December 20
Overview
Holidays & Observances
Abolition of Slavery Day, also known asFête des Cafres(Réunion,French Guiana)
A commemorative day marking the end of slavery in Réunion and French Guiana, celebrated as Fête des Cafres.
Bo Aung Kyaw Day(Myanmar)
A national observance in Myanmar honoring Bo Aung Kyaw, a student activist and martyr whose sacrifice inspired the struggle for independence.
Christianfeast day:
Dominic of Silos, O Clavis, Ursicinus of Saint-Ursanne, Katharina von Bora(Lutheran), December 20 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
A day in many Christian traditions dedicated to the remembrance of saints Dominic of Silos, Ursicinus of Saint-Ursanne and Katharina von Bora, as well as the Advent antiphon 'O Clavis'.
Earliest date forWinter solstice's eve (Northern Hemisphere), and its related observances:
Yaldā(Iran)
Winter Solstice Eve, celebrated as Yaldā in Iran, marks the longest night of the year with gatherings of family, poetry readings and festive treats.
International Human Solidarity Day(International)
A UN-designated day promoting unity and collective responsibility to achieve sustainable development and poverty eradication worldwide.
Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day(Macau)
A public holiday in Macau commemorating the region’s handover from Portugal to China and its establishment as a Special Administrative Region.
Dominic of Silos
Feast day honoring Saint Dominic of Silos, the medieval Spanish abbot known for monastic reform and artistic patronage.
O Clavis
The Advent antiphon 'O Clavis David' is sung on December 20, invoking Christ as the Key of David to open the gates of mercy.
Ursicinus of Saint-Ursanne
Feast day honoring Saint Ursicinus of Saint-Ursanne, an Irish missionary who founded a hermitage in Swiss Jura and is revered as a patron of solitude.
Events
Antonius Primus enters Rome to claim the title of Emperor for Nero's former general Vespasian.
General Antonius Primus marched into Rome in AD 69 to secure the imperial throne for Vespasian following Nero's downfall.
Richard I of England is captured and imprisoned by Leopold V of Austria on his way home to England after the Third Crusade.
King Richard I of England was ambushed and taken prisoner by Leopold V of Austria on December 20, 1192, as he traveled home from the Third Crusade.
Cardinal Jacques Fournier, a Cistercian monk, is elected Pope Benedict XII.
Cardinal Jacques Fournier was elected Pope Benedict XII on December 20, 1334, marking his ascent to the Avignon papacy.
The Louisiana Purchase is completed at a ceremony in New Orleans.
The United States formally took possession of the vast Louisiana Territory from France in a ceremony held in New Orleans on December 20, 1803.
Peninsular War: The Siege of Zaragoza begins.
On December 20, 1808, French forces commenced the brutal Siege of Zaragoza during the Peninsular War against Napoleon's occupation.
HMS Clio under the command of Captain Onslow arrives at Port Egmont under orders to take possession of the Falkland Islands.
HMS Clio arrived at Port Egmont on December 20, 1832, to reassert British sovereignty over the Falkland Islands.
French presidential election: Having won the popular vote in a landslide, Louis Napoleon Bonaparte is inaugurated in the chamber of the National Assembly as the first (and only) president of the French Second Republic.
Louis Napoleon Bonaparte was inaugurated as the first President of the French Second Republic on December 20, 1848.
South Carolina becomes the first state to attempt to secede from the United States with the South Carolina Declaration of Secession.
South Carolina became the first state to secede from the United States on December 20, 1860, issuing its Declaration of Secession.
World War I: The last Australian troops are evacuated from Gallipoli.
The last Australian troops evacuated from Gallipoli on December 20, 1915, culminating their campaign in World War I.
Births
Oronce Finé
French Renaissance mathematician and mapmaker known for his innovative cartographic designs.
Joseph ha-Kohen
Jewish Renaissance physician and historian renowned for his compendium of Jewish suffering.
John III
King of Sweden from 1568 to 1592, known for his religious reforms and cultural patronage.
John Sarkander
Moravian Catholic priest canonized for his steadfast faith and martyrdom under torture.
Veit Ludwig von Seckendorff
German jurist and statesman who pioneered concepts of modern public administration.
Pieter de Hooch
Dutch Golden Age painter famed for his serene and luminous domestic interior scenes.
Urban Hjärne
Swedish polymath who advanced early modern chemistry, geology, and medicine.
Arthur Lee
Revolutionary-era American physician turned diplomat instrumental in early U.S. foreign affairs.
Pietro Raimondi
Italian composer celebrated for intricate contrapuntal and multi-choral masterpieces.
Deaths
Titus Flavius Sabinus
Roman consul, general, and brother of Emperor Vespasian, known for his service during the tumultuous Year of the Four Emperors.
Zephyrinus
Seventh bishop of Rome from 199 to 217, who guided the early Church through theological debates and growth.
Alfonso III
King of Asturias from 866 to 910, known as “the Great” for expanding Christian territories and fostering cultural revival.
Fujiwara no Kanemichi
Heian period court noble and regent of Japan who led the powerful Fujiwara clan and shaped imperial politics.
Margaret of Provence
Queen consort of France as the wife of King Louis IX, admired for her piety, cultural patronage, and leadership during the Crusades.
Peter of Moscow
Metropolitan of Kiev and all Rus’ from 1308 to 1326 who elevated Moscow’s ecclesiastical status and church organization.
John I
Young duke of Upper Bavaria from 1339 until his untimely death, remembered for the dynastic conflicts of his era.
Stefan Dušan
Emperor of Serbia from 1331 to 1355, under whom Serbia reached its territorial zenith and codified its laws.
Johannes Lupi
Flemish Renaissance composer celebrated for his expressive sacred motets and secular chansons.