On this date in 1561, St. Basil’s Cathedral was consecrated in Moscow.

Above: St. Basil’s during the Soviet era. Photographer unknown.

Born in 1926 – Frederick Buechner, American minister, theologian, and author.

“Pay attention to the things that bring a tear to your eye or a lump in your throat because they are signs that the holy is drawing near.”

Born in 1509 – John Calvin, French minister and theologian.

“…they who rule unjustly and incompetently have been raised up by him to punish the wickedness of the people.”

Born in 1937 – David Hockney, English painter and photographer.

Born in 1927 – Janet Leigh, American actress.

Above: Leigh in the 1962 film, The Manchurian Candidate.

In 1975 – Arthur Ashe won the Wimbledon singles title.

In 1845 – American writer Henry David Thoreau began a two-year experiment in simple living at Walden Pond near Concord, Mass.

“A man is rich in proportion to the number of things which he can afford to let alone.”

Born in 1860 – Charlotte Perkins Gilman, American sociologist and writer.

On this day in 1643, the first meeting of the Westminster Assembly was held. A council of theologians (“divines”) and members of the Parliament of England had been appointed to restructure the Church of England, at Westminster Abbey in London.

Above:

Assertion of Liberty of Conscience by the Independents of the Westminster Assembly of Divines (1847) by John Rogers Herbert depicts

Philip Nye giving a controversial speech before the Assembly, in which he argued against presbyterian church government.

Born in 1942 – Roger Ebert, American film critic.

Above: Ebert, front, with Gene Siskel.

“It is not enough for a movie to be righteous. It must also be watchable.”