Religious Events for week beginning 26th January 2009

Please note this is just a sample of one week. The future events service contains information for the next three weeks

Monday 26th January


Please note this is just a sample of one week. The future events service contains information for the next three weeks

Monday 26th January

1564 – Council of Trent issues conclusions in Tridentinum establishing distinction between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism.
1565 – Battle of Talikota, fought between Vijayanagara Empire and the Islamic sultanates of the Deccan, leads to the subjugation, and eventual destruction of the last Hindu kingdom in India, and the consolidation of Islamic rule over much of the Indian subcontinent.
1813 – Birth of Juan Pablo Duarte, Dominican founding father
1980 – Israel and Egypt establish diplomatic relations
Roman Catholic: Timothy and Titus, Saint Paula, Saint Alberic, Saint Margaret of Hungary
Anglican: Timothy and Titus, Companions of Paul

Archbishops Council of the Russian Orthodox Church meets to elect candidates for Patriarch

Chinese New Year according to Gregorian calendar

Australia Day (Formerly ‘Invasion Day’, but said to contradict spirit of reconciliation)

World Social Forum marks Global Call for Action

Cannabis reclassification comes into force

Informal meeting of Russia-NATO Council held in Brussels

Trial of Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga suspected of war crimes restarts at Hague

United Nations Secretary-General, Spain’s Prime Minister, Agency Heads, National Ministers, Experts Plan for ‘Food Security for All’ in Madrid (till 27th) Contact: Tim Wall of the United Nations Department of Public Information, +1 212 963 5851, [email protected]

UKTV Eden, rebranded UKTV Documentary channel, relaunches

Guantanamo Bay inmate Canadian national Omar Khadr, accused of throwing a grenade that killed a US soldier in Afghanistan in 2002 when he was 15, faces trial. (May not go ahead now new US President is in office)

EU foreign ministers to discuss taking Guantanamo prisoners at their meeting in Brussels

Film 2009, with Jonathan Ross, back on air

Churches Together in Westminster Annual General Meeting (former Guardian religious correspondent Stephen Bates speaking on US politics)

Monastic Workshop, Hexham Abbey -‘Treading Lighter During Lent’ 7pm

Tuesday 27th January

1343 – Pope Clement VI issues the Bull Unigenitus
1593 – Vatican opens 7 year trial against scholar Giordano Bruno.
1606 – Trial of Guy Fawkes and other conspirators begins
2008 – Death of Gordon B. Hinckley, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons)

Buddhist: Losar

Holocaust Memorial Day, anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, see: http://www.hmd.org.uk/ events around the country

Woolworths administration application expected

World Health Organisation executive ends week long Executive Body meeting

House of Lords: British aid workers in conflict zones (Baroness Rawlings)

House of Commons: Economic aid to Palestinian Territories (Martin Linton MP)

International Development Select Committee takes evidence on Sustainable Development in a Changing Climate from Christian Aid, Tearfund and the World Development Movement (11.15)

Home Affairs Select Committee takes evidence on Knife Crime from the Scout Association

Scottish parliament’s standards committee meets to discuss statements by the First Minister to the Scottish Parliament, Alex Fergusson, arising out of a question concerning £120,000 funding of Scottish inter-faith council

Zimbabwe schools due to reopen

‘Superstition: Belief in the Age of Science’, Royal Institution of Great Britain, 21 Albemarle Street, London 7.00pm

‘God, Science and the New Atheism’, Faraday Institute’s Termly Public Lecture by Prof Keith Ward, Emmanuel College, Cambridge, Katie Turnbull, 01223 740 929 Mob: 07500 883 440

St Ethelburga’s Centre for Reconciliation launches ‘Facing the Truth’ – Films about South Africa 10 years after the report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, 020 7496 1610, [email protected] www.stethelburgas.org

5.00 – 5.45 pm Holocaust Memorial Day Vigil, annual Saddleworth Peace Movement Vigil, 2009 theme ‘Stand Up To Hatred’ The Square, Uppermill. Speakers: Phil Woolas MP & Elwyn Watkins PPC, 01457 876013

Adam & Eve or Adam & Steve? Is the Bible really homophobic?, Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, 8pm St. Nicholas Church, Dyke Road, Brighton, BN1 3LJ.

Dr Michael Northcott, ‘looks forward to a Papal Encyclical on ecology” Lauriston Jesuit Centre, 28 Lauriston Street, Edinburgh EH3 9DJ , On Holy Ground – The Environment Series [email protected]

Wed 28th January

1077 – Walk to Canossa: excommunication of Henry IV is lifted.
1521 – Diet of Worms begins, lasting until May 25.
1573 – Articles of Warsaw Confederation signed, sanctioning freedom of religion in Poland.
1225 – Birth of Saint Thomas Aquinas
1600 – Birth of Pope Clement IX

Catholicism – Feast day of St. Thomas Aquinas (Doctor of the Church and patron saint of students and theologians)
Anglican: Thomas Aquinas, Priest, Philosopher, Teacher of the Faith, 1274

World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, opened by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (till 1st Feb)

House of Commons: Scottish Affairs Select Committee takes evidence on Credit Unions in Scotland (Ian Pearson MP)

Foreign Affairs Select Committee takes evidence on non-proliferation

Report into how to deal with 35 years of conflict in Northern Ireland led by former Church of Ireland Primate Robin Eames, published in Belfast.

‘Civil Disobedience’ lecture Daniel Berrigan, Abdul Gaffar Khan, Pat Gaffney & Mairead Corrigan Maguire. St Ethelburgas, +44 (0)20 7496 1610 : [email protected] www.stethelburgas.org

‘Is Liberty British?’ Linda Colley in conversation with A.C. Grayling, Conference Centre, British Library

Seven prayer nights at seven different locations across London begin. Organised by Global Day of Prayer GDOP London: 08456 528 600 www.gdoplondon.com

Thursday 29th January

904 – Sergius III comes out of retirement to take over papacy from the deposed antipope Christopher
1119 – Death of Pope Gelasius II
1240 – Death of Pelagio Galvani, Cardinal-Bishop of Albano
1998 – Bomb explodes at abortion clinic in Alabama, killing one and severely wounding another.
2002 – George W. Bush describes coins phrase ‘Axis of Evil’ in State of the Union Address

Roman Catholic saints – Valerius of Trèves, Saint Juniper

Local Council of Russian Orthodox ends meeting discussing appointment of new Patriach

House of Commons: Debate on Holocaust Memorial Day

House of Lords debates Political aspects of addressing climate change (Lord Browne of Madingley/Lord Hunt of Kings Heath)

Christian Resources Exhibition in Exeter (Westpoint) till 31st stands plus over 30 seminars, from multi-media worship to climate change, ‘Street Pastors’ will attend. www.creonline.co.uk Stephen Goddard 01744 733898 or 07930 198209

Friday 30th January

1649 – King Charles I of England beheaded.
1661 – Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England ritually executed after having been dead for two years
1948 – Mohandas Gandhi assassinated by Nathuram Godse, Hindu extremist
1956 – American civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr.’s home bombed in retaliation for Montgomery Bus Boycott.
1972 – Bloody Sunday: British Paratroopers kill fourteen marchers in Northern Ireland
2003 – Belgium legally recognizes same-sex marriage

Catholicism: St. Mutien-Marie Wiaux, St. Hippolytus, St. Hyacintha Mariscotti, St. Aldegonde, St. Bathild, St. Martina, Virgin and Martyr, c. 226 AD, St. Savina, martyred under Emperor Diocletian, St. Anthony the Great’s feast in the Coptic Church, Eastern (Byzantine) Catholic Church: Feast of the Three Holy Hierarchs This Feast honours the three great Fathers of the Eastern Church –St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory the Theologian, and St. John Chrysostom

Anglican: Charles, King and Martyr, 1649

Society of King Charles the Martyr observes anniversary of King Charles I’s execution with service outside Banqueting House, laying wreaths and saying prayers, followed by High Mass and sermon inside Banqueting House. +44 (0) 844 482 7777

‘Too fresh? Are LGBT’s too fresh for Fresh Expressions?’ Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement Methodist Caucus annual weekend conference, Whaley Hall, Reservoir Road, Whaley Bridge, High Peak, SK23 7BL

Saturday 31st January

1606 – Guy Fawkes executed

Catholicism – Feast day of St. John Bosco, patron saint of Christian apprentices, editors, and publishers also Saint Pedro Nolasco, Saint Marcella, Saint Geminianus, Blessed Ludovica
Anglican: John Bosco, Priest, Founder of the Salesian Teaching Order, 1888
Hindu: Vasanta Panjami
Sikh: Birthday of Guru Har Rai (Nanakshahi calendar) (1630-1661) seventh of Sikh Gurus.

Deadline for tax returns to Inland Revenue

National Storytelling week begins

Peace talks between DR Congo government and Laurent Nkunda’s National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP)

Iraq: Provincial elections scheduled in 14 of Iraq’s 18 provinces

Poverty & Homelessness Action Week begins (till 8th Feb) supported by Church Action on Poverty, Housing Justice, Scottish Churches Housing Action and Get Fair http://www.actionweek.org.uk/

Jesus and Muhammad for Muslims and Christians. An exploration of the actualities and possibilities in both faith traditions. St Ethelburga’s +44 (0)20 7496 1610 : [email protected] www.stethelburgas.org

Sunday 1 February

1918 – Russia adopts Gregorian Calendar
1960 – Four black students stage the first of the Greensboro sit-ins at a lunch counter in North Carolina.

Feast day of Astina in the Syrian church

Roman Catholic Church: Feast Day of St. Brigid, patron saint of Ireland.

Anglican: Brigid, Abbess of Kildare, c.525

National Freedom Day in the United States

Homelessness Sunday

Anglican Primates meet in Alexandria, Egypt (till 5th)

Clown Service, London. Clowns from all over the world attend church service in full make-up and costume from 16:00 Holy Trinity Church, Beechwood Road, Dalston, E8

Start of LGBT History Month

Celebration of Chinese New Year (Year of the Ox) in London

New Patriach of Russian Orthodox church enthroned

Catholic Bishop Lindsay’s body received into St Mary’s Cathedral

African Union Summit of heads of state and government held in Addis Ababa (till 3rd)

Channel 4: 7.00pm Christianity: A History, The Crusades with Rageh Omaar

US Superbowl Pittsburgh Steelers v Arizona Cardinals

African Youth Championship ends in Rwanda

Banks expected to pass on mortgage rate cuts