Stephen Travels

And he's ready to take you with him.


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Baptismal Fonts That Make a Memorable Splash

St. Francis Xavier Church, St. Louis, MissouriBaptism is the first step to becoming a Christian. In fact, it grants admission into the Church. It’s usually accompanied during a religious service with a sprinkling of water on the forehead, but sometimes it involves a full-body immersion. Whichever method is used, churches around the world accommodate it with a variety of baptismal fonts, from the modest to the mammoth, and I’ve found many of them to be striking works of art. Read about the top five baptismal fonts >


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Which Last Suppers Are First?

Last Supper, National Museum, Warsaw, PolandAs Easter approaches, Christianity’s most important holidays and events unfold at a breakneck pace: Jesus’ Condemnation, Crucifixion, Disposition, and Entombment (all represented in the Stations of the Cross), and Resurrection. It all starts with the Last Supper, when Jesus gathered his 12 Apostles for a final meal, called out Peter as His soon-to-be denier, and basically let Judas identify himself as His imminent betrayer. For centuries, this momentous meal has been captured in art, and I’ve seen it depicted in all kinds of media around the world. Read about the top five depictions of the Last Supper >


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When the Theater Itself Is the Star of the Show

Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GeorgiaIn the golden age of movie theater construction in the United States between 1910 and the 1940s, moviegoers were treated not only to the featured film, but also a host of collateral offerings, from live music accompaniments to shorts to news reels. And they got to enjoy all of it in sumptuous surroundings that puts modern multiplexes to shame. It’s like comparing watching a movie in a palace to watching one in a boxcar. One theater that brought unimaginable opulence to the general public was Atlanta’s Fox Theatre—an intended Shriners auditorium turned movie palace that went bankrupt less than three years after opening in 1929 and ultimately faced the wrecking ball. Today, it’s one of Atlanta’s most beautiful attractions. Read about Fox Theatre >


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Allelujah and Amen, Atlanta!

Central Presbyterian Church, AtlantaMore than one thousand churches are scattered around Atlanta, Georgia. The destruction of the Civil War did away with the oldest ones, so all of those that I was admiring were erected after 1865. It’s not uncommon to see clusters of them in, say, a two-block radius—churches built for different denominations and faiths—which makes it exceptionally convenient to cast a not-so-wide net and still visit an abundance of these beautiful buildings. Read about the top five churches in Atlanta >