Daily Calendar - June 16

The 167th day of the year, 198 days left until the New Year.

Church Calendar

Martyrs: Lucilian, Claudius, Ipatius, Paul, Dionysius and the Virgin Martyr Paul (270-275); Priest-Martyrs: Lucian the Bishop, Maxian the Forerunner, Julian the Deacon, Marcellinus and Sturninus, who suffered in Belgium (81-96).

Lucilian was a priest of pagan deities during the time of the Roman Emperor Aurelian. In his old age, he became convinced of the falsehood of pagan religion, fell in love with Christianity with all his heart and soul and was even baptized.

As a result of his preaching, many idolaters were converted to the true faith. Then the Jews, having tortured them, sent Lucilian to Silvanus, the governor of the city of Nicodemus, to listen to him for spreading the teachings of Christ. After that, the saint was thrown into a dungeon, where he met four Christian hermits: Claudius, Hypatius, Paul, and Dionysius. Saint Lucian preached to them to stand firm in their faith, not to be afraid of suffering, torture, and death.

Later, the saints were brutally tortured.

The priest-martyr Lucian was a Roman citizen. During his idolatry, he was called Lucius.

He was converted to Christianity by the Apostle Peter and baptized. After the death of the Apostle, Lucian preached the Gospel in Italy. At that time, Dionysius the Areopagite, a disciple of the Apostle Peter, arrived in Rome. He agreed to the request of the Pope, Saint Clement, and decided to go to preach Christianity in the Western countries. Dionysius the Areopagite began to look for companions, and for this purpose the Pope sent other holy fathers with him, under the leadership of Saint Lucian. From Italy, the holy preachers set sail for Gaul. Saint Marcellinus and his companions remained in Spain, Saint Saturninus in Gaul, and the rest went to Belgium.

At that time, the Roman Emperor Domitian began to persecute Christians and ordered that all who would not sacrifice to idols be martyred. He sent three men to Belgium to carry out this order.

During the persecution of these Christians, the saints were captured and beheaded.

Born:

1830 _ Daniel Chonkadze. Writer. Died 1860.

1851 _ Ekaterine Gabashvili, writer. Died 1938.

1867 _ Konstantin Balmont, Russian poet, translator. Died 1942.

1897 _ Georg Wittig, German physicist, Nobel Prize laureate. Died 1987.

1925 _ Otar Kalandrishvili, writer.

1928 _ Robert Sheckley, American writer.

1930 _ Otia Ioseliani, writer. Died 2011.

1936 _ Vakhtang Mikeladze, director.

1941 _ Otar Chubinashvili, Georgian musician, Rustaveli Prize laureate.

Died:

1464 _ Roger van der Weyden, Flemish painter.

1722 _ John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, one of the most prominent English commanders, Prime Minister of England.

1977 _ Werner von Braun, German designer, later the chief designer of the American space program.

Events:

1967 _ Five British parachutist instructors made the highest jump from a height of 11,942 meters.

2000 _ A powerful earthquake occurred in Japan, the magnitude of which was 5.7.

Memorable days:

South Africa _ International Solidarity Day

Ireland _ Bloomsday

Day of the African Child