November 06

Giovanni Sicco, known as Pope John XVII, led the Catholic Church from May to November 1003. Elected amid the power struggles of the Crescentii family, his pontificate lasted only four months. He worked to assert papal authority against Roman nobles and maintained traditional liturgical practices. Supported by Emperor Otto III, he sought to stabilize relations between the papacy and the imperial court. Though his reign was short, he continued clerical reforms and defended the church’s independence. His sudden death in November marked the end of a pontificate remembered for its brief assertion of papal autonomy.

Born in 1242 near Cologne, Christina von Stommeln reported mystical visions from childhood and bore the wounds of the stigmata for decades. She became associated with the Dominican convent of Stommeln and maintained a spiritual friendship with lay mystic Gerlach. Her life inspired religious followers and drew attention for her intense devotional practices. She corresponded with other mystics and was renowned for her deep contemplative prayer. Although she never took formal vows, her holiness was celebrated by contemporaries and later generations. Her writings and biographical accounts offer insight into medieval German mysticism and the role of women in the spiritual landscape of her time.

Born Cosimo de' Migliorati in 1339, he was elected Pope Innocent VII in 1404 during the Western Schism. His pontificate was marked by conflict with the Colonna and Orsini families and efforts to heal the church's divisions. He faced military challenges and negotiated with rival claimants in Avignon to assert his authority. Innocent VII convened councils and sought support from secular rulers to stabilize his reign. His brief two-year papacy included attempts at reforming curial finances and addressing clerical abuses. He died in Anagni in 1406, leaving a contested legacy amid one of the church's most turbulent periods.

Ralph Erskine was born in 1685 and became a prominent Scottish minister known for his passionate preaching and commitment to evangelical principles. After training in Edinburgh, he served congregations in Scotland before accepting invitations to minister to Scottish communities in London and later Sweden. In Sweden, he helped establish Presbyterian congregations and maintained close ties with the British expatriate community. Erskine's writings and sermons emphasized pastoral care, community living, and personal holiness. He navigated church controversies of his time while advocating for scriptural preaching and lay involvement. His ministry left a lasting impact on Presbyterianism both in Britain and abroad.