Gregorian chant is the central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic, unaccompanied sacred song of the Catholic Church, performed in the Mass and the monastic Office. Although popular legend credits Pope St. Gregory the Great with inventing Gregorian chant, scholars believe that it arose from a later synthesis of Roman chant and Gallican chant commissioned by Carolingian rulers, especially Charlemagne. Gregorian chant supplanted or marginalized the other indigenous plainchant traditions of the Christian West to become the official music of the Catholic liturgy. Although Gregorian chant is no longer obligatory, the Catholic Church still officially considers it the music most suitable for worship.

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_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries: 79: Mount Vesuvius erupted, burying the cities of Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Stabiae with volcanic ash. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Vesuvius)

410: The Visigoths under Alaric I sacked Rome. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaric_I)

1572: St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre: a massacre of Huguenots began. An estimated 70,000 people were killed in France in the following weeks. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Bartholomew%27s_Day_Massacre)

1821: The Treaty of Córdoba was signed, ratifiying the Plan de Iguala and concluding Mexico's War of Independence from Spain. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_War_of_Independence)

1954: President Getúlio Vargas of Brazil shot himself to death in the Catete Palace in Rio de Janeiro. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Get%C3%BAlio_Vargas)

_____________________ Wikiquote of the day:

"If those in charge of our society — politicians, corporate executives, and owners of press and television — can dominate our ideas, they will be secure in their power. They will not need soldiers patrolling the streets. We will control ourselves." -- Howard Zinn (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Howard_Zinn)