This Day That Year

May 20

in History

Council of Nicaea Opens — Christianity defines itself for all time
Nicaea, Bithynia (modern Iznik, Turkey)Classical
325

Council of Nicaea Opens

Christianity defines itself for all time

In the lakeside city of Nicaea, Emperor Constantine the Great formally opened the first ecumenical council of the Christian Church, gathering over three hundred bishops from across the Roman world. Over two months of heated debate, they would produce the Nicene Creed -- the foundational statement of Christian belief that defined the relationship between God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit. The council's decisions shaped Christianity for seventeen centuries and still define orthodox theology today.

325 AD
Sumitranandan Pant Was Born — Hindi poetry finds its voice of nature
Kausani, Uttarakhand, IndiaEarly 20th Century
1900

Sumitranandan Pant Was Born

Hindi poetry finds its voice of nature

In the hill village of Kausani in Uttarakhand, Sumitranandan Pant was born amid the stunning beauty of the Himalayan foothills. He would grow to become one of the most celebrated poets of the Hindi language, crafting verses of exquisite lyricism inspired by nature, human beauty, and the rhythms of rural life. His romanticism and his later embrace of progressive humanism made him a towering figure in modern Hindi literature.

1900 AD
Treaty of Jeddah — By the Treaty of Jeddah, the United Kingdom recognised the sovereignty of King Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia (pictured).
Early 20th Century
1927

Treaty of Jeddah

By the Treaty of Jeddah, the United Kingdom recognised the sovereignty of King Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia (pictured).

By the Treaty of Jeddah, the United Kingdom recognised the sovereignty of King Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia (pictured) over Hejaz and Nejd, which later merged to become Saudi Arabia.

1927 AD