Historical Events in Church Annals for May 31:

• 1433 A.D.
• Pope Eugene IV, 207th successor of Peter, crowns Sigismund of Germany as Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire in Rome.

• 1529 A.D.
• Pope Clement VII, 219th successor of Peter, convenes the Papal Legates to discuss what action to take against King Henry VIII of England. However, as had become customary during his reign, he took no decisive action in the matter of the King's question of divorce and remarriage. The indecisiveness led, inevitably, to the excommunication of the king, and the schism between England and the Church in Rome, spawning the Anglican Church.

• 1575 A.D.
• Archeologist Antonio Bosio discovers the ancient catacombs beneath Rome by accident. His discovery led to an investigation of these Christian burial sites, which provided much information on the early Christians, their martyrdom, and the relics of many saints.