On This Day February 25th

 OTD

February 25th is the Fifty-sixth day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 309 days remain until the end of the year.

 

Events

138 – Roman emperor Hadrian adopts Antoninus Pius as his son, effectively making him his successor.

1705 – George Frideric Handel's opera Nero premiered in Hamburg.

1836 – Samuel Colt is granted a United States patent for his revolver firearm.

1843 – Lord George Paulet occupies the Kingdom of Hawaii in the name of Great Britain in the Paulet affair.

1870 – Hiram Rhodes Revels, a Republican from Mississippi, is sworn into the United States Senate, becoming the first African American ever to sit in Congress.

1875 – Guangxu, Emperor of the Qing Dynasty of China, begins his reign under Empress Dowager Cixi's regency.

1921 – Georgian capital Tbilisi falls to the invading Russian forces after heavy fighting, and the Russians declare the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic.

1951 – The first Pan American Games are officially opened in Buenos Aires by Argentine President Juan Perón.

1986 – People Power Revolution: President of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos flees the nation after 20 years of rule; Corazon Aquino becomes the Philippines' first woman president.

1991 – Disbandment of the Warsaw Pact at a meeting of its members in Budapest.

2015 – At least 310 people are killed in avalanches in northeastern Afghanistan.

 

 

Birthdays

1475 – Edward Plantagenet, 17th Earl of Warwick, last male member of the House of York (d. 1499)

1728 – John Wood, the Younger, an English architect, designed the Royal Crescent (d. 1782)

1841 – Pierre-Auguste Renoir, French painter and sculptor (d. 1919)

1873 – Enrico Caruso, Italian-American tenor; the most famous operatic tenor of the early 20th century and the first excellent recording star. (d. 1921)

1877 – Erich von Hornbostel, Austrian musicologist and scholar (d. 1935)

1901 – Zeppo Marx, American comedian (the youngest of the Marx Brothers) and theatrical agent (d. 1979)

1913 – Jim Backus, American actor and screenwriter; the voice of Mr. Magoo (d. 1989)

1927 – Ralph Stanley, American bluegrass singer and banjo player; member of International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame (d. 2016)

1932 – Faron Young, American country music singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1996)

1943 – George Harrison, English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and film producer; lead guitarist of The Beatles (d. 2001)

1971 – Sean Astin is an American actor, director, and producer.

1989 – Kana Hanazawa, Japanese voice actress and singer

 

Holiday Spotlight

Quiet Day

For the longest time, quietness has been a form of praying and meditating. Most religious sects advocate for quiet and the wonders it can do for one’s emotional and physical well-being. Our voices and active interaction with others have kept us spiritually silent and separated from the world around us and, in some odd ways, from the very people we interact with daily. Quiet Day was established to remind us to slow down and give silence a chance.

In India and many other Asian countries, there are meditation retreats where time is spent in quiet contemplation, sometimes for as long as ten days. These are ‘vipassana’ retreats, meaning ‘to see things as they are.’ This is an ancient Buddhist practice that is popular even today. While Quiet Day is just one Day, the principles included in these retreats can also be applied to your daily life.

Surrounding ourselves with peace and clarity can open our minds to new experiences and inspire us to lead more meaningful lives. Every Day, we are surrounded by the chatter of T.V., the radio, and our loved ones. Quiet Day is the day to engage in a little quiet contemplation, rest our vocal cords, listen to the world around us, and connect with it. On this Day, take a little time off and listen to the wise voice inside your head.

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Others Include.

Let's All Eat Right Day

National Chocolate Covered Nuts Day

National Clam Chowder Day

National Pistol Patent Day

Quiet Day

Rubber Ducky Day