102 episodes

The unvarnished, non-boring history of the popes of the Roman Catholic Church – told in a way to remind us that the world and the Church’s problems today have happened plenty of times before.

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The Popecast: A History of the Papacy Popecast Extra

    • History
    • 4.8 • 111 Ratings

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The unvarnished, non-boring history of the popes of the Roman Catholic Church – told in a way to remind us that the world and the Church’s problems today have happened plenty of times before.

Become a Paid Subscriber: https://anchor.fm/thepopecast/subscribe

Listen on Apple Podcasts
Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher

    The Pope Who Rescued St. Peter's Basilica from Collapse (Interview w/ Author Wayne Kalayjian)

    The Pope Who Rescued St. Peter's Basilica from Collapse (Interview w/ Author Wayne Kalayjian)

    Wayne Kalayjian is author of the new book Saving Michelangelo’s Dome: How Three Mathematicians and a Pope Sparked an Architectural Revolution, the incredible story of how precarious cracking throughout the dome of St. Peter's Basilica prompted an unprecedented collision of the greatest minds in construction, science, math, and the Catholic Church.



    GET THE BOOK: Saving Michelangelo's Dome



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    ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Wayne Kalayjian is a civil and structural engineer who has designed buildings, bridges, towers, and tunnels on five continents. He knows how they are built, why they stand up, how to keep them safe, and why—on occasion—they fall down.

    Wayne also lectures at the University of Southern California and is an engineering expert for the California Department of Consumer Affairs. He holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and art history from Tufts University, a master’s degree in structural and earthquake engineering from Stanford University, and a master’s degree in management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

    In 1995, Wayne engineered the move of an historic lighthouse on Cape Cod National Seashore. Just as the mathematicians in his book saved Michelangelo’s dome from collapse, he used those same scientific principles to save Highland Light from falling into the sea. Since then, his one-of-a-kind drawings have been on permanent display at the lighthouse museum in North Truro, Massachusetts. Wayne was raised in New England and lives in Southern California.

    • 1 hr 40 min
    The First “Pontifex Maximus” (St. Siricius)

    The First “Pontifex Maximus” (St. Siricius)

    Our pope this week reigned at a time when the historical record wasn’t much, and we don’t know a whole lot about his life as a result. And yet his contributions to the history of the papacy have still resounded for over 1600 years.

    Read Pope St. Siricius' full letter: https://thepopecast.fm/blog/siricius-decretal

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    • 11 min
    The First “Pontifex Maximus” (St. Siricius)

    The First “Pontifex Maximus” (St. Siricius)

    Our pope this week reigned at a time when the historical record wasn’t much, and we don’t know a whole lot about his life as a result. And yet his contributions to the history of the papacy have still resounded for over 1600 years.

    Read Pope St. Siricius' full letter: https://thepopecast.fm/blog/siricius-decretal

    PATREON: https://patreon.com/thepopecast
    NEWSLETTER: https://popes.substack.com
    FB / Twitter / Instagram: @thepopecast
    EMAIL: matt@thepopecast.fm

    Artificial Intelligence, Demonic Possession, and Visions of Mary (Interview w/ Sci-Fi Author Andrew Gillsmith)

    Artificial Intelligence, Demonic Possession, and Visions of Mary (Interview w/ Sci-Fi Author Andrew Gillsmith)

    Today we chat with Andrew Gillsmith, author of the new and critically-acclaimed sci-fi novel, Our Lady of the Artilects. The book is absolutely outstanding (find the link to purchase it below) in its merging together of a plausible ultra-high-tech future and a global landscape that's shifted both geographically and spiritually.

    GET THE BOOK: https://amzn.to/3E8bFpq

    Find Andrew on Twitter @andrewgillsmith

    Other book references from Andrew:
    - In the Camps: China's High Tech Penal Colony - https://amzn.to/3TRMKN2
    - The Fourth Secret of Fatima - https://amzn.to/3Ai60MD

    ---
    NEWSLETTER: https://popes.substack.com
    FB / Twitter / Instagram: @thepopecast
    EMAIL: matt@thepopecast.fm
    PATREON: https://patreon.com/thepopecast

    • 54 min
    Artificial Intelligence, Demonic Possession, and Visions of Mary (Interview & BONUS AUDIO w/ Sci-Fi Author Andrew Gillsmith)

    Artificial Intelligence, Demonic Possession, and Visions of Mary (Interview & BONUS AUDIO w/ Sci-Fi Author Andrew Gillsmith)

    Today we chat with Andrew Gillsmith, author of the new and critically-acclaimed sci-fi novel, Our Lady of the Artilects. The book is absolutely outstanding (find the link to purchase it below) in its merging together of a plausible ultra-high-tech future and a global landscape that's shifted both geographically and spiritually.

    GET THE BOOK: https://amzn.to/3E8bFpq

    Find Andrew on Twitter @andrewgillsmith

    Other book references from Andrew:
    - In the Camps: China's High Tech Penal Colony - https://amzn.to/3TRMKN2
    - The Fourth Secret of Fatima - https://amzn.to/3Ai60MD

    ---
    NEWSLETTER: https://popes.substack.com
    FB / Twitter / Instagram: @thepopecast
    EMAIL: matt@thepopecast.fm
    PATREON: https://patreon.com/thepopecast

    The Pope Who Sent St. Patrick to Ireland (St. Celestine I)

    The Pope Who Sent St. Patrick to Ireland (St. Celestine I)

    Our pope this week was your garden variety early Church pontiff – battling heresy, beautifying churches, and being an all around good guy. But one thing set him apart...sending a certain snake-expelling bishop on mission to a little island in the North Atlantic, and changing the face of the world forever.


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    EMAIL: matt@thepopecast.fm
    Support The Popecast: A History of the Papacy

    • 11 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
111 Ratings

111 Ratings

Butterly76 ,

So so good!

This is such a great podcast! Informative, fun and perfect length! As a life long Catholic, great way to get a tidbit of our history! Thank you!!

Robthebanker ,

Smart but not boring

Well told stories with a Goldilocks amount of detail. A fun listen that informs at the same time.

Star Gazer 11 ,

Nice short interesting overviews

Just the right length for podcast listening. Not too much depth, amusingly told.

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