June 15The Magna Carta was the "great charter" of English liberties, which the tyrannical King John I was forced by the English nobility to sign on June 15, 1215. Although this day does not appear in the official calendar of any church, it is a day of great religious significance throughout the English-speaking world. One of the 48 personal rights and liberties guaranteed by the Magna Carta was freedom of worship; in fact, the opening words of the document were, "The Church of England shall be free."
The Magna Carta is regarded as one of the most important documents in the history of political and human freedom. Although it may seem remote to Americans, who sometimes take freedom for granted, for the English this date marks the first time that the basic belief in the value of the individual was recognized by the ruling government.
CONTACTS:
British Library
96 Euston Rd.
St. Pancras
London, NW1 2DB United Kingdom
44-87-0444-1500
www.bl.uk
National Archives and Records Administration
Magna Carta online
700 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W.
Washington, DC 20408
866-272-6272 or 301-713-6800
www.archives.gov
SOURCES:
AnnivHol-2000, p. 101
DaysCustFaith-1957, p. 148
OxYear-1999, p. 250
RelHolCal-2004, p. 97