May 26

Elected in 1523, Clement VII navigated political alliances amid rising religious dissent. He faced the sack of Rome in 1527 and complex relations with Emperor Charles V and King Henry VIII. His refusal to annul Henry's marriage contributed to the English Reformation. Clement's papacy saw challenges to papal authority and efforts at church reform. He patronized the arts and sought to strengthen the Vatican's spiritual and temporal influence. His decisions had lasting impacts on European politics and religion.

Born into Saxon nobility, Zinzendorf offered asylum on his estates to Moravian refugees, leading to the founding of the Herrnhut community in 1722. He organized the Renewed Moravian Church, emphasizing personal piety, ecumenism, and global missions. Zinzendorf traveled extensively to promote missionary work in the Caribbean, North America, and Africa. His writings on ecclesiology and hymnody influenced Protestant worship practices. Beatified by the Catholic Church, he is remembered for his visionary leadership and dedication to Christian unity. His reforms impacted evangelical movements across Europe.