Awe and dread: How religions have responded to solar eclipses

Throughout history, solar eclipses have had profound impact on adherents of various religions around the world. They were viewed as messages from God or spiritual forces, inducing emotions ranging from dread to wonder. Ahead of the total solar eclipse that will cross over North America on Monday, it's an appropriate time to take stock of these traditions and beliefs. Some Christians have believed that an eclipse portends the coming of the "end times" that will precede Christ's return to Earth. The Talmud – the collection of writings that constitute Jewish religious law – offers specific blessings for many natural phenomena, but not for eclipses. Instead, it depicts an eclipse as "a bad omen for the whole world."

Pilgrimage increasingly draws the spiritual but not religious

In 2023, nearly half a million people walked the Camino de Santiago in Spain. About 40% did so for purely religious reasons. While it's traditionally a Catholic pilgrimage, people today embark on the Camino for many motivations beyond religion: health, grief, transition, adventure. "Spiritual but not religious" pilgrims in particular have increased over the past two decades. While some call them "tourist-pilgrims," guide Rachael Sanborn resists the idea that non-Catholic pilgrims are unable to experience what the pilgrimage has to offer. "Everyone I have ever met along the Camino is getting more than they expected," she said. "It's magic."

Most Greenlanders identify as Inuit, Lutheran

Most Greenlanders are proudly Inuit. And most are Lutheran. About 90% of the 57,000 Greenlanders identity as Inuit and the vast majority of them belong to the Lutheran Church today. That is more than 300 years after a Danish missionary brought that branch of Christianity to the world's largest island. Greenland is huge — about three times the size of Texas and most of it is covered in ice. But parishes are still located across many settlements in the icy land and people endure the frigid Arctic climate to fill up church pews on Sundays.

Lunar New Year celebrates family, community

In many Asian cultures, the Lunar New Year is a celebration marking the arrival of spring and the start of a new year on the lunisolar calendar. It's the most important holiday in China where it's observed as the Spring Festival. It's also celebrated in South Korea, Vietnam and diaspora communities around the world. It's generally considered a time to celebrate with family and community.

Pope speaks to artists, inmates behind prison show

Pope Francis has met with women prisoners in Venice who are the protagonists of the Vatican pavilion at the Venice Biennale art fair. He has urged them to use their time in prison as a chance for "moral and material rebirth." Francis is in Venice for the morning to meet with the inmates and artists of this year's Biennale. The Vatican chose to stage its pavilion inside Venice's women's prison, and through a deal with the Italian Justice Ministry, invited inmates to work alongside the artists.

Survey tracks religions, religious traditions

The US Christian population has declined for years. A new survey shows that drop leveling off

The number of Americans who identify as Christian has declined steadily for years, but that drop shows signs of slowing. That's according to a new survey from the Pew Research Center. Its Religious Landscape Study finds 62% of U.S. adults call themselves Christians, a level that has remained relatively stable since 2019. The rise of the religiously unaffiliated — the so-called "nones" — has also reached at least a temporary plateau, with approximately 29% of U.S. adults claiming no religious affiliation. By some measures, the U.S. remains overwhelmingly spiritual, with 83% believing in God or a universal spirit and 86% believing that people have a soul or spirit.

For Catholic pilgrims, all roads lead to National Eucharistic Congress

Catholics from across the U.S. have converged for five days of traditional devotions at the Indianapolis Colts' football stadium in what they're calling the National Eucharistic Congress. It's the first such gathering in more than 80 years. Many of the attendees, over the past two months, have joined pilgrims on parts of their routes crisscrossing the country as a prelude to the congress. The basic purpose is to renew devotion to the Eucharist. Devout Catholics believe they encounter the actual presence of Jesus – not merely symbols of Him – in the appearance of bread and wine.

Chorale offers second spring concert

The Pend Oreille Chorale and Orchestra will present the second of its spring concerts on Sunday. The concert will be a matinee event at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 9 at First Lutheran Church on Olive and Ontario in Sandpoint.

Chorale, orchestra set spring concerts

The Pend Oreille Chorale and Orchestra will be presenting its spring concerts this weekend. The first concert will be held Friday, June 7 at 7 p.m. and the second concert will be a matinee event at 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 9. The free spring concerts will both be held in the First Lutheran Church on Olive and Ontario in Sandpoint.

Beware of a self-righteous false prophet

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. (Matthew 7:15)

'What do you mean my garden has warts?'

No, dear, your garden has 'worts'

Many gardeners will recognize today's little play on words. Indeed, back in medieval times, the term "worts" was used for many plants — generally, the useful ones, which we now term "herbs."

Being old is simply awful …or is it?

Other than outliving dear family members and cherished longtime friends and dogs, the worst thing about being old are medical maladies that attack when you aren’t looking.

Discerning the leaven

Bonner County pastors share messages of faith and hope.

Religious diversity blooms in once-atheist Cuba

The 1959 revolution led by Fidel Castro installed an atheist, Communist government that sought to replace the Catholic Church as the guiding force in the lives of Cubans. But religion seems omnipresent in Cuba 65 years later. Buddhists, Catholics, Jews, Muslims and Afro-Cuban Santeria practitioners often gather to pray, sing and worship across the Communist-run island. Critics say Cuba is still falling short on religious tolerance. Cuban academics and local religious leaders agree that more strides need to be made. But they also say progress has been achieved. Some call it a time of a Cuban religious revival.

Too many pills? Talk to your doctor about what's needed

Swallowing a handful of pills is a daily ritual for many people, but taking too many meds can cause problems. Asking your doctor or pharmacist for a medication review can help if your daily pill routine is getting out of hand. Some drugs can cause harm if taken for years. Others stop working or interact poorly with a new drug. A drug tolerated well at first can cause side effects later, leading to cognitive decline and injuries from falls. Asking questions about your medications is an important step toward better health.

'Tots' add magic, wonder to Christmas

If you haven't donated and would like to do so, please do. Every penny, every dollar adds up and if we all pitch in, we can make this, once again, a successful Toys for Tots campaign.

PREP BASKETBALL: Thunder boys roll past Christian Heritage for fourth straight win

PREP BASKETBALL: Thunder boys roll past Christian Heritage for fourth straight win

Value of humor has deep roots in Catholic tradition

Pope Francis may have surprised many by inviting comedians to the Vatican, but the value of humor has deep roots in Catholic tradition

Digging into the mystery of 'Bones'

Coffelt, Beers team up to find answers for Sandpoint Eagles

Little was known about "Bones," the nickname Eagles members bestowed upon the skeleton used in past initiation rituals, a common practice among fraternal organizations. Some rumors suggested that the skeleton was real. Some thought it was fake. Some thought the organization might have acquired it through a former member who was a doctor. Still others wondered if the bones were from a former Chinese resident from Hope.

Catholic Church using Olympics to engage youth

As the sporting world and fans await the opening ceremonies of the 2024 Paris Olympics and the Paralympic Games, eight Catholic dioceses in Greater Paris have already ignited their own Olympic flame by organizing the "Holy Games." The project is a collaboration between the Archdiocese of Paris and the French Bishops Conference.