On This Day April 23rd

 OTD

April 23rd is the one-hundred-thirteenth day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 252 days remain until the end of the year.

 

Events

215 BC – A temple was built on Capitoline Hill dedicated to Venus Erycina to commemorate the Roman defeat at Lake Trasimene.

599 – Maya king Uneh Chan of Calakmul attacks rival city-state Palenque in southern Mexico, defeating queen Yohl Ik'nal and sacking the city.

1635 – The first public school in the United States, Boston Latin School, was founded in Boston.

1348—King Edward III announces the founding of the Order of the Garter on St. George's Day.

1516 – The Munich Reinheitsgebot (regarding beer ingredients) takes effect in all of Bavaria.

1724—Johann Sebastian Bach leads the first performance of his cantata Du Hirte Israel, höre, BWV 104, which illustrates the topic of the Good Shepherd in pastoral music.

1661 – King Charles II of England, Scotland, and Ireland is crowned in Westminster Abbey.

1879 – Fire burns down the second main building and dome of the University of Notre Dame, which prompts the construction of the third and current Main Building with its golden dome.

1914 – The first baseball game was at Wrigley Field, then known as Weeghman Park, in Chicago.

1967 – Soviet space program: Soyuz 1 (Russian: Союз 1, Union 1), a crewed spaceflight carrying cosmonaut Colonel Vladimir Komarov, is launched into orbit.

1985—Coca-Cola changed its formula and released New Coke. The response was overwhelmingly negative, and the original formula was back on the market in less than three months.

2005—Jawed Karim, co-founder, published the first YouTube video, "Me at the Zoo."

 

Birthdays

1484 – Julius Caesar Scaliger, Italian physician and scholar (d. 1558)

1621 – William Penn, English admiral and politician (d. 1670)

1813 – Stephen A. Douglas, American educator and politician, 7th Illinois Secretary of State (d. 1861)

1856 – Granville Woods, an American inventor and engineer, Invented most of the parts on a streetcar. Many are still running in New Orleans. (d. 1910)

1921 – Warren Spahn, American baseball player and coach (d. 2003)

1928 – Shirley Temple, American actress, singer, dancer, and diplomat (d. 2014)

1939 – Lee Majors, American actor

2018 – Prince Louis of Wales

 

Holidays And Observance

Slay a Dragon Day

St. George's Day, also known as Slay a Dragon Day, is a unique legend that originated centuries ago. It tells the story of a young dragon slayer who bravely defended a village and its princess’ virtue. St. George, who died in 303 A.D. after being beheaded by Roman Emperor Diocletian, was canonized in 494 A.D. by the Catholic Church. His legend, which has spread worldwide, has taken on new dimensions and evolved in meaning over time.

The true story of St. George is that his birth was placed far from England, where he is their Patron Saint. Born in the Middle East, most likely in Turkey, he was a young Christian soldier who served in the Roman army. His bravery on the field of battle was inspiring, and his warrior spirit was envied, even by the Emperor of Rome. St. George became a political conundrum; as a Christian serving in the Roman army, his prowess on the battlefield and religious affinity became intertwined, and those around him began to question their deities and their power in light of how St. George managed to walk away from every battle.

The emperor, threatened by his Christianity and popularity, had him decapitated for his beliefs, which ultimately made him a martyr and a symbol for Christians everywhere. The exact site where St. George faced the mighty dragon is unknown; however, Dragon Hill, in Oxfordshire, England, is thought to be where the clash occurred. While we know there was a St. George in the Roman army, and the legend of St. George lives on English soil, his impact on the world is unique, as Georgians celebrate their namesake twice a year. Around the world, varying interpretations of the saint have led to April 23 being marked as a sacred day.

St. George represents those who we honor. He describes the noblest form of chivalry, selfless devotion to defending the innocent and vanquishing evil. His legend has remained relevant, and although the existence of dragons is yet to be proven, today, we all have to face our dragons in one shape or form.

 

Others Include.

Army Reserves Birthday

Canada Book Day

English Language Day

German Beer Day

Impossible Astronaut Day

International Pixel-Stained Technopeasant Day

Lover's Day

Movie Theatre Day

National Cherry Cheesecake Day

National English Muffin Day

National Lost Dog Awareness Day

National Picnic Day

Saint George's Day

School Bus Drivers' Day

Slay a Dragon Day

Spanish Language Day

Take A Chance Day

Talk Like Shakespeare Day

U.N. English Language Day

U.N. Spanish Language Day

World Book and Copyright Day

World Book Night

World Laboratory Day

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