Definition: (noun) A person devoted to pleasure and luxury; a voluptuary.
Synonyms: voluptuary.
Usage: This official sybarite dressed, dined, and visited a dozen or fifteen salons between eight at night and three in the morning.
Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Born Agnes Bojaxhiu, Mother Teresa was an Albanian Roman Catholic missionary famous for her work among the poor in India. She first went to India at 17, becoming a nun and teaching school in Calcutta. In 1948, she left the convent and founded the Missionaries of Charity, which now operates schools, hospitals, orphanages, and food centers worldwide. In 1979, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 2003. What would be needed for her to be declared a saint? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
In Kingston, Jamaica, National Heroes Park contains a series of statues devoted to key figures in the country’s history, including independence leader Alexander Bustamente and pan-African crusader Marcus Garvey. As a way to honor the figures commemorated in this park, the Jamaican government has established National Heroes Day. Local parishes all over the island hold award ceremonies to honor community figures, while at National Heroes Park a main ceremony takes place that features a speech by a national leader, typically the prime minister. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Nicknamed “Three Finger” by the press because a farming accident in his youth cost him parts of two fingers on his right hand, Brown was one of the top Major League Baseball pitchers at the turn of the 20th century. He used his injury to his advantage, developing a unique grip on the ball that produced an unusual amount of spin, baffling batters. Over the course of his major league career, Brown won 239 games and lost just 130. With what team did he win two World Series championships? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Hypatia was an Alexandrian Neoplatonic philosopher and mathematician renowned for her learning, eloquence, and beauty. She became head of Alexandria’s Platonist school in about 400 CE, lecturing there on mathematics and philosophy. Several works are attributed to her by later sources, including commentaries on Ptolemy’s works, but none have survived. Her murder, the subject of many conspiracy theories, was a brutal event. How did religion factor into Hypatia’s lynching? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Definition: (noun) A small natural hill.
Synonyms: knoll, mound, hammock.
Usage: Umbopa pointed out to us a slight and indistinct hillock on the flat surface of the plain about eight miles away.
Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
The Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem’s Old City is venerated by most Christians as the site of Jesus’ burial chamber and has been an important destination of pilgrimage since the 4th century. Its destruction in 1009 by caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah is often viewed as a direct impetus for the Crusades, though the church was rebuilt prior to the Crusaders’ arrival. The custodianship of the church is now grudgingly shared by several Churches. Who holds the key to the church’s main entrance? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
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Alaska Day commemorates the formal transfer of Alaska from Russia to the United States on October 18, 1867. The event, which took place at Sitka, was a sad one for the Russian colonists who had already made Alaska their home. After the transfer, Alaska was eventually organized as a territory and maintained this status until it became a state on January 3, 1959. Today, the lowering of the Russian flag and the raising of the Stars and Stripes is reenacted every year as part of this festival in Sitka. Other events include a parade and a period costume ball. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Oswald, a US Marine who defected to the Soviet Union only to return and settle in Dallas, Texas, with his Russian wife and daughter, is widely believed to have been the assassin of US President John F. Kennedy. On November 22, 1963, Oswald allegedly fired three shots from a window on the sixth floor of the Texas State School Book Depository, killing Kennedy. While in police custody, Oswald was murdered by nightclub owner Jack Ruby. Whom did Oswald allegedly try to assassinate earlier in 1963? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Paul Bunyan is a mythical lumberjack and American folk hero known for his incredible strength and massive size. His oversized companion, Babe the Blue Ox, reportedly measured 42 ax handles and a plug of tobacco between his horns. The first newspaper article about Bunyan was published in 1906, and later pamphlets by William Laughead popularized the Paul Bunyan story and added to the myth. How do these legends account for the creation of the Grand Canyon, Mount Hood, and Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary