On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther famously (and perhaps apocryphally) nailed his 95 Theses condemning papal indulgences to the Wittenberg Castle Church door, giving the Protestant Reformation its official starting date. But the true story of reform is more complicated, and Luther the man more controversial. Historian Amy Leonard of Georgetown University reviews the history and historiography of the Protestant Reformation and Luther’s place within it.

Santa Maria Maggiore is the largest Marian church in Rome and houses one of the most important icons of Mary, the Salus Populi Romani, traditionally attributed to Saint Luke the Evangelist, the patron saint of painters. Seven popes as well as Bernini are entombed in the basilica. Italian Renaissance art expert Rocky Ruggiero highlights the importance of Santa Maria Maggiore through its history, architecture, and works of art. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

Valentine’s Day is celebrated in more countries around the world than any other holiday. Andrew Roth of the Jefferson Educational Society in Erie, Pennsylvania, unlocks the hidden stories behind its evolution from ancient and surprising origins to how it’s marked today. He also traces how greeting cards, wine, roses, and chocolate came to symbolize one of our most revered cultural traditions of saying “I love you.”

Scholars contend that the Haitian Revolution remains the only successful large-scale revolt in which enslaved people won their freedom, overthrew the existing colonial government, and established an independent state. Historian Alexander Mikaberidze traces the rebellion from its beginnings during the French Revolution to its culmination in 1804, which reshaped ideas about race, freedom, and sovereignty across the Atlantic world.

The reign of Queen Elizabeth II was exceptional for many reasons, including her remarkable longevity, her enduring marriage to Prince Philip, and her success in concealing her opinions on virtually any contentious subject. For many people, she embodied dutifulness, service, and continuity in a rapidly changing world. Historian Sir David Cannadine puts the life of Elizabeth II in perspective, set against a broad domestic and international context.

As the Mexican Revolution drew to a close in 1920, Mexico’s new democratic government commissioned public murals depicting what the nation could look like. They were painted by many artists, most notably José Clemente Orozco, Diego Rivera, and David Alfaro Siqueiros. Soon works by the three artists and others influenced by them appeared outside Mexico, too. Using the imagery and influences of works painted by Orozco, Siqueiros, and Rivera in the U.S., Walters Art Museum curator Ellen Hoobler explores how the ancient Americas and modern politics intertwined in 1930s and ‘40s public murals in the United States. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

The year 2025 marks the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, which met in 325 in the presence of Constantine, the first Christian Roman emperor. The gathering of some 250 bishops was a momentous event and is remembered as the first ecumenical council, which composed the original Nicene Creed still used in modified form today. However, what really happened at the council remains controversial. Historian David Gwynn explores Nicaea’s disputed legacy for both Christianity and the Roman empire.

Enjoy a morning walk on a natural oasis in the Potomac River with naturalist Melanie Choukas-Bradley. She shares an overview of Theodore Roosevelt Island’s fascinating mix of trees, wildflowers, birds, and other wildlife and highlights the island’s history and the legacy of the conservationist president it memorializes. The morning also includes pauses for moments of guided forest bathing to quietly soak up the beauty of this wild island near the capital city.