Historical Events in Church Annals for October 31st:

• 994 A.D.
• Death of Saint Wolfgang, Bishop of Ratisbon who died in upper Austria on this date. He was instrumental in the conversion of the Magyars and spent much of is life in pious solitude to gain strength to minister to the faithful. Whenever he sought out the life of the hermitage, the people stormed him, beseeching him to return as their bishop.

• 655 A.D.
• Death of Saint Foillan, Irish monk who ministered to the Brits and founded numerous monasteries. He was martyred for his faith by a band of pagan outlaws in the forest of Seneffe in England after celebrating Holy Mass.

• 1541 A.D.
• Italian master Michelangelo Buonarroti completes his masterful painting of the "Last Judgment."

• 1705 A.D.
• Birth of Cardinal Giovanni Ganganelli in Rimini, Italy. He would go on to become the 249th successor of Peter as Pope Clement XIV who was poisoned after a reign of five years.

• 1992 A.D.
• Pope John Paul II reinstates Galileo Galilei, forgiving him for his views which were condemned by Pope Urban VIII in 1633.

October 31, 2000
volume 11, no. 217
MILLENNIUM MILESTONES

---

Return to Front Page of Current Issue