Lectionary Calendar
Saturday, December 2nd, 2023
the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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Historical Writings
Today in Christian History
Saturday, July 28
450
Death of Theodosius II, killed by a fall from his horse while hunting, an event which brings about the accession of his sister Pulcheria, who has long been an advocate of orthodox Christianity.
1534
John Allen, Archbishop of Dublin, is murdered at Artaine, near Dublin, during the rebellion of Lord Thomas Fitzgerald.
1540
Protestant reformer Thomas Cromwell, for many years the chief advisor to King Henry VIII, is executed at Tower Hill after refusing to support Henry's divorce against Anne of Cleves. The charge is "betraying the crown."
1675
Death of Bulstrode Whitelocke 69, an influential English lawyer during theCommonwealth of Oliver Cromwell. Among Whitelocke's last words: 'There has been one truereligion in the world; and that is the work of the Spirit of God in the hearts and soulsof men.'
1750
Johann Sebastian Bach, one of the greatest composers of all time, succumbs to apoplexy and fever.
1875
Clergy from many Protestant denominations gather at Kidderminster, England, for the unveiling and dedication of a statue in commemoration of influential Puritan preacher and writer Richard Baxter (1615-1691).
1880
Francis Pfanner lands at Port Elizabeth, South Africa, where he will do a notable missionary work.
1881
Birth of J. Gresham Machen, an American Presbyterian theologian who taught atPrinceton and Westminster seminaries. Two of his writings still endure: 'New Testament Greekfor Beginners' (1923) and 'The Virgin Birth of Christ' (1932).
1889
The first Divine Liturgy (worship service) of the Armenian Church in America wascelebrated in Worcester, MA. It was led by Rev. Hovsep Sarajian, himself the first Armenianclergyman to come to America.
1941
Forty-five Serbs are tortured by Germans in an Orthodox church in Serbia.
1942
Death of W.M. Flinders Petrie, 89, English archaeologist. He was regarded bycolleague William Foxwell Albright as 'the greatest genius among biblical archaeologists.'
1960
American Trappist Thomas Merton wrote in a letter: 'I can depend less and lesson my own power and sense of direction... It is so strange to advance backwards and getwhere you are going in a totally unexpected way.'
1974
Chinese troops massacre Christians of the A-Hmao ethnic group who are worshiping secretly in a cave at Xinglongchang. Their leaders had defied the Chinese by saying if forbidden to worship openly they would worship secretly and if attacked on Sunday they would multiply their meetings to every day of the week.
1979
Martyrdom of Ethiopian theologian Gudina Tumsa at the hands of rebel Derg soldiers.
1991
Death of Wang Ming Dao, an influential Chinese evangelist who spent many years in a Communist prison for his faith.
Copyright Statement
© 1987-2020, William D. Blake. Portions used by permission of the author, from "Almanac of the Christian Church"
© 1987-2020, William D. Blake. Portions used by permission of the author, from "Almanac of the Christian Church"
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