Faith Through the Ages - Today in Religious History
The relics of Saint Cyprian, the third-century bishop of Carthage and martyr, were translated to the church of Saint John in Lateran, Rome, on this date. This event is commemorated in some Christian calendars.
According to tradition, Saint Francis of Assisi received the stigmata, the wounds of Christ, on Mount Alvernia in Italy. This event is celebrated in the Franciscan order and is a major mystical event in Christian history.
Charles V, King of France, died on this date. He was a devout Catholic who founded the College of Navarre and supported the translation of the Bible into French.
Tomás de Torquemada, the first Grand Inquisitor of Spain, died on this date. He was a Dominican friar who played a central role in the Spanish Inquisition.
Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit, the physicist who invented the mercury thermometer, died on this date. He was a devout Lutheran and his work influenced scientific understanding of temperature.
Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a Catholic priest, issued the Grito de Dolores, calling for Mexican independence. This event is celebrated as the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence.
Edward Whymper, an English mountaineer, was born on this date. He is known for his first ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865, and he also wrote about religious themes in his travels.
The Christian Science Monitor, a newspaper founded by Mary Baker Eddy, published its first issue on this date. It was established to counteract sensationalism in journalism.
General Motors was founded on this date, but in religious history, it is notable as the day when the first issue of the Catholic Worker was published in 1933 (though that is later). This entry is included to note the date's broader historical significance.
The Catholic Worker newspaper, founded by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin, published its first issue on this date. It became the voice of the Catholic Worker Movement, advocating for social justice and pacifism.
On this date, Pope Paul VI approved a decree recognizing the heroic virtues of Mother Teresa, a step toward her beatification. She was later canonized in 2016.