"When Pope Pius XII died in 1958, his papers were sealed in the Vatican Secret Archives, leaving unanswered questions about what he knew and did during World War II. Those questions have only grown and festered, making Pius XII one of the most controversial popes in Church history, especially now as the Vatican prepares to canonize him. In 2020, Pius XII's archives were finally opened, and David I. Kertzer--widely recognized as one of the world's...

In September 1943, Adolf Hitler, furious at the ouster of Mussolini, sent German troops into Rome and ordered SS General Karl Wolff, who had been Heinrich Himmler's chief aide, to occupy the Vatican and kidnap (and perhaps kill) Pope Pius XII. At the same time, plans were being made to deport Rome's Jews to Auschwitz. Wolff began playing a dangerous game: stalling Hitler's plot against the pope, whom he hoped would save him from the noose in case...

"The Ghent Altarpiece is the most violated work of art in the world. Thirteen times it has been vandalized, dismantled, or stolen. Why? What secrets does it hold? Enter UNESCO investigator, Nicholas Lee, who works for the United Nations' Cultural Liaison and Investigative Office (CLIO). Nick's job is to protect the world's cultural artifacts-including countless lesser-known objects and national treasures. When Nick travels to Belgium for a visit with...

Highly influential in C. S. Lewis' conversion from atheism to Christianity, The Everlasting Man continues to inspire new generations of readers. Considered by many to be Chesterton's greatest masterpiece, this book declares his comprehensive view of world history as informed by the Incarnation. Retelling mankind's story from the very beginning, he shows how all human desires are fulfilled in the person of Christ and Christ's church. With his characteristic...

They're cast in plaster or simpering on a holy card, performing miracles with superhero strength, or playing a harp in highest heaven. Yet they are very near to us in every way. Hahn dispels the false notions and urban legends people use to keep the saints at a safe distance. The truth is that Jesus Christ has united heaven and earth in a close communion. Drawing deeply from Scripture, Hahn shows that the hosts of heaven surround the earthly Church...

Pope Francis has captured the world's attention with his seemingly counterintuitive approach to leadership. In "The Church of Mercy," readers get a first-hand look at Pope Francis's vision of the good news of Christian hope and mercy. Designed for a broad readership, this is a compilation of essays, speeches, and homilies by Pope Francis since his election on being a church that exists among and for the people, solidarity with the poor, and the need...

The fictional story of a newly elected pope, the youngest in history and first-ever American, whose audacity, independence, and arch-conservatism wreak havoc within the Vatican.

Drawing on his own experience as a priest and shepherd for his book, Pope Francis discusses mercy, a subject of central importance in his teaching and testimony, and in addition sums up other ideas--reconciliation, the closeness of God--that comprise the heart of his papacy. Written in conversation with Vatican expert and La Stampa journalist Andrea Tornielli, it is directed at everyone, inside or outside of the Catholic Church, seeking meaning in...