Historical Writings

(traditional date - the event may have taken place as early as 209.) Alban becomes the first Christian known to have been martyred in the British Isles. A pagan, he had been converted by a fleeing priest, and gave himself up in the man's place.

John Fisher is beheaded by command of King Henry VIII of England because he has openly rebuked Henry's divorce from Catherine of Aragon and refused to accept Henry as head of the Church of England.

In England, Queen Elizabeth's Prayer Book was issued. During her 45-year reign, Elizabeth I rejected the Catholic faith, adopting instead the Thirty-Nine Articles of the Anglican Church.

Pope Gregory XV publishes the bull Inscrutabili Divinae, which reminds the Church of its mission to take the gospel to newly discovered native populations in the Americas.

Under pressure by the Roman Catholic Church, Galileo signs an abjuration of certain of his scientific views.

Scottish Covenanters publish the Declaration of Sanquhar, disavowing allegiance to King Charles II and the government of Scotland because of governmental interference in religious affairs. This action will soon bring Covenanter rebel Richard Cameron and his followers into trouble.

Death of Matthew Henry, famous as a Bible commentator.

Colonial missionary to the American Indians David Brainerd wrote in his journal: 'I am often weary of this world, and want to leave it on that account; but it is more desirable to be drawn, rather than driven out of it.'

Clergyman Jonathan Edwards was dismissed from his Congregational pulpit in Northampton, MA, after serving there 23 years. Maintaining his ultra- conservative theology, Edwards had grown to become administratively too inflexible for his congregation.

Baron Nikolai Pavlovich Zass is ordained in the Orthodox Church as a deacon and will eventually become Bishop Nestor of San Francisco and Alaska.

The society known today as the Palestine Exploration Fund (PEF) was first organized. Its purpose is to provide information about the archaeology, the history and the people of the Holy Land.

Scholars began translation work on the English Revised Version of the Bible. Released in 1881, the ERV became the textual basis for the American Standard Version (ASV), first published in the United States in 1901.

Baptism of Lim Ang in Formosa (Taiwan). He had been introduced to Christ at a mission hospital where he came to have his eyes treated. After losing his sight, he will learn to read Braille and will teach in the Presbyterian mission’s blind school. Eventually his sight will return and he will become a beloved preacher until his death.

The Diocese of Munster begins a two week celebration for the eleventh centenary of St. Ludiger.

Kateri Takakwitha is beatified, the first American Indian so honored by the Roman Catholic Church.