December 11

Pope Damasus I, born around 305, guided the early Church through critical theological disputes. He staunchly defended the Nicene Creed against Arianism and reinforced the authority of the Roman See. Under his patronage, Jerome produced the Latin Vulgate, laying the foundation for the Western Church's biblical tradition. Damasus promoted the cult of martyrs, erecting inscriptions over their tombs and commissioning churches in Rome in their honor. His poetic epigrams on martyrs' graves and administrative reforms solidified the papacy's spiritual and institutional influence. He died in 384, leaving a lasting legacy in Christian liturgy and Church organization.

Born in 1455 in Florence, Pietro Accolti belonged to a prominent family with strong ties to the papacy. He was appointed cardinal by Pope Alexander VI in 1492, joining the College of Cardinals during a turbulent period. Accolti served as papal legate to France and Venice, negotiating delicate alliances and Church privileges. As vice-chancellor of the Holy Roman Church, he managed significant diplomatic correspondence and curial affairs. He was known for his legal expertise and involvement in early sessions of the Roman Inquisition. His career reflects the intertwining of politics, religion, and culture in Renaissance Italy until his death in 1532.

Greg Bahnsen was a leading proponent of presuppositional apologetics and a minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Born in 1948, he served as a professor of philosophy and theology, influencing a generation of evangelical scholars. He authored influential works that argued for the coherence of Christian faith as the foundation for rational thought. Bahnsen engaged in public debates defending the Christian worldview against secular philosophies. His book 'Theonomy in Christian Ethics' sparked significant discussion on moral law. He remained a respected voice in Christian apologetics until his death in 1995.

John Patrick Foley was born in 1935 in Philadelphia and was ordained a priest in 1960. He served as the first president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications from 1984 to 2007, guiding the Catholic Church's approach to media and technology. Elevated to Cardinal in 2007, Foley oversaw Vatican broadcasting services and promoted digital evangelization. He advocated for the responsible use of communication to spread the Church's message. Cardinal Foley passed away in 2011, leaving a lasting impact on religious media.

Mendel Weinbach was born in 1933 in Poland and immigrated to Israel as a child. He was ordained as a rabbi and earned recognition as a scholar of Jewish law and philosophy. In 1970, Weinbach co-founded the Ohr Somayach yeshiva in Jerusalem, pioneering outreach to students with little formal background in Torah study. He authored numerous works on Jewish ethics and Talmudic analysis. Rabbi Weinbach's teaching inspired generations of learners worldwide. He passed away in 2012, remembered for his dedication to Jewish education.