Thomas Cranmer (2 July 1489 – 21 March 1556) was a leader of the English Reformation and Archbishop of Canterbury. He helped build the case for the annulment of Henry VIII's marriage to Catherine of Aragon. He established the first doctrinal and liturgical structures of the Church of England and published the Exhortation and Litany. When Edward VI was king, Cranmer published the Book of Common Prayer, changed doctrine or discipline in several areas, and promulgated the new doctrines through the Homilies. Upon the accession of Mary I, Cranmer was put on trial for treason and heresy. While imprisoned he made recantations and reconciled himself with the Catholic Church. Mary pushed for his execution, and he was burned at the stake after withdrawing his recantations. Cranmer's death was immortalised in Foxe's Book of Martyrs and his legacy continues through the Book of Common Prayer and the Thirty-Nine Articles.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Cranmer

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1644:

First English Civil War: The combined forces of Scottish Covenanters and English Parliamentarians defeated Royalist troops at the Battle of Marston Moor. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Marston_Moor

1724:

On the Feast of the Visitation, Bach led the first performance of his Meine Seel erhebt den Herren, BWV 10, based on the German Magnificat. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meine_Seel_erhebt_den_Herren,_BWV_10

1881:

U.S. president James A. Garfield was fatally shot by Charles J. Guiteau at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad station in Washington, D.C. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_James_A._Garfield

1964:

The Civil Rights Act was signed into law, outlawing segregation in schools, at the workplace, and other facilities that served the general public in the United States. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_Rights_Act_of_1964

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

mullered: 1. Badly damaged or completely destroyed; ruined, trashed, wrecked. 2. Drunk, inebriated. 3. (often sports) Of a sportsperson, a team, etc.: utterly defeated or outplayed; destroyed, thrashed, trounced. [...] https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/mullered

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

The going's rough, and so we need the laugh of bright incisors, molars of goodwill. Our times are still not safe and sane enough for faces to show ordinary sorrow.   --Wisława Szymborska https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Wis%C5%82awa_Szymborska