February
11
Independence
Day
Holy See (vaticancity) : 11 February 1929
February
11
World Day of the Sick Instituted by Pope John Paul
II
The World Day of the Sick is a feast day of the
Roman Catholic Church which was instituted on May
13, 1992 by Pope John Paul II. Beginning on February
11, 1993, it is celebrated every year on the commemoration
of Our Lady of Lourdes, for all believers seeks
to be "a special time of prayer and sharing,
of offering one's suffering". Pope John Paul
II had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease as
early as 1991, an illness which was only disclosed
later, and it is significant that he decided to
create a World Day of the Sick only one year after
his diagnosis. The Pope had written a great deal
on the topic of suffering and believed that it was
very much a salvific and redeeming process through
Christ, as he indicated in his apostolic letter
Salvifici Doloris. The feast of Lourdes was chosen
because many pilgrims and visitors to Lourdes have
reportedly been healed by intercessions of the Blessed
Virgin. The pontiff was also fond of the sanctuary
of Harissa in Lebanon.
Events
February
11
660
BC – Traditional date for the foundation of Japan
by Emperor Jimmu.
1752 – Pennsylvania Hospital, the first hospital
in the United States, is opened by Benjamin Franklin.
1826 – Swaminarayan writes the Shikshapatri, an
important text within the Swaminarayan faith.
1889 – Meiji Constitution of Japan is adopted; the
first Diet of Japan convenes in 1890.
1916 – Emma Goldman is arrested for lecturing on
birth control.
1937 – A sit-down strike ends when General Motors
recognizes the United Auto Workers Union.
1959 – The Federation of Arab Emirates of the South,
which will later become South Yemen, is created
as a protectorate of the United Kingdom.
1964 – The Republic of China (commonly known as
Taiwan) breaks off diplomatic relations with France.
1971 – Eighty-seven countries, including the US,
UK, and USSR, sign the Seabed Treaty outlawing nuclear
weapons on the ocean floor in international waters.
1987 – The Constitution of the Philippines goes
into effect.
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