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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