April 16: Today in Christian History

April 16, 304

The Christians of Saragossa, Spain, undergo severe persecution as troops of the Roman prefect Dacian kill eighteen men. Others who die around this time are Encratis, a woman who reproached Dacian to his face, for which he ordered tortures so severe that her liver was pulled part way out of her chest. During persecution that same year, all Christians are ordered out of the city. As they arrive at the city gates, Dacian’s troops slaughter every one.

16th April, 556

Pelagius I has a stormy ordination as pope, owing to suspicion his predecessor Vigilius died as a result of foul play and he might have been involved. Pelagius had referred to Vigilius as a turncoat for flip-flopping on the issue of the Three Chapters, which were regarded as a concession to the monophysite heresy.

April 16, 1118

[date possible but not certain] Murder of Magnus of Orkney, whose cousin breaks an agreement to meet with just two boats of men by bringing his whole army. In order to prevent civil war, Magnus allows himself to be killed. The islanders will claim all sorts of miracles at his tomb and he will be declared a saint.

April 16, 1796

Death of Molly Brant (Konwatsi’tsiaienni), an influential Mohawk woman,  who, because of her Christian faith and her loyalty to Great Britain, will be commemorated in the Anglican Church calendar.

April 16, 1843

[or the 17th] Alexander Worthy Clerk, formerly a Jamaican slave, arrives in Christiansborg, Gold Coast, with several other Jamaicans to begin mission work for the Moravian Church. Clerk will make major educational and linguistic contributions and his posterity will make major contributions to every area of Ghanese life.

April 16, 1944

Dorothy Ahleman feels a call to missions at an evening missions service on the campus of Olivet Nazarene College. She will go to Argentina where she will serve for thirty-seven years.

April 16, 1951

Assembly of God missionary Frank Isensee perishes in an accident trying to carry the Gospel to a Peruvian city.

April 16, 1970

Repose (death) of Orthodox elder Amphilochios Makris, an ascetic, founder of a women’s monastery at Patmos, and founder of services for orphans and pregnant women.

16th April, 1986

On this day in Christian History, Six hundred (600) Policemen attack a crowd of Coptic Christians who were standing outside Saint Demiana Coptic Church, injuring some women and children. Afterwards, the Egyptian government refused to allow Copts to stand outside of the church.

16th April, 2005

On this day in Christian History, Daniel Oyelakin Ige, an influential member of Nigeria’s Christ Apostolic Church was buried. In his lifetime, his devotion to God had won his family to Christ. Because he lacked much education, he used his practical skills to roof hundreds of buildings for his church and started an organization to minister to the needy.