March 23

Pope Julius III, born Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte, led the Catholic Church from 1550 to 1555. He reconvened the Council of Trent, advancing key Counter-Reformation measures. Julius III was a generous patron of architecture and painting in Rome. His papacy was marked by nepotism and controversial court intrigues. He supported scientific inquiry and correspondence with leading humanists. He died in 1555, leaving a legacy of both cultural splendor and ecclesiastical reform.

Zebi Hirsch Kaidanover emerged as a respected rabbinic authority in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Born in Lithuania, he served communities across Eastern Europe, offering guidance on halachic questions. Kaidanover authored several important texts, including legal responsa and ethical treatises that remain referenced in yeshivot. His writings reflect a deep commitment to tradition while engaging contemporary concerns of Jewish life. Through his leadership and scholarship, Kaidanover left a lasting impact on Jewish learning and communal governance.

Rafqa Pietra Choboq Ar-Rayès (1832–1914), also known as Sister Rafka, joined the Congregation of the Lebanese Maronites and dedicated her life to serving the sick and the poor in Bsharri. She founded an orphanage and taught catechism, embodying compassion and humility. Stricken by severe illness later in life, she bore her pain with unwavering faith, inspiring those around her. Canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2001, her legacy of sacrificial love continues to touch the hearts of believers. Her example remains a beacon of spiritual perseverance and devotion.

Said Nursî (1878-1960) was a prominent Kurdish Sunni Muslim scholar who authored the Risale-i Nur collection, a comprehensive Quranic commentary. He faced political scrutiny and periods of exile under both Ottoman and Turkish authorities. Through his writings, he aimed to reconcile faith and reason while addressing social and spiritual challenges of his time. His teachings fostered a renewal movement that spread across the Islamic world. Today, his works remain central to contemporary discussions on Islam and spirituality.

Moshe Feinstein was born in 1895 in Belarus and studied under leading rabbis of his time. He immigrated to the United States in 1937 and became head of the Mesivtha Tifereth Jerusalem yeshiva in New York City. Over the next five decades, Rabbi Feinstein authored the multi-volume 'Igrot Moshe', a collection of responsa addressing contemporary religious and ethical questions. His clear reasoning and compassionate rulings earned him widespread respect across Orthodox communities. Feinstein was known for balancing tradition with the realities of modern life, guiding Jews on matters from technology use to medical ethics. He passed away in 1986, leaving a towering legacy in Jewish scholarship.