0001 Origin of Dionysian Incarnation of the Word. Roman Church historian Dionysius Exiguus (ca.500_550), in calculating his history of the Christian Church, took this day as the supposed date of the Annunciation. March 25th afterward became the first day of the calendar year, until the Gregorian Calendar Reform of 1753 changed the day to January 1st.

0031 1st Easter, according to calendar-maker Dionysius Exiguus

0708 Constantine begins his reign as Catholic Pope

0752 Stephen ends his reign as Catholic Pope (or 26th)

1409 Council of Pisa opens

1533 During one of his recorded “Table Talks,” German reformer Martin Luther declared: ‘That the Creator himself comes to us and becomes our ransom - this is the reason for our rejoicing.’

1571 Catholic Italian businessman Roberto Ridolfi leaves England

1634 The Catholic Church gained a foothold in colonial America when the ships “Dove” and “Ark” arrived in Maryland with 128 Catholic colonists, selected by Cecilius Calvert, second Lord Baltimore. The colony was under the leadership of Leonard Calvert, Lord Baltimore’s brother.

1807 British Parliament abolishes slave trade

1847 Pope Pius IX encyclical “On aid for Ireland”

1942 700 Jews of Polish Lvov-district reach Belzec Concentration camp

1951 American missionary and martyr Jim Elliot reflected in his journal: ‘When it comes time to die, make sure that all you have to do is die.’

1953 A group of 22 Southern Baptist military personnel, stationed at Rapid City, met to form the Calvary Baptist Church , the first Southern Baptist congregation established in South Dakota.

1954 Pope Pius XII encyclical “Sacra virginitas” (On consecrated virginity)

1965 Martin Luther King Jr led 25,000 to state capitol in Montgomery AL

1986 Supreme Court rules Air Force could ban wearing of yarmulkes

Religious Observances

Christian : Commemoration of St Margaret Clitherow, English martyr

Roman Catholic : Commemoration of St Lucy Filippini, Italian educator

On This Day

Catholic Church - Saint Dismas, the Good Thief (also venerated in Eastern Orthodox Church), Saint Humbert, Saint Quirinus of Rome

Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade

Week of Solidarity with the Peoples Struggling against Racism and Racial Discrimination

In History

1807 - Slave Trade Act becomes law, abolishing the slave trade in the British Empire

1931 - Death of Ida Wells, American civil rights activist

March 25

On this day in 1980, the Rt. Rev. Robert A.K. Runcie was installed as the 102nd Archbishop of Canterbury.