The film-making genius Krzysztof Kieślowski was born in Warsaw today in 1941. Although he hated Polish Catholicism, his films explored mystical and spiritual themes. His Dekalog was a series of 10 one-hour films made for television, based on the commandments of the same name, and he died leaving the trilogy Heaven, Hell and Purgatory barely begun. The sculpture on his grave is seen above.
‘There are too many things in the world which divide people, such as religion, politics, history, and nationalism. If culture is capable of anything, then it is finding that which unites us all.’ Krzysztof Kieślowski
Entering the pulpit to preach today in 1547, John Calvin found a note saying, ‘Why don’t you shut up, you big potbelly?’
Rev Dr William Dodd, a Buckinghamshire vicar and former chaplain to King George III, was hanged today in 1777 for forging a bond for the fantastic sum of £4,220 in the name of his patron Lord Chesterfield, to fund his prodigal lifestyle. His death came after an inferno of publicity, with supporters petitioning for his pardon. It was about Dodd that Samuel Johnson made his famous comment: ‘Depend upon it Sir, when a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates his mind wonderfully.’
Today in 1736, George Whitefield, who had been ordained a week earlier, preached so passionately to a huge congregation at St Mary-de-Crypt in Gloucester that a complaint was made to the Bishop that Whitefield had driven 15 people mad. The Bishop replied: ‘I hope their madness lasts until next Sunday!’
Today in 431, the Nestorians arrived at the Council of Ephesus. Since the point of the council was to decide between their teaching and Cyril of Alexandria’s, they were rather taken aback to discover that Cyril had started the Council 10 days earlier and already excommunicated them. They set up an alternative council next door and returned the compliment.
Image: Jolanta Dyer