It was a day like today.
On November 18, 1886 death came for Chester A. Arthur, the 21st President of the United State. And in 1922, the flowers of death similarly came for French writer Marcel Proust. As for births, Cuba and the world were graced on this date with the arrival of the innovative Cuban singer and guitarist Compay Segundo who was to remain active well into his 90s. The French Jesuit priest and philosopher Jacques Maritain was born on this date in 1882.
On this date in 1518, Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortéz embarked for Mexico from Cuba with ten vessels replete with Spanish warriors, horses, and cannons. In 1626, the St. Peter’s Basilica was consecrated by Pope Urban VIII. This was the anniversary of the consecration of the preceding basilica that had been begun in 326 AD by the Emperor Constantine.
The Christian Church marks November 18 as the feast day of St. Romanus of Caesarea who died on this date in 303 AD. Also known as Romanus of Antioch, he is venerated as a martyr who was harvested during the Diocletian persecution. A deacon, Romanus was taken prisoner at Antioch, was condemned to death by fire, and was bound to the stake; however, as the Emperor Galerius was then in Antioch, Romanus was brought before him. At the emperor's command Romanus' tongue was cut out. Tortured in various ways in prison he was finally strangled. A church is dedicated to him in Seville, Spain, and Spanish painter Francisco de Zurbarán did a notable devotional portrait of the martyr.
Words of Wisdom:
“The paradox of identity is that it is precisely when we speak from within our particularity that we strike a chord with others of different particularity. You don’t have to be French to love Flaubert, Russian to admire Tolstoy, or Japanese to enjoy a Haiku. It’s within our particular identities that we learn to live, love, create communities, cultivate responsibilities, feel pride without arrogance, and respect others whose identity is as precious to them as ours is to us. If that’s what being a Jew, or Christian, or Muslim is then we should feel grateful that we each have our way of being at home in the glorious diversity of humankind. “ from a speech by Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom, Lord Jonathan Sacks.
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