May 18

John I was elected bishop of Rome in August 523 and served during a turbulent period for the Church. He undertook a perilous journey to Ravenna to negotiate with Theodoric the Great for religious tolerance. During his stay, he was imprisoned due to political suspicion and died shortly after returning to Rome. His pontificate highlighted the complex relations between the Western Church and barbarian rulers. He is remembered for his pastoral care and efforts to secure rights for Catholics under Arian kings.

Stephen I served as Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 886 until his death in 893. He guided the Church through liturgical and administrative reforms under Emperor Leo VI. His tenure addressed controversies over ecclesiastical jurisdiction and monastic privileges. He convened local synods to combat heretical movements and maintain doctrinal unity. He is remembered for strengthening clerical discipline and fostering ties between the Church and the imperial court.

Minna of Worms is remembered as one of the Jewish victims of the Peoples’ Crusade massacre in May 1096. Living in the city of Worms, she faced violent attacks by crusaders targeting Jewish communities. Refusing to renounce her faith, she suffered martyrdom and became a symbol of Jewish resistance and piety. Contemporary chronicles honor her courage amid persecution. Her story highlights the tragic impact of the First Crusade on German Jewry.

Eric IX, also called Eric the Holy, ascended to the Swedish throne around 1156 and ruled until his assassination in 1160. He led a crusade to Finland, aiming to spread Christianity and secure trade routes. Chroniclers depict him as a pious ruler who enforced church laws and supported missionary work. After his death in Uppsala, he was venerated as a saint, and his shrine became a pilgrimage site. His legacy endures in Swedish national identity and religious tradition.

Nicholas Longespee served as Bishop of Salisbury from 1291 until his death in 1297. He hailed from the prominent Longespee family and managed the diocese’s vast estates and ecclesiastical affairs. During the reign of King Edward I, he played a role in both religious and political matters at court. He oversaw construction projects and supported charitable initiatives across the region. His tenure is noted for strengthening church governance and fiscal management.

Born in 1498 to the House of Guise, Jean was appointed Cardinal of Lorraine at a young age by Pope Leo X. He played a key role in French Church affairs and served as bishop in several dioceses. An influential adviser to King Francis I, he navigated the complex politics of the Italian Wars and the Reformation. Jean participated in diplomatic missions and councils, including sessions of the Council of Trent. He was a patron of the arts and helped finance the construction of churches and chapels. His tenure strengthened the political power of the Guise family within France. Cardinal Jean died in 1550, leaving behind a legacy of religious and political influence.

Jacques Marquette was born in 1637 in Laon, France, and joined the Society of Jesus before being sent to New France as a missionary. He founded missions among Native American tribes in the Great Lakes region, earning respect for his linguistic skills and diplomacy. In 1673, Marquette and Louis Jolliet embarked on an expedition that became the first European journey to map the Mississippi River north of the Gulf of Mexico. Their detailed observations paved the way for future colonization and trade routes. Marquette's journals recorded rich ethnographic and geographic information that remains valuable to historians. He aimed to spread Christianity while advocating for the protection of indigenous peoples. Marquette fell ill on the return journey and died in 1675 near the mouth of the river now named after him.

Born in Edinburgh in 1721, John Douglas became Bishop of Carlisle and later Salisbury, distinguishing himself as a learned theologian. He produced critical editions of early Christian texts, defended Anglican doctrine, and published essays on church history. His erudition earned him respect among clergy and academics across Europe. Douglas also served as a mentor to future church leaders and contributed to the intellectual life of the 18th-century Church of England. He died in 1807, leaving a body of work still referenced by scholars of ecclesiastical history and theology.

Elijah Craig was born in Virginia in 1738 and became a pioneering Baptist preacher in Pennsylvania and later Kentucky. He founded one of Kentucky's first towns and established a school for frontier families. Craig is often credited with inventing Bourbon whiskey by aging distilled corn spirit in charred oak barrels, a process that created its distinctive flavor. His distillery and ministry helped shape early American frontier culture. Craig's blend of religious leadership, education, and innovation earned him recognition as the "Father of Bourbon." He died in 1808, but his legacy endures in America's favorite spirit.