MILLENNIUM MILESTONES & MEMORIES: TIME CAPSULES

Historical Events in Church Annals for October 1:

   Feast of Saint Theresa of Lisieux

366 A.D.


Death of Pope Saint Damasus, 37th successor of Peter who was born in Spain and served for 18 years. He was a learned Pope who authorized the singing of the psalms by alternate choirs (Ambrosian Rite) instituted by Saint Ambrose. He also instroduced the use of the Hebrew term "Alleluia" into the Mass. In addition he had the Scriptures translated from Hebrew.

437 A.D.


Birth of Saint Remigius, Bishop of Rheims and confessor. He was the son of Saint Celina and he is considered the "Apostle of the Franks." He died at Rheims on January 13, 530.

650 A.D.


Death of Saint Bavo, monk and hermit who is known as the patron saint of Flanders.

1404 A.D.


Death of Pope Boniface IX, 203rd successor of Peter, whose papacy lasted 15 years. During this time he failed to settle the question of the schism since the second Avignon antipope refused any form of reconciliation.

1578 A.D.


Death of Don Juan of Austria at the age of 31 who had been so successful in turning the Turks back in the landmark Battle of Lepanto which marked the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary proclaimed by Pope Saint Pius V.

1989 A.D.


Pope John Paul II beatifies Niceforo de Jesus y Maria (Vicente Diez Tejerina) and 25 Companions martyred in Spain, Lorenzo Salvia, Gertrude Caterina Comensoli, and Francisca Ana Cirer Carbonell.

Historical Events in Church Annals for October 2:

Feast of the Guardian Angels

633 A.D.


Death of Saint Finbar, Irish-born monk and first Archbishop of County Cork. Accounts claim that for two solid weeks following his death the sun did not set - shining brightly on the emerald isle.

1185 A.D.


Death of Pope Lucius III, 171st successor of Peter. His pontificate lasted four years during which time he put together a constitution, exhorting all those in authority to suppress heresy by force of arms, having himself been forced to take refuge in Verona because of riots which had broken out in his own territories prompted by heretics.

1392 A.D.


Death of Saint Sergius of Radonezh, Russian abbot who founded 40 monasteries throughout Russia who died at the age of 77.

1493 A.D.


Christopher Columbus sets sail for America on his second voyage, increasing his fleet substantially from the three ships Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria.

1513 A.D.


Vasco de Balboa reaches the Pacific Ocean, planting the seeds of the faith with the Indians on the west coast through his entourage which included a few Franciscan missionaries.

1534 A.D.


Death of Pope Clement VII, 219th successor of Peter who was embroiled in the backlash of the Protestant Reformation. He was unable to curb the bitter struggle between Catholics and the Lutherans of the Reform. He excommunicated Henry VIII of which the consequences was the persecution of Catholics and confiscation of lands and property in England.

1918 A.D.


Death of Cardinal John Ireland first Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul, Minnesota. It was Cardinal Ireland who authorized the building of the grand Basilica in St. Paul across from the Capitol Building.

Historical Events in Church Annals for October 3:

1004 A.D.


Death of Saint Nilus of Rossano Italian Abbot in southern Italy.

1396 A.D.


Beheading of hundreds of Crusaders by Sultan Bajezid including the noble French Catholic Knights De Philippe of Bar, Odard de Chasseron, and Jean de Vienne.

1897 A.D.


Birth of Giovanni Montini in Brescia, Italy. He would go on to become a Cardinal and bring the Second Vatican Council to its conclusion as Pope Paul VI. It was Paul who allowed clerical dress other than the cassock to be worn. Sadly this has been abused by the religious where today there is little semblance to religious garb. Paul's papacy lasted 15 years.

1959 A.D.


Pope John XXIII issues his third encyclical Grata recordatio on the Rosary, prayer for the Church and missions. It also dealt with international and social problems.