Though we have yet to see the weather reflect the season, we hope you’re having a wonderful start to your summer. We especially want to wish a happy Pentecost to our Orthodox brothers & sisters who commemorated this last Sunday the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles fifty days after Passover – blessings to you and your communities in your celebrations!
June 23 – For Orthodox communities observing the old calendar, today is the celebration of Pentecost! Fifty days after the Great and Holy Feast of Pascha (Easter) and ten days after the Feast of the Ascension, the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles. Moreover, the full revelation of the divine Trinity is made known: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – giving rise to the name Trinity Day in Orthodox tradition. Read more at the Orthodox Church in America website.
June 25 – Today is the 42nd birthday of the movie Blade Runner (1982). At the time of it’s debut, it was praised for its atmosphere & worldbuilding, but otherwise overlooked – Roger Ebert in both his original and 25th anniversary reviews lauded the visuals while naming it a failure in storytelling. But against all expectations, the movie found enduring appeal in its exploration of what it means to be human. Read about it in Esquire’s 40th anniversary retrospective.
June 26 – Hard though it may be to believe, the first book in the Harry Potter series – Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone – was released 27 years ago today in 1997! Re-titled for the American market as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone when it was released there the following year, the book series was no less beloved by children & adults alike and continues to be a staple in households everywhere. Read more in Vox’s 20th anniversary commentary.
June 27 – On this day in 1880, Helen Keller was born. Due to a serious fever contracted in her childhood she became unable to see or hear. With the help of a governess who suffered from partial blindness (hired by her parents at the advice of Dr. Alexander Graham Bell), she overcame her disabilities to become the first deaf & blind person to communicate effectively with those around her. She went on to graduate from college (Cum Laude!), publish 14 books, and travel the world – all in service of assisting those who were blind or deaf & blind. Read more about her at the National Women’s History Museum.
June 28 – Those who enjoy the outdoors may remember a mnemonic taught to help quickly identify edible fruits & berries: “white and yellow, kill a fellow. Purple and blue, good for you. Red… could be good, could be dead.” With the experience of so many deadly red fruits and berries, it seems understandable that tomatoes would be among those fruits that folks avoided! New Jersey legend holds that on this day in 1820, Colonel Robert Gibbon – a horticulturist – mounted the steps of the Salem courthouse to publicly demonstrate that tomatoes were safe. The rest, as they say, is history! Read about his story at the New Jersey 101.5 website.
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