Pope Pius V Death Anniversary

 

Pope Pius V (full name Antonio Ghislieri), who passed away on 1 May 1572, aged 68, was an Italian who rose from relatively humble origins in Lombardy to become pope in 1566 and ruled until his death in 1572.

Pius reacted against the previous excesses of earlier popes, condemning acts of nepotism and getting rid of the papal jester. His own behaviour was strict and he lived as an ascetic.

As Pope, Pius implemented the reforms of the Council of Trent, which over the previous decades has been called to address and prevent the spread of protestantism throughout Europe. Pius pursued heretics of the church relentlessly throughout his reign and excommunicate Queen Elizabeth I of England in 1570. He also oversaw the standardisation of the Roman Catholic mass in 1570, that was to remain unchanged for 400 years.

In 1571 he formed the Holy League to fight the increasing dominance of the Ottomans in the Mediterranean and its forces won the famous Battle of Lepanto later the same year.

He was canonized as a saint by Pope Clement XI in 1712.

Manna Dey's Birth Anniversary

 

Prabodh Chandra Dey, known by his stage name Manna Dey, and born on 1 May 1919, was a renowned Indian playback singer, music director, and musician. He had a classical music background, being part of the Bhendibazaar Gharana and receiving training under Ustad Aman Ali Khan. Manna Dey is widely recognized as one of the most versatile and celebrated vocalists in the Hindi film industry, and is often acknowledged for his significant contributions to integrating Indian classical music into Hindi commercial cinema. As a musician, Dey is particularly acclaimed for incorporating Indian classical music elements into a pop musical framework, a contribution that played a pivotal role during the golden era of Hindi cinema.

Throughout his career spanning over five decades, Dey recorded a total of 3,047 songs. While the majority of his songs were in Bengali and Hindi, he showcased his singing prowess in 14 other Indian languages, including Bhojpuri, Punjabi, Assamese, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, and Chhattisgarhi. His musical zenith was observed during the mid-1950s to the 1970s.

For his outstanding contributions to Indian music, Manna Dey received several prestigious accolades from the Government of India. He was honoured with the Padma Shri in 1971, followed by the Padma Bhushan in 2005 and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2007.

Penny Black - World's first adhesive postage stamp issued in 1840

 

The Penny Black was the world’s first adhesive postage stamp. It was issued by the United Kingdom on the 1 May 1840 and used from the 6 May the same year. All London post offices received official issues of the new stamps, but other offices in the country did not. Some post offices like in Bath, offered the stamp unofficially after 2 May.

Once the stamps were used, they had a red cancellation. However, it was hard to see, and it could easily be taken off. It is not very rare. The total print run was 286,700 sheets with 68,808,000 stamps. A mint condition stamp might fetch £3–4,000.

Maharashtra Day

Maharashtra Day is celebrated on May 1st every year in the state of Maharashtra to commemorate the state's formation on May 1, 1960. It is also known as Maharashtra Diwas.

Maharashtra was created when states in India were reorganized based on language. Before India gained independence from British rule in 1947, Maharashtra was part of the Bombay Presidency, including parts of present-day Pakistan and Gujarat. The British colonial government administered the Bombay Presidency. Maharashtra's formation was an important step in India's language-based state reorganization. It laid the groundwork for other states to be created based on language and helped to strengthen the cultural and linguistic identity of Marathi-speaking people.

Maharashtra Day celebrates the state's linguistic and cultural heritage. It is a day to remember those who fought for its creation and pay tribute to the leaders who led the movement for a separate state. The day is celebrated with parades, cultural events, and flag-hoisting ceremonies throughout the state. Schools and government offices remain closed, and people participate in various activities to mark the occasion.

International Labour Day

 

The workers and the working class are the driving force of a country. They are the ones who do most of the work to initiate development. The nation and the state are built by its infrastructure, development and the economy. The workers get down to the roots of things and start work at the basic level to initiate positive changes to the country and the world. Workers and the working class are extremely important as they are the backbone of a society. We should ensure that we take care of their wellbeing regularly and listen to their issues. Every year, International Labour Day is observed on May 1 to raise awareness about the struggles and the contributions of the workers and the working class to society.

History

In 1886, a large demonstration happened in America where the labours demanded eight hours of work on a daily basis. However, soon the demonstration went out of hand and in Chicago and lot of people got hurt. This incident came to be known as The Haymarket Affair. This incident marked the start of the International Labour Day. In 1889, a lot of socialist parties in Europe came together and decided to celebrate May 1 as International Labour Day. Since then, the special day has been observed every year on the same day.

Significance

International Labour Day helps us to recognise the contributions of the labours and the working class in development of the society and the country. It also urges the labours to learn about their rights. Labours are often exploited, and it is important that they know their rights to protect themselves. It also urges people to come together to develop the working and living conditions of the workers.