March 7, 203: Perpetua, a Christian about 22 years old, her slave, Felicitas, and several others are martyred at the arena in Carthage. They were flogged, attacked by hungry leopards, and finally beheaded. Perpetua remains one of early Christianity’s most famous martyrs (see issue 27: Persecution in the Early Church).
March 7, 1274: Thomas Aquinas, one of the most significant theologians of all time, dies at age 48. Known for his adaptation of Aristotle’s writings to Christianity, he became famous for his massive Summa Theologiae (or “A summation of theological knowledge”). In its early pages, he stated, “In sacred theology, all things are treated from the standpoint of God.” Thomas proceeded to distinguish between philosophy and theology and between reason and revelation, though he emphasized that these did not contradict each other. Both are fountains of knowledge; both come from God (see issue 73: Thomas Aquinas).
March 7, 1530: Pope Clement VII rejects Henry VIII’s request to divorce Catherine of Aragon. Henry eventually responded by declaring himself supreme head of England’s church (see issue 48: Thomas Cranmer).
March 7, 1964: At a Roman parish church, Pope Paul VI celebrates mass in Italian instead of Latin, implementing one of the most significant changes of the Second Vatican Council—worship in the vernacular (see issue 28: The 100 Most Important Events in Church History).
