My Top 5 Articles of 2025
My Top 5 Articles of 2025
Gentle Readers,
Happy End of 2025! Thank you for visiting my blog at billpetro.com.
I publish my articles not only on:
my blog, my free email newsletter, Medium, and Substack…
Additionally, some of my readers find my articles through syndicate links on:
Facebook, Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Mastodon, Tumblr, Bluesky, Threads, Quora, Farcaster, and Reddit.
This year, I have recorded almost 100 episodes of podcasts as a channel for my content. Now, I have welcomed Gentle Listeners as well.
These are the Top 5 articles from my blog this year based on the number of reader views at billpetro.com
1. History of Telemachus: Ending the Roman Gladiatorial Games
This is the oft-told story of the Christian monk who brought an end to the Roman gladiatorial games upon his martyrdom on January 1, A.D. 404.
I say “oft-told” because stories about him have been told since the 8th and 9th centuries.
It’s in Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. Alfred Lord Tennyson recounted it during the Victorian era, and President Ronald Reagan used it at the National Prayer Breakfast in 1984.
The Feast of St. Telemachus is celebrated on New Year’s Day.
2. History of Hedy Lamarr: Movie Star and Technology Inventor
Hedy Lamarr, the Austrian-American actress and Hollywood legend known as “the most beautiful woman in the world,” is remembered on November 9, on the anniversary of her birthday, for her pioneering work on the technology that would become the basis for today’s WiFi, GPS, and Bluetooth communications systems.
More than a pretty face, she had a genius-level IQ of around 140.
In Hollywood, it was rumored that her striking features inspired Walt Disney to model his Snow White character after her.
3. History of Easter: The Sanhedrin – Who Was This Council?
From the Easter story, this article talks about the ancient Jewish “Supreme Court,” the council of the High Priestly family, Elders of the tribes and families, and the Scribes of the Law.
It was the responsibility of this body two millennia ago to identify the Messiah and expose false ones.
Yet the council had lost to the Roman governor Pilate the power of capital punishment – the jus gladii – except for against Gentile trespassers into the Temple.
4. History of Christmas: Nativity Season – Snow in Bethlehem?
Could Jesus have been born during the year’s close, perhaps even with snow on the ground?
This article examines the weather in Bethlehem, whether there was any possibility of snow on the ground at Jesus’ birth, and the location of year-round sheep flocks.
It links to another article discussing the time of the Nativity.
5. Concert Review: Paul McCartney, Coors Field, Denver
On October 11, 2025, I saw Paul McCartney on his US/Canada tour “Got Back” at Denver’s Coors Field. This was my third time seeing the (now) 83-year-old living legend, half of the remaining Beatles – this time, along with over 50,000 of my closest friends.
Many in the audience were not yet alive when the Beatles were at their peak. The teenager sitting behind us wept loudly when Paul paid tribute to John Lennon.
Sir Paul played many of his favorites, and this article features the complete set list, photos, Paul’s commentary between songs, and my commentary on the history.
Please drop by and read ’em all.
See also:
Bill Petro, your friendly neighborhood historian
billpetro.com
