A large, uncultivated tract of land, not necessarily incapable of vegetation or without water or impossible as a human dwelling-place. The chief desert referred to in the Bible is that mentioned in Exodus, in which the Israelites travelled, from their crossing of the Red Sea till their arrival in the Promised Land. Others are the desert of Juda, west of the Jordan and the Dead Sea; the deserts of Arabia, Moab, and Idumea, east of Palestine, near the Dead Sea; the desert of Ziph, to which David fled from Saul (1Kings), south of the Dead Sea and Hebron. John the Baptist lived and taught in the desert of Judea, near Jericho. It is thought that the scene of Our Lord's temptation (Matthew 4) was the desert west of the Jordan.
This dictionary contains not only definitions and explanations of every subject in Religion, Scripture, tradition, doctrine, morals, sacraments, rites, customs, devotions and symbolism, but also accounts of the Church in every continent, country, diocese; missions, notable Catholic centers, cities, and places with religious names; religious orders, church societies, sects and false religions. It has brief articles also on historical events and personages, on the Old Testament and New, and on popes, prelates, priests, men and women of distinction, showing what the Church has done for civilization and correcting many errors which have hitherto passed for history.Wikipedia
Read More