Oscar Romero, Gregorian Calendar, Gutenberg Bible

Christianity is a faith with a long and detailed history, with numerous events of lasting significance occurring throughout the ages.

Each week brings the anniversaries of great milestones, horrid tragedies, amazing triumphs, telling tribulations, inspirational progress, and everything in between.

Here are just a few things that happened this week, Feb. 18-24, in church history. They include the introduction of the Gregorian calendar, Oscar Romero becoming Archbishop of San Salvador, and the publication of the Gutenberg Bible.

The Gregorian Calendar is Introduced – February 24, 1582

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This week marks the anniversary of when Pope Gregory XIII officially introduced the calendar that not only bears his name, but is widely used to this day.

In a Papal Bull titled Inter Gravissimas, the Gregorian calendar was introduced as a reform of the commonly used Julian calendar.

“The reason the Julian Calendar had to be replaced was the formula it used to calculate leap years. The Julian formula produced a leap year every four years, which is too many….