Religion

The rich history, beliefs, and traditions of world religions can shape the human experience. Learn about ancient religious rituals, technology's influence on religion, and how faith continues to impact culture today.

Menu section: History & Culture · 514 stories on nationalgeographic.com

Recent stories in Religion: The Ancient Romans Had a Strange Ritual After Thunderstorms; Did This Ring Belong to Pontius Pilate?; A new generation is bringing Pennsylvania Dutch folk magic back to life; Witches, vampires, ancient aliens—you'll find them all in Malta; Was Jesus an only child?; A painter's gorgeous sketches of England's great cathedrals; These 6 archaeology discoveries reshape what we know about the Bible; Inside the stunning recovery of the lost Herculaneum Scrolls; The Shaker chair is iconic. But what do we know about the people who made it?; The Fearless Charge of Morocco’s Horsewomen; Was there a real Tower of Babel? This temple is the leading contender.; What evidence is there of Jesus? A leading historian sheds light on early Christianity’s biggest mysteries; A mystic's guide to Turin, Italy's capital of the occult; This iconic shrine in Japan is rebuilt every 20 years. This is your chance to see it.; What I learned on an off-grid camping trip with Egypt's Bedouin; In Tokyo, monks walk across fire—and you can join them; What is Songkran? The cultural meaning behind Thailand’s famous water festival; Who was the real Pontius Pilate?; Who really wrote the Old Testament? These are the theories.; Did the Annunciation happen in Nazareth? Here's what archaeologists think.; Murderer or a martyr? The tragic life of Mary, Queen of Scots; The secret religious history of your Chia Pet; Why the blood moon eclipse is delaying some Holi celebrations; This deadly crusade was the downfall of Constantinople; Why Maha Shivaratri is one of Hinduism’s holiest nights