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Nagasaki - History of Catholicism in this Japanese city
Nahum - Essay on the Old Testament prophet and the book which bears his name
Nails, Holy - The question has long been debated whether Christ was crucified with three or with four nails. . .
Naim - The city where Christ raised to life the widow's son
Name of Mary, Feast of the Holy - Feast commemorating all the privileges given to Mary by God and all the graces we have received through her intercession and mediation.
Names, Christian - Strictly speaking, this is not merely the first name of a person, but the name given to him at his baptism
Names, Hebrew - To the philosopher a name is an artificial sign consisting in a certain combination of articulate sounds, whereby a particular class of people are wont to designate one thing and distinguish it from all others. . .
Names of Jesus and Mary, Sisters of the Holy - Religious congregation founded 1844 in Quebec
Naples - The capital of a province in Campania, southern Italy, and formerly capital of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
Napoleon I (Bonaparte) - Emperor of the French (1769-1821)
Napoleon III - Emperor of the French (1808-1873)
Narthex - In early Christian architecture a portion of the church separated from the nave and reserved for those who were not admitted amongst the congregation.
Natal Day - The anniversary of a person's death
Nathan - Identifies six men of that name mentioned in the Old Testament
Nathanael - One of the first disciples of Jesus, to Whom he was brought by his friend Philip
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Feast of the - The earliest document commemorating this feast comes from the sixth century. . .
Natural Law - In English this term is frequently employed as equivalent to the laws of nature, meaning the order which governs the activities of the material universe. Among the Roman jurists natural law designated those instincts and emotions common to man and the lower animals, such as the instinct of self-preservation and love of offspring
Naturalism - Philosophical tendency that consists essentially in looking upon nature as the one original and fundamental source of all that exists, and in attempting to explain everything in terms of nature.
Nature - Has reference to the production of things, and hence generally includes in its connotation the ideas of energy and activity.
Naturism - The term proposed by Reville to designate the worship of nature.
Navajo Indians - The largest group of Indians belonging to the Athapaskan, or Dene stock
Navarre - Territory in the Pyrenees
Nave - Architecturally the central, open space of a church, west of the choir or chancel, and separated therefrom by a low wall or screen.
Nazarene - A name applied to Our Lord in the New Testament
Nazareth - The town of Galilee where the Blessed Virgin dwelt when the Archangel announced to her the Incarnation of the Word, and where Christ lived until the age of thirty years
Nazarite - The name given by the Hebrews to a person set apart and especially consecrated to the Lord.
Nebo, Mount - A mountain of the Abarim range east of the Jordan and the Dead Sea, from which Moses surveyed the Promised Land
Nebuchadnezzar - Commentary on the two Babylonian kings of that name, especially the second, who is mentioned in Scripture
Necessity - A strict connection between different beings, or the different elements of a being, or between a being and its existence.
Necrologies - The registers in which religious communities were accustomed to enter the names of the dead — notably their own deceased members, their associates, and their principal benefactors — with a view to the offering of prayers for their souls.
Necromancy - A special mode of divination by the summoning of the dead
Negligence - The omission, whether habitual or not, of the care required for the performance of duties, or at any rate, for their full adequate discharge.
Nehemiah, Book of - Summary with some commentary
Nemrod - An examination of this Old Testament figure, mentioned in Genesis as 'a mighty hunter before the Lord' and king of Babylon
Neophyte - A term used of those who, lately converted from heathenism, have by the sacrament of Baptism, been transplanted into the higher life of the Church.
Neo-Platonism - Article by William Turner covering this movement's principal figures and later influence
Neo-Scholasticism - The development of the Scholasticism of the Middle Ages during the latter half of the nineteenth century.
Nephtali - A look at the son of Jacob and the tribe of Nephtali
Nereus and Achilleus, Domitilla and Pancratius, Saints - Roman martyrs who shared a feast day on 12 May
Neri, Saint Philip Romolo - Biographical article on the Apostle of Rome, who died in 1595
Nero - The last Roman emperor (reigned 54-68) of the Julian-Claudian line
Nestorius and Nestorianism - Biography of the Patriarch of Constantinople, and examination of the unacceptable implications of his doctrine
Netherlands, The - The Low Countries, as organized by Charles V, under whom the Burgundian era ended
Neum - A term in medieval music theory
New Hampshire - The most northerly of the thirteen original states of the United States
New Jersey - One of the original thirteen states of the American Union. . .
Newman, John Henry - Lengthy and admiring biography of Newman as a thinker, author, leader, and illustrious convert to Catholicism
New Mexico - A state of the United States
New Orleans - Archdiocese in the southern United States
New Testament - Jesus Christ uses the words 'new testament' as meaning the alliance established by Himself between God and the world, and this is called 'new' as opposed to that of which Moses was the mediator
New Testament, Canon of the - The idea of a complete and clear-cut canon of the New Testament existing from the beginning, that is from Apostolic times, has no foundation in history
New Year's Day - Since there was no necessary starting-point in the circle of the year, we find among different nations, and among the same at different epochs of their history, a great variety of dates with which the new year began. . .
New York (Archdiocese) - Large archdiocese erected 1808 in the northeastern United States
New York (State) - One of the thirteen colonies of Great Britain, which on 4 July, 1776, adopted the Declaration of Independence and became the United States of America.
New Zealand - Consists of three main islands (North Island, South Island, sometimes also called Middle island, and Stewart island) and several groups of smaller islands . . .
Nicaea, First Council of - First ecumenical council, held in 325 to combat Arianism
Nicaea, Second Council of - Seventh Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church, held in 787.
Nicene Creed - The profession of the Christian Faith common to the Catholic Church, to all the Eastern Churches separated from Rome, and to most of the Protestant denominations.
Niche - A recess for the reception of a statue, so designed as to give it emphasis, frame it effectively, and afford some measure of protection.
Nicholas I, Saint, Pope - Biography of this pope, d. 867, who upheld the authority of the papacy and the inviolability of marriage
Nicholas II, Pope - Pope who reigned from 1058 to 1061
Nicholas III, Pope - Pope who reigned from 1277 to 1280
Nicholas IV, Pope - Pope who reigned from 1288 to 1292
Nicholas V, Pope - Pope who reigned from 1447 to 1455
Nicholas of Cusa - Lengthy article on the life and writings of the fifteenth-century canon lawyer, diplomat, and philosopher
Nicholas of Myra, Saint - Fourth-century bishop in Asia Minor. Also called St. Nicholas of Bari because his relics were translated there in the eleventh century
Nicholas of Tolentino, Saint - Augustinian hermit, d. 1306
Nicholas Owen, Saint - A Jesuit lay brother, skilled in building hiding places for priests. He died under torture in 1606
Nicodemus - A prominent Jew of the time of Christ, mentioned in the Gospel of John
Nicodemus, Gospel of - The Gospel of Nicodemus
Nicolaites - A sect mentioned in the second chapter of Revelation
Nihilism - One who bows to no authority and accepts no doctrine, however widespread, that is not supported by proof.
Nimbus - In art and archaeology signifies a shining light implying great dignity.
Nimrod - An examination of this Old Testament figure, mentioned in Genesis as 'a mighty hunter before the Lord' and king of Babylon
Ninian, Saint - British by birth, St. Ninian evangelized the southern Picts in Scotland
Noah - A study of this Old Testament figure
Noah's Ark - The form, very likely foursquare, was not convenient for navigation, but, as has been proven by the experiments of Peter Jansen and M. Vogt, it made the Ark a very suitable device for shipping heavy cargoes and floating upon the waves without rolling or pitching
Nocturns - The convoluted history of this nighttime prayer
Nominalism, Realism, Conceptualism - The theories that have been proposed as solutions of the problem of universals
Nomination - The designation of a person for an ecclesiastical benefice or office made by the competent civil authority and conferring on the person named the right to be canonically instituted by the ecclesiastical superior.
Nonconformists - Denotes those refusing to conform with the authorized formularies and rites of the Established Church of England.
None - Essay on the daytime canonical hour recited in mid-afternoon
Non Expedit - Words with which the Holy See enjoined upon Italian Catholics the policy of abstention from parliamentary elections
Non-Jurors - Anglican Churchmen who in 1689 refused to take the oath of allegiance to William and Mary
Norbert, Saint - Biography of the founder of the Premonstratensians
Norbertines - Religious order founded in 1120 by St. Norbert
Norfolk, Catholic Dukes of - Under this title are accounts of the prominent Catholic Dukes of Norfolk since the Reformation; includes a list of the dukes
Normandy - An ancient French province, from which five 'departments' were formed in 1790
Norsemen - The Scandinavians who, in the ninth and tenth centuries, first ravaged the coasts of Western Europe and its islands and then turned from raiding into settlers.
North Carolina - One of the original thirteen states of the United States
Northmen - The Scandinavians who, in the ninth and tenth centuries, first ravaged the coasts of Western Europe and its islands and then turned from raiding into settlers.
Norway - Scandinavian country
Notaries - Persons appointed by competent authority to draw up official or authentic documents
Notburga, Saint - Cook noted for generosity in feeding the poor
Notoriety, Notorious - Whatever is so fully or officially proved, that it may and ought to be held as certain without further investigation, is notorious
Notre Dame de Montreal, Congregation of - Founded in the seventeenth century by Marguerite Bourgeoys
Notre Dame, School Sisters of - A religious community devoted to education.
Notre Dame, University of - University in northern Indiana in the United States
Nova Scotia - One of the maritime provinces of Canada
Novatianism - Roman priest, antipope, third-century schismatic, and founder of the sect of the Novatians
Novena - Article on the different kinds of novenas and their place in the spiritual life of the Church
Novice - The canonical Latin name of those who, having been regularly admitted into a religious order and ordinarily already confirmed in their higher vocation by a certain period of probation as postulants, are prepared by a series of exercises and tests for the religious profession
Nubia - A detailed history of Nubia, with emphasis on the religious aspects (primarily Christian and Catholic) of its culture
Numbers, Use of, in the Church - No attentive reader of the Old Testament can fail to notice that a certain sacredness seems to attach to particular numbers . . .
Numismatics - The science of coins and medals
Nun of Kent - Born probably in 1506; executed at Tyburn, 20 April, 1534; called the 'Nun of Kent'
Nunc Dimittis - The Canticle of Simeon found in Luke 2:29-32
Nuncio - An ordinary and permanent representative of the pope, vested with both political and ecclesiastical powers, accredited to the court of a sovereign or assigned to a definite territory with the duty of safeguarding the interests of the Holy See.
Nuns - Females consecrated to God by religious vows
Nuptial Mass - 'Missa pro sponso et sponsa', the last among the votive Masses in the Missal. It is composed of lessons and chants suitable to the Sacrament of Matrimony, contains prayers for persons just married and is interwoven with part of the marriage rite, of which in the complete form it is an element