Julien Ries
A scholar of ancient symbols who dedicated his life to mapping the universal human impulse toward the sacred, earning a cardinal's hat for his work.
1920–2013 (age 93)·Belgian religious historian, titular archbishop and cardinal of the Catholic Church·Birthday: April 19·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Julien Ries approached religion not as a theologian, but as an archaeologist of the human spirit. A Belgian priest and academic, he spent decades digging through the myths, art, and rituals of ancient civilizations, from Mesopotamia to the Indus Valley. His life's work was constructing a grand anthropology of the sacred, arguing that 'homo religiosus'—religious man—is a fundamental, defining characteristic of our species, visible across all cultures and epochs. He traced the recurring symbols of the center, the axis mundi, and the quest for transcendence. This monumental scholarly output, comprising hundreds of works, brought him an unusual honor late in life: at the age of 91, Pope Benedict XVI made him a cardinal, recognizing that his exploration of humanity's search for God was a profound form of service to the Church. Ries died as he lived, a scholar-priest who found the divine in the details of history.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Julien was born in 1920, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Julien Was Born
The biggest hits of 1920
#1 Movie
Way Down East
Julien's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1920Born
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1925Started school
The Scopes Trial debates evolution in schools
Home: $4,366President: Calvin Coolidge"Sweet Georgia Brown" — Ben Bernie
1933Became a teenager
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1936Could drive
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1938Could vote
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1941Turned 21
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1950Turned 30
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1960Turned 40
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1970Turned 50
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1980Turned 60
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1990Turned 70
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 80
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2013Died at 93
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
Key Achievements
- Pioneered the anthropological study of 'homo religiosus,' the innate human capacity for religious experience and symbol-making.
- Authored the definitive multi-volume work 'The Origins of Religions' and the 'Dictionary of Fundamental Theology'.
- Was created a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012 in recognition of his contributions to religious scholarship.
- Held the chair of history of religions at the Catholic University of Louvain for many years, influencing generations of scholars.
Did You Know?
He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Namur, Belgium, in 1945.
Ries founded the 'Centre d'Histoire des Religions' at the University of Louvain.
He was nearly 92 years old when made a cardinal, making him one of the oldest men ever to receive the honor.
His cardinalate was 'in pectore' (announced later) in February 2012 and formally published in November 2012.
“The sacred is a permanent structure of the human consciousness.”
