30th March, 606
On this Day in Christian History, Death on Mount Sinai of John Climacus, an Eastern hermit, author, and abbot. He had authored the popular book Scala Paradisi (The Ladder of Divine Ascent). Twelve centuries later, Danish philosopher-theologian Søren Kierkegaard, writing under the pseudonyms Climacus and Anti-Climacus, will parody this work, loathing any suggestion that humans can ascend to the divine under their own power.
30th March, 794
On this Day in Christian History, Repose (death) of Stephen of Mar Saba, who had been something of a hermit and counseled compassion for nature. The Orthodox Church will recognize him as a saint.
30th March, 1533
On this Day in Christian History, Thomas Cranmer was consecrated as Archbishop of Canterbury with papal approval.
30th March, 1555
On this Day in Christian History, Bishop Ferrar was burned at St. David’s at Carmarthen, the chief town of his former diocese, condemned for violating his vow of chastity. After preaching against Roman Church forms he had been imprisoned by Mary and refused to be reconciled with Rome, saying that he had taken an oath both to Henry VIII and Edward VI never to admit the papal supremacy.
30th March, 1735
On this Day in Christian History, the impious Howell Harris changes course, becoming a leading Welsh revivalist.
30th March, 1771
On this Day in Christian History, Repose (Death) of Bishop Sophronius of Irkutsk, who will be recognized by the Orthodox Church as a saint because of his personal asceticism, wise counsel, championship of women’s rights, and labors to uplift the spiritual life of his remote diocese.
30th March, 1851
On this Day in Christian History, Vietnamese Emperor Tú Dúc issued a severe edict against Christianity; it orders drowning for European priests, and says Vietnamese priests must be cut in half, even if they agree to trample the cross underfoot.
30th March, 1858
On this Day in Christian History, Dudley Tyng speaks to a noon rally of five thousand in Philadelphia, taking as his text, “Go now ye that are men and serve the Lord.” He declares that he would rather lose his right arm than fail to deliver God’s message to his listeners. Deeply moved, one thousand men respond to his solemn words. Two weeks later one of his arms is yanked from its socket in an accident, infection will develop, and it will have to be amputated. These measures will not save him and in a few days more he will die. His last words will be “Stand up for Jesus, father, and tell my brethren of the ministry to stand up for Jesus.” This dying exhortation will inspire the hymn “Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus.”
30th March, 1876
On this Day in Christian History, Death, in California, of James L. Breck, a successful Episcopal frontier missionary and educator.
30th March, 1899
On this day in Christian History, the steamship Stella strikes some rocks in a fog while sailing to Guernsey. Mary Rogers, a cheerful, kind, and hard-working stewardess, supervises the escape of a large number of women and relinquishes her own lifebelt to the last of them, giving up her place in the lifeboat. Raising her hands to heaven she cries, “Lord, have me!” as the ship sinks beneath her.
30th March, 1942
On this Day in Christian History, Death in Burbank, California, of Anne S. Murphy, author of the hymn “Constantly Abiding.”
30th March, 2004
On this Day in Christian History, Burial of Wilson Rajil Sabiya, a Lutheran defender of Christians and of oppressed tribes. Among his chief opponents were Islamists who sought to incorporate Sharia law into the Nigerian constitution and to control the government, medical, and educational facilities.
30th March, 2015
On this day in Christian History, father of popular gospel music minister Dunsin Oyekan, Pastor Gbadebo Timothy Oyekan, died.
30th March, 2026
On this day in Christian History, a night of tribute and service of songs was held for late Taiwo Adegbodu of the Adegbodu Twins. It held by 5:00PM (WAT) at the Hall of Grace Jogor Centre, Liberty Road, Oke-Ado, Ibadan, Oyo State, with participants all dressed in white.
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