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Articles on Religious traditions

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Candles on a large Hanukkah menorah shine in front of a Christmas tree at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, in 2015. Gregor Fischer/picture alliance via Getty Images

Hanukkah celebrations have changed dramatically − but the same is true of Christmas

Assimilation no doubt played a role in making Hanukkah the commercialized holiday it is today. But other factors shaped the modern festival, too, a scholar of Jewish studies and gender explains.
From Reconstructionism to ultra-Orthodoxy, Judaism is richly diverse. MendyHechtman/iStock via Getty Images

Jewish denominations: A brief guide for the perplexed

Jewish communities have always followed some different customs in different parts of the world, but the 19th and 20th centuries brought much more dramatic divisions.
A handmade Nativity from Kyrgyzstan by an unknown artisan. Instead of a stable, it features a yurt, the traditional home of nomadic Kyrgyz people. The Marian Library, University of Dayton

Who is at the manger? Nativity sets around the world show each culture’s take on the Christmas story

The Christmas story is about Jesus coming to mankind. As holiday decorations show, Christians around the world often picture him in their own cultures.
The temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints along the Capital Beltway in Kensington, Md. Carol M. Highsmith/Buyenlarge/Getty Images

What is a Latter-day Saint temple?

Temples are often open to the public for a period after construction or renovation, but only church members may enter once religious ceremonies begin.
A man dressed as Saint Patrick blesses the crowd in Dublin as the parade makes its way through the Irish capital in 1998. AP Photo/John Cogill

The truth about St. Patrick’s Day

The Irish continue to express gratitude for St. Patrick’s unselfish commitment to their spiritual well-being, even as the rest of the world celebrates by drowning in booze.

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