Faith Through the Ages - Today in Religious History
The Catholic Church celebrates the conversion of Saint Paul the Apostle, who was previously known as Saul and persecuted early Christians before his dramatic encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus.
The Act of Supremacy was passed by the Parliament of England, declaring Queen Elizabeth I as the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, rejecting the spiritual authority of the Pope.
Saint Thomas of Cori, a Franciscan friar, was martyred in Cori, Italy. He is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church for his devotion and service to the poor.
A group of Jesuit missionaries, led by Alessandro Valignano, arrived in Japan to begin their evangelization efforts, leading to the growth of Christianity in the country.
The first of a series of Marian apparitions occurred in Lourdes, France, where the Blessed Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to a young girl named Bernadette Soubirous, leading to the establishment of a major Catholic pilgrimage site.