DAILY CATHOLIC THANKSGIVING WEEK November 25-29, 1998 vol. 9, no. 231

MILLENNIUM MILESTONES & MEMORIES: TIME CAPSULES

To print out entire text of Today's issue, go to SECTION ONE and SECTION TWO and SECTION THREE

Historical Events in Church Annals for November 25:

1185 A.D.

Cardinal Umberto Crivelli, the prelate who had planned the "Lombard League" is chosen the 172nd successor of Peter and takes the name Pope Urban III. This Milan-born pontiff wouls serve until October 20, 1187. He was elected in Verona and there he set up his papal court. He stood up firmly against the arrogance of Frederick Barbarossa and died of sorrow when the Saracens took possession of his beloved Jerusalem.

1277 A.D.

Cardinal Giovanni Gaetano Orsini becomes Pope Nicholas III, the 188th in the line of Peter. His pontificate would last three years until August 22, 1280. He was the first sovereign pontiff to reside permanently in the Vatican and it was Nicholas who began laying out the famous papal gardens. He also sent missionaries to convert the Tartar kings.

1766 A.D.

Pope Clement XIII issues his fourth encyclical Christianae reipublicae which warns of the grave dangers of anti-Christian writings so prevalent during that time, especially in France.

1963 A.D.

John Fitzgerald Kennedy, first Catholic president of the United States, is laid to rest in Arlington Cemetary after an internationally televised funeral Mass.

Historical Events in Church Annals for November 26:

THANKSGIVING DAY

399 A.D.

Death of Pope Saint Siricus, 38th successor of Peter. Born in Rome, he was elected on December 15th, 284. His fifteen year pontificate was remembered for him being the first to assume the title of "Pope" or "Papa" from the Greek "Father." It is maintained also from an anagram formed from the initals of the Latin words "Petri Apostoli Potestatem Accipiens". He also upheld the necessity of celibacy for priests.

579 A.D.

Pope Pelagius II is chosen the 63rd successor of Peter. Born in Rome of Gothic origin, his papacy lasted until February 7, 590 when be became a victim of the plague where countless victims died yawning and sneezing. While Rome was being besieged by the Lombards he would seek help from Constantinople. He would also decree that priests must recite the Divine Office every day.

1240 A.D.

Death of Saint Edmund Van Abingdon, Archbishop of Canterbury.

1267 A.D.

Death of Saint Gozzolini Sylvester, Italian hermit.

1503 A.D.

Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere is selected the 216th successor of Peter and chooses the name Pope Julius II. His pontificate would last ten years during which he would encourage the arts and contribute to the study magnificence of Rome through the contribution of Italian masters Raphael and Michelangelo and would complete the construction of St. Peter's Basilica. He would also call the 18th Ecumenical Council at the Lateran.

1504 A.D.

Death of Queen Isabella I, loyal Catholic Queen of Spain who, along with her husband King Ferdinand, commissioned Christopher Columbus to set sail for the west indies and the ultimate discovery of America.

1527 A.D.

Pope Clement VII signs a treaty with Emperor Charles V procuring his release from Castel Sant'Angelo after six month exile in the round castle near the Vatican guarded by Charles' troops.

1621 A.D.

Death of Saint John Berchmans, Jesuit novice who would visit the Blessed Sacrament seven times each day of his life. He, along with Saint John Bosco, is the patron saint of altar servers.

1648 A.D.

Pope Innocent X's papal bull Zelus domus Dei condemns the Peace of Westfalia pact in which Emperor Ferdinand III and Maximilian I of Bavaria concede too many far-reaching concessions to Protestantism.

1793 A.D.

The Church in France is thrown into further confusion when Napoleon Bonaparte orders the abolishment of the established Gregorian calendar and installs the short-lived Republican calendar. It was one of the little general's devious means to smite the Church further before he would shortly invade the papal states.

Historical Events in Church Annals for November 27:

399 A.D.

Pope Saint Anastasius I becomes the 39th successor of Peter. His papacy would last two years in which he would resolve the schism between Rome and the Church of Antioch. He also would strenuously fight the followers of immoral practices, maintaining that the Divinity was also hidden in material things. It would be Anastasius who would decree that priests should remain standing during the Gospel.

421 A.D.

Death of Saint James Intercisius, who, after renouncing Christianity in favor of promotion in the Persian army, finally came back to Christ through the intercession of both his mother and wife. However his reconciliation to Our Lord angered the Persian king who ordered James to be cut up - one joint at a time in a painful, morbid martyrdom.

1095 A.D.

Pope Blessed Urban II launches the campaign to preach the First Crusade against the Saracens.

1970 A.D.

An attempt is made on the life of Pope Paul VI during a papal trip to the Philippines when a Bolivian painter, disguised as a priest, thrusts a dagger at the 262nd Vicar of Christ.

Historical Events in Church Annals for November 28:

450 A.D.

Death of Saint Senchall, nephew of Saint Patrick, who accompanied the great Apostle of Ireland on his mission of conversion throughout the emerald isle and who wrote a special hymn on Patrick.

741 A.D.

Death of Pope Saint Gregory III, 90th successor of Peter, whose pontificate lasted ten years. During his papacy he sought the help of Charlemagne against the Lombards. From this fact derives the title of "Most Christian" assumed by the Kings of France ever afterwards. He also established charitable donations to the Holy See, referred to as "Peter's Pence".

764 A.D.

Death of Saint Stephen the Younger, abbot who challenged the iconoclasts and led to his being brought before Emperor Constantine Copronymus of Constantinople. He molified the ruler when he asked if it were permissable to deface the image of an emperor. The emperor agreed it was not. Stephen then asked, "then why did he permit the images of Heaven to be destroyed."

1811 A.D.

Death of Saint Joseph Pignatelli, Spanish Jesuit priest who was a missionary to Russia during a time of suppression for the Society of Jesus. Yet he became the Order's provincial and helped restore the Jesuits in Sardinia and preserve the Order when the French troops occupied Rome. He was declared the "restorer of the Jesuits" by Pope Pius XII when the supreme pontiff canonized Joseph in 1954.

1959 A.D.

Pope John XXIII publishes his fourth encyclical Princeps Pastorum on the missions and lay participation in missionary endeavors as well as native clergy.

Historical Events in Church Annals for November 29:

799 A.D.

Pope Saint Leo III is escorted back to Rome under protection of the Emperor Charlemagne because the Pope was falsely accused by hostile aristocrats of perjurty and adultery. A year later this holy pontiff would be acquitted by Charlemagne of such ridiculous charges and the latter would by crowned by the Pope as Holy Roman Emperor on Christmas Day 800 A.D.

1268 A.D.

Death of Pope Clement IV, 183rd successor of Peter. This French-born pontiff excommunicated Conradin of Sicily but it could not prevent the occupation of Rome and Naples. He lived and conducted his three-year papacy at Viterbo where he also died. Before becoming a priest and bishop, he had been a man of the world.

1530 A.D.

Death of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, advisor to Henry VIII who faced the difficult decision to honor his king or his faith. He wisely chose the latter and suffered at the hands of the rebellious monarch.

1742 A.D.

Death of Saint Francis Fasani, Italian priest and mystic.

November 25-29, 1998 volume 9, no. 231
TIME CAPSULES
DAILY CATHOLIC