101 Surprising Facts About Church History

Think you really know Church History? Think Again

The Catholic Church is the longest-standing and the most universal of all institutions. The contributions made by Catholic men and women over the past 2000 years are most impressive, from a properly functioning calendar to the inventions of many things that we all take for granted today.

In 101 Surprising Facts About Church History, Fr. Meconi, SJ walks readers through the most amazing achievements of Christ's Body on earth. From economic and mercantile developments to scientific and astronomical advances, from the cataloging of zoological and botanical species to the cherishing of beautiful music and fine arts, Fr. Meconi shows you why the Catholic Church stands as the greatest promoter of human culture and knowledge.

Did you know:

•  A Catholic priest held the first insights into the "Big Bang" theory well before anyone else?
•  The first prototype of today's moving robots was found in a medieval monastery?
•  Many types of food and drink have their origins within the Church, including cappuccino, sparkling wine, and pretzels
•  The Holy Bible was the first work of the Gutenberg Press
•  The Church has patron saints for all sorts of things, including headaches, ugliness, fireworks, hangovers, and television

Fr. Meconi's 101 Surprising Facts About Church History takes you through 2,000 years of amazing achievements and contributions by the Church and her many sons and daughters. Beautifully illustrated and chronologically arranged, this work is a reliable guide through centuries of Church figures, facts, and fun.

Fr. David Vincent Meconi, S.J., D.Phil. (Oxon.) is Associate Professor of Historical Theology as well as the Director of the new Edmund Campion Catholic Studies Centre at Saint Louis University. He is also the editor of Homiletic and Pastoral Review, and has published numerous books and articles on the early Church, and on Saint Augustine of Hippo in particular. Fr. Meconi is a former Fellow of the Augustinian Institute at Villanova University; he serves on the boards of the St. Benedict Forum at Hope College in Holland, MI, as well as on the ecclesiastical board of Boston College.