History
Today in Christian History

March 23

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
<>

March 23, 332 (traditional date): Gregory the Illuminator, who converted a nation before Constantine even embraced Christianity, dies. A missionary to his homeland of Armenia, he converted King Tiridates, and much of the kingdom followed suit. Soon Christianity was established as the national religion, with Gregory as its bishop (see issue 57: Conversion of Rome).

March 23, 1540: Waltham Abbey in Essex becomes the last monastery in England to transfer its allegiance from the Catholic Church to the newly established Church of England.

March 23, 1743: George Friedrich Handel’s oratorio “Messiah” plays in London and is attended by the king, who stood instantly at the opening notes of the Hallelujah Chorus—a tradition ever since (though some historians have suggested it was because he was partially deaf and mistook it for the national anthem). The oratorio was actually quite controversial, since it used the words of God in the theater, and the title only made things worse. Handel compromised a bit by dropping the “blasphemous” title from handbills. It was instead called “A New Sacred Oratorio.

March 23, 1966: The Archbishop of Canterbury meets at the Vatican with Pope Paul VI—the first such meeting between Anglican and Catholic leaders since Henry VIII broke with Rome more than 400 years before.

Our Latest

High Time for an Honest Conversation about THC

Legal cannabis may be here to stay, but the Christian conversation is just getting started.

The National Guard Debate Needs a Dose of Honesty

Criticizing federal overreach while remaining silent about local failures does not serve the cause of justice.

News

Saudi Arabian Prison Frees Kenyan After ‘Blood Money’ Payout

A Christian mother relied on the Muslim practice of “diyat” to bring her son home alive.

Why Fans Trust Forrest Frank

The enormously popular Christian artist says he experienced miraculous healing. His parasocial friends say “amen.”

How a Missionary Family in Lebanon Produced an American Hero

Bill Eddy’s Arabic acumen served US interests and forged Middle East ties.

Eight Divine Names in One Glorious Passage

Hebrew terms for God appear across the Old Testament. The prophet Isaiah brings them all together.

The Bulletin

Venezuelan Boat Attack, Payday Loans, and USAID Fire Sale

The Bulletin discusses the attack on an alleged Venezuelan drug boat, predatory lending, and the destruction of items from cancelled USAID projects.

Why an Early American Missionary Family Was Beloved in Lebanon

Over five decades of multigenerational ministry, the Eddys pioneered health and educational outreach.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube