Lamp of Grace a simple guide to Christianity

Jesus Christ — the Light of the World

Who is Jesus? What is in the Bible? Who were the Apostles, the Popes and the Saints, and why do Christians honour Mother Mary? This site explains it all in plain words, with sources so you can read more.

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“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” — John 3:16

Christianity in one minute

Christianity is the faith of people who follow Jesus of Nazareth, a Jewish teacher born in Bethlehem around 6–4 BC. Christians believe Jesus is the Son of God and the promised Messiah (Christ), a descendant of King David. He taught love of God and neighbour, healed the sick and forgave sins. He was crucified in Jerusalem around AD 30–33, and Christians believe he rose from the dead on the third day (Easter). Today about 2.4 billion people — nearly a third of humanity — are Christians.

Christians believe in one God in three Persons — the Father, the Son (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit (the Holy Trinity). Through Jesus' death and resurrection, Christians believe sin and death are overcome and people are offered forgiveness and eternal life. The main branches today are the Catholic Church (about 1.4 billion members, led by the Pope in Rome), the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the many Protestant churches (Lutheran, Anglican, Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal and others). All share faith in Jesus Christ and the Bible, though they differ on some teachings — notes on these differences appear throughout the site.

This site mainly follows Catholic teaching for topics such as the Popes, the Saints and Marian apparitions, and notes where Orthodox and Protestant Christians see things differently.

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The Bibles of the World

How the Bible was written, why Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant and Ethiopian Bibles have different numbers of books, and the great translations.
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Jesus Christ

His birth, life, teachings, death and resurrection — and what Christians believe about him.
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From King David to Jesus

The family line from Abraham and David to Joseph and Mary, as recorded in Matthew and Luke.
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The Apostles

Where the Twelve (and St Paul) were born, what they did, and where they died.
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All 267 Popes

From St Peter to Pope Leo XIV: birth names, birthplaces, papal names, dates and portraits.
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Mother Mary

Her life, her names around the world, Church-approved apparitions and the miracles linked to them.
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The Saints

Well-loved saints: where they were born, what they did, how and when they died.
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Prayers for Every Need

Prayers to Padre Pio, St Anthony, St Jude, St Joseph, the Guardian Angel, St Michael and Mother Mary — for health, money, work, family and protection.
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Angels & Guardian Angels

Your guardian angel, the archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, the nine choirs of angels, and angels in the Bible.
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Miracles

Every miracle of Jesus in the Gospels, miracles of the Apostles, Eucharistic miracles and how the Church investigates miracles.
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Understanding the Faith

The Trinity, the Creed, the Sacraments, the Church year, prayers and a timeline of Christian history.

A short timeline

c. 2000–1800 BC — God's covenant with Abraham, father of the Jewish people (Genesis 12).
c. 1000 BC — David becomes King of Israel; God promises that his throne will last forever (2 Samuel 7).
c. 6–4 BC — Jesus is born in Bethlehem to the Virgin Mary.
c. AD 27–30 — Jesus' public ministry in Galilee and Judea; he chooses twelve Apostles.
c. AD 30–33 — Crucifixion, Resurrection and Ascension; the Holy Spirit comes at Pentecost.
c. AD 64–67 — Saints Peter and Paul martyred in Rome.
AD 313 — Edict of Milan: Christianity becomes legal in the Roman Empire.
AD 325 — Council of Nicaea; the Nicene Creed.
AD 1054 — Split between the Catholic West and the Orthodox East.
AD 1517 — Martin Luther starts the Protestant Reformation.
1962–1965 — Second Vatican Council.
8 May 2025 — Robert Francis Prevost of Chicago is elected Pope Leo XIV, the 267th Pope.

Sources for this page