With Hanukkah and Christmas 2009 now behind us, another major December holiday begins today: Kwanzaa. more ›

San Gennaro (also known as Januarius -- yes, as in the month) was one of those fantastic early Christian martyrs who suffered incomprehensible tortures and survived inexplicable violence under equally fantastic Roman persecution. He was tossed into the flames but did not burn; the ever-resourceful Romans then tried to feed him to wild beasts, but (le sigh) the animals laid down at his feet instead of devouring him. Exhausted and frustrated, the Romans beheaded... more ›