Today in 1963 saw the opening session of Vatican II, Episode 2 (above). Get the box set.
Today is Michaelmas, the feast day of Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. Michael defeated Satan in the great war in heaven and is the patron saint of grocers. Raphael healed the earth when it was defiled by fallen angels and is the patron saint of happy meetings. Gabriel announced to Mary the conception of Christ, announced to Elizabeth the conception of John the Baptist, and announced to Daniel all kinds of strange stuff about goats and the end of the world, and is the patron saint of communications workers.
Valiant Michael of the white steeds,
Who subdued the Dragon of blood,
For love of God, for pains of Mary’s Son,
Spread thy wing over us, shield us all.
Carmina Gadaelica, Hymn of the Procession
Pope Pius XII condemned artificial insemination in a discourse at Castel Gandolfo on this day in 1949.
At 4.45am today in 1978, Albino Luciani was discovered dead in his bed in his apartments in the Vatican. He had been elected Pope John Paul I only 33 days earlier and had become known as ‘the smiling Pope’ because he looked a good deal more cheerful than his tortured predecessor, Pope Paul VI.
Leo the Great became Bishop of Rome today in the year 440. He did more than anyone else to turn the bishopric into the papacy, demanding the obedience of the worldwide Church on the basis of his being St Peter’s successor. Twelve years later, he managed to talk Attila the Hun out of demolishing Rome.
It is the feast of St Cyriacus the Recluse, who lived in the Holy Land in the 5th and 6th centuries.
Image: Nationaal Archief, CCO