Church Split & Freedom

On this day of July 6 in 1054, the Christian Church split apart. The four eastern patriarchates of Constantinople, Alexandria, Jerusalem, and Antioch, broke off fellowship with the one in the west, Rome.

Why? Differences over allowing clergy to marry; Rome used unleavened bread in their Eucharist. But mostly over the Latin church adding the assertion that the Holy Spirit proceeded from both Father and Son to the Nicene Creed.

And since I'm talking about the calendar, did you know that three presidents died on Independence Day? Two old friends died within hours of one another in 1826, the 2nd and 3rd presidents, both intricately involved in the Declaration of Independence - John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. Then in 1831, the 5th president, James Monroe, died. All were founding fathers of the United States.

I'm posting an art piece by John Trumball. It is the "Declaration of Independence" meant "to preserve the resemblance of the authors of this memorable act". If you see an enlargement of this picture you'd think that Jefferson is stepping on John Adam's foot. Hmmm.....