337: Constantine’s Final Testimony
Constantine, the first Roman emperor to identify himself with the Christian faith, died on May 22, 337, near Nicomedia after a brief illness. His reign marked a turning point as imperial persecution gave way to lawful worship through the Edict of Milan, granting Christians public toleration and relief. He also summoned the Council of Nicaea in 325, urging the church to stand united in confessing the Son as truly God against Arian error. Near the end of his life, Constantine sought baptism and prayer, reminding believers that earthly power is best spent protecting the gospel and promoting peace in Christ’s church.

352: A Shepherd Tested by Empire
On May 22, 352, Liberius was ordained Bishop of Rome, stepping into leadership as the Arian controversy shook the church and imperial power sought to bend doctrine. At first he supported the Nicene confession and defended Athanasius, resisting Emperor Constantius II even when exile followed. Yet later reports say he yielded under pressure, signing a compromised formula and distancing himself from Athanasius—an episode that has led many to judge him harshly. His story soberly reminds us that spiritual office does not guarantee spiritual courage, and that Christ calls His people to steadfast truth, prayer, and perseverance under trial.

359: The Dated Creed at Sirmium
On May 22, 359, bishops gathered at Sirmium under imperial pressure, hoping to craft a statement that would supersede the Nicene Creed. Their document became known as the “Dated Creed” because it opened by fixing the confession “at Sirmium” in the consulship of Eusebius and Hypatius. It avoided the biblical clarity of Nicaea by forbidding debate over “substance” and settling for language that the Son is merely “like the Father according to the Scriptures.” This moment reminds the church that faithfulness often requires courage to hold fast to Christ’s true glory when words are softened to please men.

1377: A Bull Against the Morning Light
On May 22, 1377, Pope Gregory XI issued papal bulls condemning the Oxford scholar John Wycliffe and ordering church and civil authorities to examine his teachings. Wycliffe had argued that Scripture stands above human tradition, criticized abuses in the clergy, and called the church back to Christlike poverty and integrity. Though threatened by powerful voices, he continued to teach and write with courage, trusting God more than men. This action, meant to silence him, instead helped spread his message and stirred a deeper hunger for God’s Word, planting seeds that would bear lasting fruit.

1457: Rita of Cascia Perseveres to the End
May 22, 1457, marks the death of Rita of Cascia, a widow and nun whose life showed how Christ’s grace can steady a soul through grief. Married against her desires, she endured a violent home, forgave those who murdered her husband, and pleaded with God to keep her sons from choosing revenge; both later died, and she entrusted them to the Lord. As an Augustinian sister in Cascia, she lived in prayer and service, bearing a painful wound long associated with the crown of thorns. Rita’s end reminds us to persevere, forgive, and keep praying.

1533: Augustinian Footsteps in New Spain
On May 22, 1533, the first Augustinian friars stepped onto the shores of New Spain at Veracruz, joining the early missionary labor already under way in Mexico. Crossing the Atlantic with little more than Scripture, the liturgy, and their vows, they pressed inland toward Mexico City to preach Christ, disciple new believers, and plant stable communities of prayer and teaching. Their willingness to learn local tongues, endure hardship, and serve the vulnerable helped strengthen the young church and extend the gospel beyond the capital. Their arrival reminds us that faithful obedience, not comfort, advances Christ’s kingdom.

1541: Truth and Conscience at Regensburg
On May 22, 1541, the Regensburg (Ratisbon) Conference in Germany concluded, ending Emperor Charles V’s earnest attempt to heal the widening breach in Western Christendom. Catholic and evangelical theologians—among them Cardinal Gasparo Contarini, Philip Melanchthon, and Martin Bucer—found limited agreement on several doctrines, even drafting a statement on justification that seemed to promise peace. Yet deeper questions of authority, the sacraments, and the church’s headship could not be resolved, and the effort collapsed. The failure marked a turning point: reform became enduring, and believers were pressed to cling to God’s Word with humility, courage, and steadfast faith.

1690: A Hymn from a Faithful Lay Reformer
Johann Jakob Schütz, a respected Frankfurt lawyer and member of the town council, died on May 22, 1690, leaving a legacy of courageous Christian witness in public life. As a close friend of Philipp Jakob Spener, he strengthened and defended the call to heartfelt repentance, Scripture-shaped devotion, and active love that helped spark the Lutheran renewal later called Pietism. Schütz is remembered especially for authoring the hymn “Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above,” a glad confession that God’s wise rule is never shaken. His life reminds believers that steady faith and joyful praise can flourish amid civic duty and cultural pressure.

1740: The Spirit of Martyrdom
George Whitefield, the tireless evangelist of the Great Awakening, wrote on May 22, 1740, “We must all have the spirit of martyrdom, though we may not all die martyrs.” As he preached Christ across the colonies to vast outdoor crowds, he faced ridicule, opposition, and real danger, yet pressed on with holy courage. His words called believers to more than comfort—toward a steadfast readiness to suffer loss for the gospel, to count obedience worth the cost, and to live with heaven’s reward in view.

1799: Opening a Door to the Chickasaw
On May 22, 1799, Rev. Joseph Bullen crossed cultural and linguistic barriers to meet Chickasaw leader Levi Colbert in Mississippi, with Joseph Colbert serving as interpreter, and proposed establishing a Christian mission among the Chickasaw. The proposal was warmly received, showing that earnest witness, offered with respect and clarity, can win a hearing even in unfamiliar settings. Bullen’s willingness to go, to listen, and to speak through an interpreter reflected humble dependence on God rather than human strength. This meeting helped prepare the way for later gospel work among the Chickasaw people.

1868: William R. Newell Born
On May 22, 1868, William R. Newell was born, a future American clergyman and devotional writer who would spend his life pointing believers to the finished work of Christ. Serving for years in Chicago at Moody Bible Institute, he became known for clear, Christ-centered exposition in works on Romans, Hebrews, and Revelation, urging hearts to trust God’s grace rather than human effort. His best-loved legacy may be the hymn “At Calvary” (“Years I Spent in Vanity and Pride”), which has helped countless sinners confess their need and rejoice that mercy was freely given at the cross.

1869: Faithful Witness in Greece
On May 22, 1869, Dr. Jonas King died in Athens after more than four decades of missionary labor in Greece. A gifted linguist, he mastered modern Greek and used it to preach, teach, and publish Scripture portions, catechisms, and gospel tracts for ordinary people. His bold evangelism brought repeated trials and official accusations, yet he answered with patience, public defense of the gospel, and steadfast prayer, continuing his work even when threatened with exile. King’s long, quiet heroism reminds believers that Christ’s word takes root through faithful speech, holy perseverance, and love for souls.

1944: A Gospel Beachhead in Chile
On May 22, 1944, in Concepción, Chile, William M. Strong founded the Gospel Mission of South America, an interdenominational Protestant missions agency born out of a simple conviction: Christ’s gospel must be preached and churches strengthened across the continent. In a world still shaken by war, Strong’s step of faith pointed to a greater King and a greater hope, calling believers to prayer, sacrifice, and steady obedience. The mission’s later relocation of headquarters to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in 1975 reflected enduring commitment to support workers, send the Word, and labor for lasting discipleship. May the Lord raise the same courage in us today.

1967: Confessing Christ’s Reconciliation
On May 22, 1967, a General Assembly adopted the Confession of 1967, the first major declaration of faith embraced in this Presbyterian stream since the Westminster Confession of 1647. In a decade marked by upheaval and bitter division, the church sought to speak plainly again—rooting its witness in God’s saving work and calling believers to reconciliation through Jesus Christ. This act required courage: to confess sin, to affirm the gospel’s power for personal and public life, and to urge the church toward holiness, unity, and obedient service in the world under the authority of Scripture.