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TIL much of St Peter's Basilica was funded by selling indulgences, meaning letters excusing you from sin. Rich people sometimes even bought these in advance, for sins they planned on committing.

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GBd4 TIL of Williams syndrome, a rare genetic condition characterized by a distinctive cheerful and endearing personality, heightened social skills and friendliness, but poor visuo-spatial ability and heart problems.
K0kQ TIL Australian PM Tony Abbott once responded, ‘Shit Happens’ to news of the death of an Australian soldier in Afghanistan. He later said it was taken out of context, but when asked what the context was simply stared at the reporter in silence for a full minute.
eN45 TIL the Pope is only considered to be infallible when he speaks ex cathedra…which has only happened twice.
nBBd TIL that Adam Savage, host of Mythbusters, wanted to disprove creationism on an episode of Mythbusters, saying, “I’m sick of fifty percent of this country thinking creationism is reasonable. It’s appalling.”
PYa9E TIL Norway sends the UK Christmas trees every year as a symbol of gratitude for “preserving Norwegian liberty” during World War 2.