597 BC According to certain archaeological calculations, the first conquest of Jerusalem by Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar occurred. In the Bible, the event is recorded in 2 Kings 24:1ff. and in 2 Chronicles 36:5-8. It is also implied in the early chapters of Jeremiah and Ezekiel.

1190 Jews of York England commit mass sucide rather than submit to baptism

1345 Holy spirit glides above fire; “the miracle of Amsterdam” (legend)

1621 Birth of George Neumark, German educator. Twice in life he lost everything: once by robbers and once by fire. As a poet, Neumark is best remembered as author of the hymn, “If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee.”

1915 Birth of Dr. Robert H. Bowman, missions pioneer. In 1945, along with John Broger and William J. Roberts, Bowman helped found the Far East Broadcasting Company. Today FEBC reaches thousands of Pacific island clusters with the Gospel through Christian radio.

1952 The first religious program on TV, “This Week in Religion,” debuted on Dumont television. It was the only ecumenical program of TV’s early religious offerings, and ran for two years, last airing in October 1954.

1970 New English Bible published. The complete text of the New English Bible was published, simultaneously, by the Oxford and Cambridge Presses. (The New Testament of the NEB had been first published in 1961.)

1988 North-Ireland Protestant fires on Catholic funeral, 3 killed

Religious Observances

Christian : Feast of fictional St Urho, patron of Finland

Roman Catholic : Commemoration of SS Abraham, hermit, & Mary, penitant

Roman Catholic : Commemoration of St John de Brébeuf & companions/martyrs

Jewish : Purim (feast of Lot) (Adar II 14, 5755 AM)

On This Day

Saints: Saint Abban of Magheranoidhe and his friend Saint Abban of New Ross; Saint Heribert of Cologne; Pope Saint Agapetus I

In History

1998 - Pope John Paul II asks for forgiveness for inactivity of some Roman Catholics during Holocaust

2003 - The largest coordinated worldwide vigil takes place, as part of the global protests against Iraq war.

2005 - Israel officially hands over Jericho to Palestinian control

March 16
On March 16, 1789, Henry Ustic Onderdonk was born in New York. Onderdonk served as rector of St. Ann’s Church in Brooklyn, New York. In 1827, he was consecrated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and served as assistant bishop to the Rt. Rev. William White, the first bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania and the first and fourth presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church. Onderdonk succeeded White as bishop of Pennsylvania upon White’s death in 1836.