2020 Religion & Beliefs Events — Verified Historical Highlights
2020 Religion & Beliefs Events — Verified Historical Highlights | TakeMeBack.to
- 22 Mar Pope Francis Calls for Global Prayer Against COVID-19: Pope Francis announced a special worldwide prayer service aimed at seeking an end to the coronavirus pandemic, demonstrating the global spiritual response to the crisis.
- 13 Apr Churches Defy Gathering Restrictions: Some churches proceeded with in-person Easter services despite large gathering bans and coronavirus pandemic restrictions, sparking debates about public health and religious freedom.
- 10 Jul Hagia Sophia Converted Back to Mosque: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan issued a presidential decree converting Istanbul's historic Hagia Sophia from a museum back to a mosque. This controversial decision came after a court annulled the 1934 decree that had previously transformed the iconic Byzantine basilica into a secular museum, sparking international debate about cultural heritage and religious symbolism.
- 05 Aug Foundation Stone Laid for Ram Mandir in Ayodhya: Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the 'Bhoomi Pujan' ceremony and laid the foundation stone for the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, following a landmark Supreme Court verdict that resolved a decades-long dispute over the temple's construction site. source: Wikipedia (day-month pages)
- 04 Sep Pope Benedict XVI Becomes Longest-Lived Pope: Pope Benedict XVI achieved a significant milestone by becoming the longest-lived pope in history at 93 years, four months, and 16 days, surpassing the previous record held by Pope Leo XIII, who died in 1903. source: Wikipedia (day-month pages)
- 25 Oct Pope Francis Elevates First African American Cardinal: Pope Francis announced the creation of 13 new cardinals, notably elevating Archbishop Wilton Daniel Gregory of Washington as the first African American cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church's history. The historic elevation ceremony was scheduled for November 28, 2020, marking a significant milestone for diversity and representation within the Vatican's leadership.
- 29 Nov First Black American Cardinal Elevated: Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Washington, D.C. became the first Black American to be named a cardinal, participating in a socially distanced ceremony at St. Peter's Basilica led by Pope Francis.
What happened in 2020?
Discover what the world looked like in 2020: