ANNUAL EVENTS & HOLIDAYS
All Saints' Day
The origins of the holiday commemorating all the saints of the church are obscure, but by the mid-eighth century, November 1st was the day to honor all known and unknown saints in the Catholic Church. In 837, its general observance was ordered by Pope Gregory IV. The date may have been selected for its coincidence with pagan observations of the harvest, including the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain and the ancient Finnish celebration of Kekri.
WHO WAS BORN
1500: Benvenuto Cellini
Cellini was a superb goldsmith and sculptor who lived life to the fullest amidst the vibrant society of the Renaissance. He produced metalwork for Pope Clement VII, Alessandro de'Medici, King Francis I of France, and Cardinal d'Este of Ferrara, nearly all of which has since been melted down. His scultpures have fared better, but he is perhaps best known for his autobiography, published more than a century after his death, which tells the incredible story of his adventures, his affairs, and his close calls with the law. Although the veracity of much of his escapades is called into question, his work nevertheless reveals an accurate portrait of life in Florence during the Renaissance.
Cellini also wrote Trattato dell'oreficeria and the Trattato della scultura, important treatises on goldsmith work and scultpure.
