Spurred on by a New York Post story about Pope Francis opening "five sacred portals" this Christmas, the goofier corners of the social media world are breathlessly sharing warnings that the Pope is planning to open the "Tomb of Lucifer," or the Devil's Tomb this holiday season. The TikTok video below, from GraceXDigital, has been viewed more than 2 million times and explains the whole conspiracy theory. Grace is asking the Pope important questions, like "Why are you doing this this year, in this economy?" While The Pope is opening five portals to close out 2024, I regret to inform you that His Holiness is not planning to open the Tomb of Lucifernothing that awesome ever happens. There is a tomb of Lucifer under the Vatican, but it's not as cool as you'd hope. Nothing in this story is not as cool as you'd hope.What are these portals the Pope is opening?The Pope is actually going to be opening five sacred portals as part of a ritual this year, but "portal" just means "door," and four of the five doors lead to well known basilicas. Despite what some internet cranks are saying, it's not the first time this has happened either: The ritual happens every 25 years, and is meant to usher in a year renewed in hope for Catholics. So basically, it's the Pope doing Pope junk. The only never-happened-before part of the story is Pope Francis putting his own spin on the ritual by opening a fifth door inside the Roman prison Rebibbia on Dec. 26. It's meant to offer prisoners a sign to "look to the future with hope and a renewed sense of confidence." The door opening is symbolic, so the prisoners will not be freed to run rampant in Rome. The Tomb of Lucifer and the Vatican NecropolisThe one slightly cool part of the story: There is a city of the dead under the Vatican that has a tomb of Lucifer, and you can visit it. The Vatican Necropolis lies 15 to 24 feet below Saint Peter's Basilica, near the site of the Circus of Caligula. Originally an open-air cemetery, the necropolis dates back to the Roman Empire and supposedly contains the remains of the Apostle Peter along with the skeletons of various Popes and other prominent early Catholics. Also found here: the Tomb of Lucifer.But it's not the Lucifer, the Morning Star, the fallen angel who became the head of the demons. That Lucifer's ultimate fate is murky. Maybe he's still alive, subtly convincing people to cheat at Monopoly, or maybe he's in Heaven because he found redemption, or maybe he's in Newark. (According to Dante, Lucifer is in the deepest circle of the abyss, frozen in ice and forced to beat his wings for eternity to power Hell, so I'll go with that.) In any case, the angelic Lucifer isn't a person, so he doesn't have a tomb.According to the Vatican's own Necropolis map, Tomb U is labeled "Lucifer." The Vatican says: "The entrance to the tomb has been reduced because of a fault in the architrave. It is possible, however, to glimpse some of the niches with their characteristic red background and several arcosoli." Red backgrounds? It's gotta be Satan. But nah: The construction of this tomb pre-dates the association of the name "Lucifer" with the devil. We don't actually know why it's called the Lucifer tomb. It might be a reference to some graffiti found around there, or a reference to an important Catholic with that name. It's not referring to the devil, though. Why are there so many Catholic conspiracy theories anyway?Why the Pope opening some doors in Vatican City became a conspiracy theory on TikTok is a complex question. America's history of anti-Catholicism dates back to before the United States was even a thing. While those deep cultural and historical biases are probably part of it, I think the main reason people traffic in this sort of conspiratorial thinking is more innocent: the Catholic Church is really old and really weird, and people like a little spice in their Christmas eggnog. People also like putting together puzzles, and the Catholic Church gives you a lot of pieces to play with. The Vatican is an ancient city full of tunnels, crumbling Roman ruins, and a Necropolis under a basilica. The Pope controls a city-state, can speak with God's voice, and wears some very impressive hats. It's the kind of set-up where anything seems like it could be happening at any time, including the Pope digging up Satan's grave, maybe so they can fight. Like many conspiracy theorists, the author Dan Brown, and the developers of the Assassin's Creed video games, I want the awesome things to be real too. I want a flashy showdown in Vatican City between angels and demons (and aliens). But good and evil don't work that way in real life. Even if you dress up the "good guys" in elaborate headgear, they're still fallible old men51% good on a good day. Evil doesn't reside in a tomb and come at you with flaming swords. It would be cool if the Pope could call on the power of his big buddy God to smite those who need smiting, but despite the hats, scepters, and symbolic authority, the best the Pope can do is throw open some old doors in the papal palace and maybe try to get people to maybe think about the plight of prisoners.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.If you're curious about how younger people are celebrating the holiday season this year, I have you covered: They're singing each other Rizzmas Carols, with lyrics like "On the first day or Rizzmas, my gyat gave to me, a toilet, skibidi." They're also decorating their Fortnite avatars with festive Skibidi Toilet skins, and watching MrBeast's new game show, The Beast Games. The rise of Rizzmas CarolsThis year, the kids are marking the holiday by singing "Rizzmas Carols" with lines like "deck the halls with boughs of sigmas." They're basically slang overload, brain rot versions of Christmas carols. Check out "It's Beginning to Look a Gyat like Rizzmas" to see what I mean: For reasons known to no one, this brain rot version of "Last Christmas" ("Last Rizzmas") has a million and a half plays on TikTok: A favorite song to parody if you want to really cram in as many Gen-A references as possible is "12 Days of Rizzmas," in which your rizzler might give you nine sigmas moggings... ...or 10 skibidi toilets. Before you start bemoaning the future of the holidays, ask yourself how many times you sang "Jingle bells, Batman smells, Robin laid an egg" when you were a kid. (If you asked your parents, I bet they'd answer "way too many.") And if you simply don't know what any of these newer slang words mean, I have you covered with my constantly updated guide to Gen Z and Gen A slang. Skibidi Toilet comes to FortniteWhile we're doing brain rot, let's talk about Skibidi Toilet coming to Fortnite. The "Skibidi Toilet Bundle" contains a skin of Skibidi Toilet, two versions of Plungerman, a skibidi backpack, and the Plungerman's plungers, all for 2,200 V-Bucks. But act fast, it's only available until December 28.If none of the above made any sense to you, allow me to translate: Fortnite is a massively popular competitive online game. Skibidi Toilet is a massively popular (among the younger set, anyway) web series on YouTube. Skins allow players to "dress" their in-game avatars, and it all costs V-Bucks, which are the online currency in Fortnite. At the current exchange rate, 2,200 V-Bucks is about $20, so kids can now spend $20 to look like Skibidi Toilet characters while they're playing Fortnite. If you're looking for a last minute gift for the 11 year-old in your life, hold your nose and fork over the V-Bucks. TikTok gets nostalgic with Google MapsFor many, the end of the year is a time for bittersweet reflection, and TikTok denizens are getting into the spirit in an interesting way. The newest trend on social media involves posting videos of virtual time travel: finding familiar places on Google Maps' street view, then virtually going back in time by checking out earlier photos to note who or what is no longer around. For instance, this TikToker misses her grandparents, but somewhere on Google Maps, they're alive, working on the front lawn: People are finding their own chalk drawings on the driveway: People are seeing themselves waiting for the school bus: People are catching themselves on a first date in the driveway: Many people are finding beloved pets, sunning themselves in the yard, with no idea of how little time they have left: Even if no one was captured by Google's map car, just a missing car in a driveway is enough to stop people cold: If you're interested in checking out how your own home has changed over the years, here's how:Open up the google maps app or go to the Google Maps page.Put in your addressClick "View street view"Click Show more datesPick a year and see if it makes you cryMan brings flowers to date, gets flamedX user @Thehullboy posted a photo of himself about to go on a date last week and drew the ire and bile of a countless X users. See if you can guess what he did wrong: This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. If you said, "nothing," congratulations, you're not a bitter cretin. According to man-o-sphere types, incels, and other sentient garbage heaps, though, the dude should not have brought the girl flowers. Some sample comments: This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. To be fair, many commenters on this dude's post support his decision to bring a bouquet on a date, pointing out that it's kind of a nice thing to do on a date, and sort of adorable. In response, angry men are pointing out that those comments are from women, and what do women know about what women like? In other words, something has gone terrible wrong with many, many young men. Viral Video of the Week: The first episode of 'The Beast Games' Mr. Beast has 338 million followers on his YouTube channel, more than anyone else on Earth, but this month he's making the move to more traditional streaming by hosting his own game show on Amazon Prime Video. The Beast Games is like a real life version of Squid Game where 1,000 regular people compete for a prize of $5 million through the kinds of endurance tests and contests that MrBeast made so popular on his YouTube channel. Critics do not like it, dubbing it "$100 million worth of charmless YouTube nonsense" and "about what youd expect from an ever-hustling spectacle merchant like MrBeast." The kids, though, seem to like it: Almost 100 million people viewed the first episode on YouTube in less than a week. For comparison: around 123 million people viewed the last Super Bowl.

Looking for NYT Strands answers and hints? Here's all you need to know to solve today's game, including the spangram.

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In the fight against forest fires, innovation plays a crucial role. The Fire Javelin emerges as a groundbreaking preventive fire safety tool designed for forests, farms, and parks. With its innovative design and practicality, this tool significantly lowers forest fire prevention costs while minimizing fire damage.Designer: Lu Jianyao, Niu Yuge, Li Fengjiao, Liu Yijun, Lv EnzeThe Fire Javelin features a conical bamboo steel structure designed for effortless insertion into the soil. This construction provides exceptional stability, ensuring the device remains secure and upright, even during prolonged standby periods. Its pointed base enhances versatility, making it easy to deploy across diverse terrains, such as dense forests, expansive farms, and wide-open parks.The Fire Javelin utilizes a traditional red and white color scheme common to fire safety equipment. The vibrant red color is universally recognized as a symbol of danger or warning. Its ability to remain visible even in smoke-filled environments ensures that it can be easily located in emergencies. The contrasting white enhances visibility by reflecting the most light, making it noticeable from a distance. Together, these colors communicate urgency and danger effectively, even in the most challenging conditions. Additionally, bright lights at the top of the Fire Javelin further enhance its visibility, drawing attention to its location and signaling imminent danger.Forest fires are among the most destructive types of fires, spreading rapidly and devastating ecosystems. The Fire Javelins unique mechanism addresses this issue effectively. As a fire approaches the device, the heat or flames trigger the javelin to break open, releasing its water reservoir. This immediate response helps to confine the fire, preventing it from spreading further and causing extensive damage. By creating a barrier of water, the Fire Javelin provides a practical solution to controlling wildfires in their early stages.The Fire Javelin is a winner of the Red Dot Award: Design Concept for the year 2024.Traditional forest fire prevention methods often require significant investment in long-term maintenance and infrastructure. The Fire Javelin, however, is designed to be cost-effective and low-maintenance, making it an attractive option for governments, environmental organizations, and private landowners. Its ability to remain operational for extended periods without frequent maintenance reduces overall costs while ensuring readiness during fire season.The post These Fire Extinguisher Bollards Can Automatically Extinguish Wildfires first appeared on Yanko Design.

The Kefermarkt altarpiece is a richly decorated wooden altarpiece in the Late Gothic style in the parish church of Kefermarkt in Upper Austria. Commissioned by the knight Christoph von Zelking, it was completed around 1497. Saints Peter, Wolfgang and Christopher are depicted in the central section. The wing panels depict scenes from the life of Mary, and the altarpiece also has an intricate superstructure and two side figures of Saints George and Florian. The identity of its maker, known by the notname Master of the Kefermarkt Altarpiece, is unknown, but at least two skilled sculptors appear to have created the main statuary. Throughout the centuries, it has been altered and lost its original paint and gilding; a major restoration was undertaken in the 19th century under the direction of Adalbert Stifter. The altarpiece has been described as "one of the greatest achievements in late-medieval sculpture in the German-speaking area". This image shows the upper-left wing panel of the Kefermarkt altarpiece, depicting the birth of Christ. Mary is portrayed kneeling in devotion in front of the infant Christ, who is placed before her on a fold of her dress. On the other side, Joseph is also kneeling in front of the child. Above Mary, on the roof of the building behind them, are two angels playing a mandolin and a lute. The annunciation to the shepherds can be seen in the background.Sculpture credit: Master of the Kefermarkt Altarpiece; photographed by Uoaei1Recently featured: 20,000 Leagues Under the SeaGeorge N. BarnardCommon starlingArchiveMore featured pictures

December 25: Christmas (Western Christianity; Gregorian calendar); Hanukkah (Judaism) begins at sunset; Quaid-e-Azam Day in PakistanMikhail Gorbachev1046 HenryIII was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope ClementII.1724 Johann Sebastian Bach led the first performance of Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ, based on the Christmas hymn written by Martin Luther in 1524.1831 A Baptist preacher named Samuel Sharpe began an unsuccessful eleven-day slave revolt in Jamaica.1991 In a nationally televised speech, Mikhail Gorbachev (pictured) resigned as President of the Soviet Union.2009 A fire destroyed Longford's 19th-century StMel's Cathedral, considered the "flagship cathedral" of the Irish midlands.Humphrey Bogart (b.1899)Atal Bihari Vajpayee (b.1924)Billy Martin (d.1989)Zail Singh (d.1994)More anniversaries: December 24December 25December 26ArchiveBy emailList of days of the yearAbout

Warning: contains spoilers for A Ghost Story for Christmas: Woman of Stone.Each of the five short stories adapted by Mark Gatiss so far for the BBCs revived A Ghost Story for Christmas strand (M.R. James The Tractate Middoth, The Dead Room, Martins Close, The Mezzotint and Count Magnus, plus Arthur Conan Doyles Lot No. 249) retained their original titles on screen. This years doesnt. Gatiss has reshaped Edith Nesbits 1887 tale Man-Size in Marble under the new name Woman of Stone.Woman of stone? Nesbits ghost story famously features two men of stone marble effigies of medieval knights flanking the altar of the church in the village where Victorian newlyweds Jack and Lucy Lorimer (anna Hardwicke and Phoebe Horn) have recently taken a cottage. Once a year, as the Lorimers housekeeper relays, the knights are rumoured to rise from their slabs and walk to their former home, which once stood on the same site as the Lorimer cottage, and where many years ago, according to Mrs Dorman, there was many a deeds done.The only women in the story are flesh-and-blood Lucy and Mrs Dorman plus, in Gatiss reworking, Edith Nesbit herself. Played by Celia Imrie, two scenes show Nesbit on her deathbed in 1924 telling the grim tale to her doctor (Mawaan Rizwan). Who then, is the woman of stone? And what other changes did Gatiss make to Nesbits source material?Swapping Halloween for ChristmasIn the original tale, the marble knights rise from their church slabs at 11 o clock on All Hallows Eve, or Halloween. In Gatiss version, to fit the A Ghost Story for Christmas strand, the fearsome effigies go walkabout on the night of December 24 instead.Changing the Doctors NationalityIn Nesbits story, the doctor is an outsider in the small English village because hes an Irishman; in Gatiss version, the role is played by actor, writer and comic Mawaan Rizwan, whose British-Pakistani heritage confers his outsider status in the period setting.A Different Narrative PerspectiveAspiring artist and new husband Jack Lorimer is the first-person narrator of Nesbits story. He prefaces the tale with the declaration that while his story is as true as despair, he doesnt expect people to believe it, and that most people who hear it take the rational view that it never happened and he and his wife were under a delusion.He then describes leaving his nervous wife at home alone on Halloween, and going out for a night-time walk which takes him to the church. There, he sees the marble knights empty slabs, and starts to rush home when he meets the local doctor, who convinces him to return to the church. This time, the knights are in back place but one is missing a finger. Arriving back at home, Jack and the doctor find Laura killed, and the doctor discovers a grey marble finger in her hand.Gatiss version takes the story out of Jacks mouth and puts it into Nesbits third-person account, which removes the guessing-game of how much of Jacks narration is reliable. The short story tantalises readers with the idea that Jack is using a supernatural excuse to cover up his wifes murder (would a new husband really leave his spooked wife alone with the door unlatched?). Perhaps under a delusion is right and Jacks version of events isnt to be trusted.In Gatiss film though, we dont see things through Jacks perspective. We take an immediate dislike to his patronising language and the way he undermines Lauras writing, despite it being the only thing paying their bills. Were led to be wary of his jealous temper around other men like the doctor, and to fear for Lauras safety. Were also led to draw parallels between Laura and Nesbit, whose own husband was adulterous, deceptive and bullying, as Celia Imries scenes suggest.Nesbits character may tease her doctor with slippery evasion (lovely work, as ever, from Imrie), but in the film version, the viewer sees the truth with their own eyes: the marble slabs are empty. The finger is really there in Lauras dead hand. We know that Lauras death was supernatural and that Jack didnt kill her a crime hes accused of by the doctor and eventually hanged for. But we also know that Jack is jealous, violent and abusive to Laura. And so does Mrs Dorman.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!The Real Woman of Stone?As well you might when you have an actor as good as Monica Dolan in your cast, Gatiss expands the role of Mrs Dorman in his adaptation. Instead of simply being there to pass on local superstitions, she becomes an ally to Laura and a confidant who spots the signs of domestic violence on Laura and empathises with her plight.In the BBC version, instead of the doctor being the one to open Lauras dead hand and find the marble finger, Mrs Dorman does it. And when she finds the finger, she makes the choice to conceal it and not to speak up for Jacks innocence but to watch him hang. To Mrs Dorman, who, its suggested, has her own history of being abused by a husband, Jack deserves to die and so she lets him hang. Talk about a woman of stone. Woman of Stone is available to stream now on BBC iPlayer in the UK.

Our Picks Water bottle with best design Klean Kanteen 16 oz. TKWide Insulated Water Bottle with Twist Cap View details $33 at Klean Kanteen View details Best budget water bottle Nalgene 32 oz. Narrow Mouth Tritan Water Bottle View details $17 at Nalgene View details Best water bottle for the gym Corkcicle Sport Canteen View details $30 at Amazon View details Best classic stainless steel water bottle S'well Blue Granite Bottle View details $35 at S'well View details Best insulated water bottle Ice Shaker 26 oz. Sport Bottle View details $35 at Iceshaker View details Water bottle with best spout Built 24 oz. Dualid Water Bottle View details $22 at Amazon View details Best handheld water bottle for running Nathan Exoshot 2.0 14 oz Handheld View details $40 at Nathan Sports View details Best water bottle for hiking Hydro Flask Trail Series Lightweight Hydration 24 oz View details $45 at Hydro Flask View details Table of Contents While a plastic bottle of water is very convenient and accessible, it can lead to a lot of waste. Instead, using a great reusable water bottle can be cheaper while being far more eco-friendly. Buying a good reusable water bottle can be tricky, though. The market is flooded with options and it can be difficult to know what to look for other than whether it holds water because, really, what else can you ask from a water bottle? Having a reusable water bottle around all day could help you to drink more water to meet that daily requirement and stay hydrated.If you have an athlete in your life or someone who works out regularly or just likes staying hydrated, reusable water bottles can make great holiday gifts.There's a water bottle for every kind of use, whether you like to add electrolytes to your water or prefer it plain yet crisp at every sip. To save you the work of sifting through hundreds of options, we have found the best ones with varied features, including improved insulation and other features you may not have considered. Below, we've tested various water bottles and narrowed down our favorites based on our experience.Best water bottlesRead more: 7 Ways Drinking More Water Can Make You Healthier Watch this: How to tell if your food is safe to eat 02:13 Camping? Read more: Best Air Mattress for 2024: SoundAsleep, REI and More Compared $33 at Klean Kanteen Klean Kanteen's water bottle won me over based on its design. The twist cap incorporates a built-in straw that pops up when you twist it and folds down when you seal it back up. It's simple yet functional, which makes it ideal for commuting or the office. It's BPA-free and made up of 90% post-consumer recycled stainless steel. At 16 ounces, it isn't the biggest bottle on the list, but it's light enough to carry around with you, and owing to the slim size, it's easy to hold in your hand. Klean Kanteen also offers 12-, 20- and 32-ounce bottles in this style. This bottle claims to keep water cold for up to 46 hours. I tested this out and was impressed that the water was still cool that many hours later. This is important to keep in mind if you're opting for an insulated bottle.If the twist cap is not your cup of tea, you can also opt for a wide loop cap, which is a cover with a handle you can twist off, or the TKwide chug cap, which offers a different type of drinking spout that is made for outdoor activities. This is an easy-to-clean water bottle that is dishwasher safe and has a chip-resistant coating, so it's built to last.Pros:Clean-looking designEasy to useDishwasher safeKeeps water coldCons:ExpensiveNot all cap options can be used with hot liquidsAdditional caps cost extra $17 at Nalgene If you're not looking to spend a lot of money on a water bottle, but want a trusted brand, then the Nalgene Narrow Mouth Tritan Water Bottle is your best choice. At under $20, it's not the fanciest of the bunch, but it comes in multiple colors and is the biggest bottle on the list at 32 ounces. It's made of BPA- and BPS-free plastic and is durable, so it can be cleaned in the dishwasher. The downsides to this bottle are that some people may find it bulky, and it also isn't insulated. Therefore, you're more likely to end up with room-temperature water after a while. The good news is there was no condensation noted during our testing, so you won't likely have to worry about handling a damp bottle.This water bottle is translucent, which makes it easy to see if you're due for a refill. Although you have to twist the lid off, the narrow mouth makes it easy to drink from without spilling all over. The lid also makes it leak-proof, which is important if you're taking it everywhere with you.Pros:AffordableComes in various colorsHolds a lot of volumeDishwasher safeCons:No insulationSize can be too bulky for someNot as sophisticated looking as other bottles on the list