World of faces

Being a cunning and treacherous man, Herod asked the magi to indicate to him where the baby was, “so that I can bow to him”. But they were not so simple: bowing to the baby, they went home a different way. And then Herod ordered the murder of all male infants under the age of two …
The name Herod for many centuries has a negative connotation. But not many people know that another Herod existed – a ruler who brought peace and prosperity to the Jewish land. Under his rule, Judea became autonomous from Rome. It was Herod I who went down in history under the title Great.
In 73 BC, the second son was born to the Roman procurator of Judea Antipater, who was named Herod.
With the consent of the Prosecutor of Syria at the age of 25 Herod received the first important post – the governor of Galilee.
More »

Klaus Stortebeker was a German pirate at the end of the XIV century. Songs about him were sung in the taverns of the port cities of Germany, centuries after his death. Even today, a musical festival dedicated to his memory is held on the island of Rugen. Störtebeker was known as a kind of German Robin Hood. And some researchers from Germany are even convinced that he served as the prototype of the legendary English forest robber.
Despite the fact that the life and work of Klaus Störtebeker, as well as his death in Hamburg are described in sufficient detail in various medieval sources, his birthplace and origin remain unknown. Up to 20 cities and towns are still fighting for the honor of being considered his homeland.
According to some sources, he was a descendant of a noble family from Halsmühlen on the Adler River near Verdun. Medieval chronicles describe the wild life of a young knight whose true name remains unknown. He constantly fought and drank. As a result, the young man was penniless, and when knightly armor and weapons were taken from him for debt, he went into the sea robbers. Is it true or just a legend? In the fourteenth century, some of the knights having completely gone bankrupt went to the sea to hunt in the vast expanses of salt water.
More »

It is known that the one who was offended often offends others. This phrase perfectly describes Catherine de Medici – the Queen of France and the mother of three monarchs.
Catherine de Medici outlived her husband King Henry II by almost thirty years. She was destined to stay in this world longer than the eight of her ten children. Her beloved son Henry was killed a little more than six months after the death of Catherine. Only one daughter Margaret met old age, the same Queen Margot, whose destiny Alexander Dumas devoted the novel to.
Medici was called the “black queen” because after the death of her beloved spouse she put on mourning. And she didn’t take it off until the end of her life. It was this queen who introduced the fashion for mourning clothes of this color: before that, in France, as a sign of sorrow, it was customary to wear all white.
More »

The name Evangeline Adams is almost forgotten today. But in the first half of the last century, she was a very popular astrologer. Adams was also engaged in palmistry and, probably, had remarkable parapsychological abilities. For several decades, she was able to predict many significant events, including those on a global scale.
Adams was born in 1868. The media first wrote about her in 1899, when an unknown prophetess from Boston predicted a terrible fire at the Windsor Hotel in New York. In March of that year, she took a trip to New York and stayed at the expensive hotel located on Fifth Avenue. After reading horoscope of the hotel’s owner Evangeline was horrified: it was clear that in the very near future this man would be in trouble and adversity… When the hotel burned to the ground the next day and the wife and daughter of the owner died, Adams’ career went up sharply.
More »

One day George Mallory was asked: “Why do you want to climb Mount Everest?”
He answered shortly: “Because it exists.”
The biography of mountaineering legend George Mallory is standard for an English gentleman born at the end of the 19th century. A loving family, a happy childhood, successful studies in elementary school, a scholarship in college. Then he joined the climbing club, recruiting students to climb the Alps. After the conquest of Mont Blanc George entered the “big league” of English climbers.
Then Mallory became interested in socialism, taught at school, participated in the First World War. After the end of hostilities, he could not find himself in life. Soon he received an invitation to the expedition, the purpose of which was to conquer Chomolungma.
The idea of conquering Everest began to excite English minds at the end of the XIX century. Then the projects and lists of future conquerors were created, but at the last moment the plans collapsed for political reasons. Nepal did not let foreigners pass through its borders; Tibet, too, was reluctant to make contact. And when the problems with the passage to Everest were resolved (in the case of Tibet – by military means) and the money for the expedition was given, the First World War broke out.
More »

Virgin Mary of Guadalupe is the most revered shrine of Latin America. Every year, about 14 million people come to the top of Tepeyac Hill (north of modern Mexico City) to worship the image of the Virgin. According to local beliefs, you need to come here on foot, with the last 100 meters with prayer and on your knees. Most believers come there from December 9 to 12, when all of Mexico celebrates St. Mary’s Day.
According to legend, the Virgin Mary stopped the deadly epidemic in Mexico City, which was raging in 1736-1737. In this regard, on April 27, 1737, Pope Clement XII declared the Virgin of Guadalupe the patroness of Mexico City. On May 25, 1754, Pope Benedict XIV proclaimed her the patroness and protector of New Spain, August 24, 1910 Pius X – patroness of all of Latin America, and July 16, 1935 Pius XI – patroness of the Philippines.
On January 22, 1999, Pope John Paul II proclaimed her “the patron saint of all the people of America and the star of evangelism.” Virgin of Guadalupe is the patroness and protector of unborn children. Her image is often used by pro-abortion advocates.
More »

Robert John Walker was an American politician, senator, 18th US Treasury Secretary, and 4th Governor of the Kansas Territory.
Robert Walker was born on July 23, 1801 in Northumberland, Pennsylvania, into a judge’s family. In 1819 he graduated from the law department of the University of Pennsylvania, and in 1821 he was admitted to the bar. He married Mary Bache (Benjamin Franklin’s granddaughter) in 1825 and moved to Natchez to enter his brother’s law office. By 1826, through speculation on cotton and land, Walker was able to make a fortune. In 1838, due to enormous pressure from Congress, Walker freed the slaves.
In 1835, Walker was elected senator from the Democratic Party. As an ardent expansionist, Robert Walker voted to recognize the Republic of Texas in 1837. He also advocated for low tariffs, the distribution of surplus federal funds and was an opponent of the Second Bank of the United States.
More »