Catholicism is the largest denomination of Christianity. The organization of the Roman Catholic Church stems from when Emperor Constantine of Rome not only legalized Christianity but made it the state religion. The head of the church is the Pope, who resides in the Vatican City. The Catholic belief system and rites tend to be more ritualized than some Protestant denominations. Mass is the central rite, and priests are usually termed Father (while members of monastic orders are typically Brother and Sister). Significant iconography include the crucifix and the rosary beads. Mary the mother of Jesus is held in particular reverence, while other venerated saints, in addition to the twelve apostles, include Saint Nicholas, Saint Patrick, and Saint Joan.

Catholicism's global influence extends to architecture and art, notably the Sistine Chapel (ceiling frescos by Michelangelo) and Notre Dame Cathedral as well as Renaissance paintings by the likes of Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael Sanzio.

References

• Father Wegner (full title Monsignor Wegner), who was executive director of Boys Town from 1948 to 1972, was one of the interviewees in the Jim Henson-produced documentary Youth 68. Instead of speaking on religious matters, Father Wegner speaks optimistically of youth.

• One of the Talking Houses in The Muppet Show episode 104 has a hotel for a son. He's so serious about religion, however, he's thinking about becoming a monastery.

• Two monks are At the Dance in episode 311 of The Muppet Show. The short one says he cooks the potatoes, leading Fozzie Bear to assume he's known as the friar. No, the chip monk.

• Miss Piggy is cast as a nun, Sister Tuck (equivalent of Friar Tuck from the Robin Hood legend) in The Muppet Show episode 323.

• When Fozzie pulls a rabbi out of a hat in The Muppet Show episode 421, the latter says "You was expecting the Pope, maybe?"

• One of Lily Tomlin's roles in The Muppets Go to the Movies, in the war movie "A Frog Too Far," is a hospital nurse who Kermit the Frog falls in love with, only to reveal that she's a nun (complete with rosary beads).

• Dog City episode "Is It Arf?" shows Bugsy Vile and his gang disguised as nuns. Upon seeing them, Ace Hart quips that it's Bugsy "and all his nasty little habits."

• The Benedictine Monkees on Muppets Tonight episode 210 simultaneously spoof The Monkees and the Benedictine monks of Santo Domingo de Silos in Spain, whose three albums of Gregorian chants achieved mainstream success in the 1990s.

• Johnny Fiama's house in Muppets Tonight episode 212 includes a light-up crucifix and other religious paraphernalia, which combined with the family's Italian background, implies the Fiamas are Catholic.

• The Jim Henson Company/Creature Shop film Rat features Father Geraldo, an Irish Catholic priest.

• A Catholic bishop is one of the talking heads in the fourth season Farscape episode "A Constellation of Doubt."

See also

• The Flying Nun