that the faithful can see the Pope one last time,…

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Many people drink tea as part of everyday life, but what ends up in the cup is a cause for concern. As part of a recent market check, Greenpeace examined various herbal teas and published alarming findings. The main problem: Many tea bags contain microplastics that are released during brewing. Tea bags release microplasticsMany people drink tea as part of everyday life, but what ends up in the cup is a cause for concern. As part of a recent market check, Greenpeace examined various herbal teas and published alarming findings.…

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On Wednesday, the AFP news agency asked four artificial intelligence (AI) chat programs about their predictions. But AI is also struggling to come up with clear answers to the question of the papal succession, which is not only keeping Vatican insiders and betting shop operators around the world on tenterhooks. Since Pope Francis’s death on Easter Monday, the Catholic Church has been in mourning, and speculation about his successor has begun. However, the outcome of the conclave, in which cardinals decide on the next pope in a secret procedure, remains…

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