Clik here to view.
September 17 Saints of the Day – Agathocleia and Hildegard of Bingen
On this day in 1814, Francis Scott Key finished his poem “Defence of Fort McHenry,” better known as “The Star-Spangled Banner.” On the bottom he scratched, “Note to self: set this to a singable tune.”...
View ArticleClik here to view.
October 6 Saints of the Day – Apostle Thomas and Francis Trung Van Tran
On this day in 1903, the High Court of Australia sat for the first time, thanks to a shipment of chairs from Taiwan. Thomas (d. 72) was one of the Twelve Apostles, and (in)famous for not believing the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
October 8 Saint of the Day – Pelagia the Penitent
On this day in 1982, Cats opened on Broadway. It ran for nearly 18 years, closing on September 10, 2000, on which day T. S. Eliot’s grave grew strangely still. Pelagia the Penitent (IV cent.?) was a...
View ArticleClik here to view.
October 12 Saints of the Day – Cosmas the Hymnographer and Edwin of Northumbria
On this day in 1492, Christopher Columbus made landfall in the Bahamas, mistakenly believing he was in India. “We’re so glad you’ve come!” said the natives. “We can’t think of a word to call...
View ArticleClik here to view.
October 14 Saints of the Day – Nazarius, Celsius, Gervasius, & Protasius and...
On this day in 1908, the Chicago Cubs defeated the Detroit Tigers to clinch the World Series, their last one to date, making the Curse of the Bambino seem like a First World problem. Nazarius, Celsius,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
November 9 Saints of the Day – Theoctiste of Lesbos and Benen of Ireland
On this day in 1966, John Lennon met Yoko Ono at an art exposition in London. Her art was a mystery, but John soon got to the bottom of it. Theoctiste of Lesbos (ca. 828 – ca. 882) was orphaned young,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
November 12 Saints of the Day – Nilus the Faster and Emilian of Cogolla
On this day in 1946, the first “autobank” (banking by car) was opened, in Chicago. Everybody wondered why the teller spoke braille. Nilus the Faster (d. ca. 430) was a disciple of St. John Chrysostom...
View ArticleClik here to view.
November 16 Saints of the Day – Hypatius of Gangra and Margaret of Scotland
On this day in 1963, the touch-tone telephone was introduced in the United States. Wrong numbers by ten-key operators immediately doubled. Hypatius of Gangra (d. 326) was bishop of Gangra (modern...
View ArticleClik here to view.
December 20 Saints of the Day – John of Kronstadt and Domingo de Silos
On this day in 1820, the State of Missouri imposed a $1 bachelor tax on unmarried men between 21 & 50. The customary dowry went from being five does to one buck. John of Kronstadt (1829 – 1908) was...
View ArticleClik here to view.
December 31 Saint of the Day – Melania the Younger
On this day in 1695, a window tax was imposed in England. Many shopkeepers bricked up their windows to avoid it. Fortunately, Parliament did not impose a brick tax. Melania the Younger (ca. 383 – 439)...
View Article
