October 20

Ralph d'Escures was elected Archbishop of Canterbury in 1114 after serving as Bishop of Rochester. He implemented disciplinary reforms within the English church and strengthened clerical education. He regularly corresponded with the papacy and travelled to Rome to defend Canterbury's rights. His tenure saw the consecration of several bishops and the resolution of disputes over ecclesiastical appointments. He died on October 20, 1122, leaving a legacy of administrative rigor within the English church.

Born Umberto Crivelli in Milan, he became Pope Urban III in 1185. His pontificate was dominated by disputes with Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa over church autonomy. He granted privileges to the Knights Templar and sought to support the Crusader states. Urban III's reign was short and marked by political tensions within the Papal States. He died in 1187, shortly after hearing of the fall of Jerusalem, leaving a legacy of papal resistance to imperial encroachment.

Henry Bowet served as Archbishop of York from 1407 until his death in 1423. Previously, he was a royal clerk and diplomat under King Richard II and King Henry IV. He oversaw church administration, discipline, and building projects within the York diocese. Bowet played a key role in mediating between the monarchy and the northern clergy. He died on October 20, 1423, leaving a record of steady pastoral governance.

Ambrose the Camaldulian was an Italian monk of the Camaldolese Order. He authored influential treatises on asceticism and contemplative prayer. His advocacy for monastic reform emphasized strict adherence to the Rule of St. Benedict. He played a key role in spiritual renewal movements within the 15th-century Italian church. He died in 1439, leaving a legacy of mystical theology and ecclesiastical reform.

John Ball was born in 1585 and trained at Cambridge University, where he embraced Puritan Calvinist theology. He was ordained in the Church of England and served as a parish clergyman in various counties. Ball contributed to theological debates through published sermons and treatises defending Protestant doctrines. His works addressed issues such as predestination, church reform, and moral conduct. Ball's ministry and writings influenced English Puritan thought on the eve of the English Civil War.