Awe and dread: How religions have responded to total solar eclipses over the centuries

Throughout history, solar eclipses have had profound impact on adherents of various religions around the world. They were viewed as messages from God or spiritual forces, inducing emotions ranging from dread to wonder. Ahead of the total solar eclipse that will cross over North America on Monday, it's an appropriate time to take stock of these traditions and beliefs. Some Christians have believed that an eclipse portends the coming of the “end times” that will precede Christ’s return to Earth. The Talmud – the collection of writings that constitute Jewish religious law – offers specific blessings for many natural phenomena, but not for eclipses. Instead, it depicts an eclipse as “a bad omen for the whole world.”