May 9: Today in Christian History

May 9, 1590

Death in a French prison of Cardinal de Bourbon, whom the Catholic League and the Paris parliament had considered the rightful king of France following the death of Henry III (the king who had imprisoned him) in 1589. The cardinal had renounced the throne, however, in favor of his nephew Henry of Navarre, who abjured Protestantism to become King Henry IV

May 9, 1707

Death in Lübeck of church organist Dietrich Buxtehude, whose composition and playing were so good that Johann Sebastian Bach had once walked two-hundred-and-fifty miles one way to hear him and to watch him play.

May 9, 1760

Death of Count Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf in Herrnhut. He had founded the Moravian Brethren and was a pioneer in ecumenism and Protestant mission work.

May 9, 1844

Pran Krishna, a zealous evangelist in India, shows symptoms of cholera and will die the following morning.

May 9, 1848

Andrew Murray is ordained on his 20th birthday. He will become a notable educator of Christians in South Africa and the author of beloved books on Christian living such as The True Vine and Abide in Me.

May 9, 1859

Orthodox mystic and author Theophan the Recluse is consecrated Bishop of Tambov, where he will demonstrate his forward thinking by establishing a school for girls.

May 9, 1911

Death in London of Arabella Katherine Hankey, author of the hymns “I Love to Tell the Story” and “Tell Me the Old, Old Story.”

Did you miss out on our Christian History Series? Read here to catch up on significant events that happened on May 8 in Christian History. 

Do you also want a glimpse at the significant events that happened on May 10 in Christian History? Read here!