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| December 23 in recent years |
| 2013 (Monday) |
| 2012 (Sunday) |
| 2011 (Friday) |
| 2010 (Thursday) |
| 2009 (Wednesday) |
| 2008 (Tuesday) |
| 2007 (Sunday) |
| 2006 (Saturday) |
| 2005 (Friday) |
| 2004 (Thursday) |
December 23 is the 357th day of the year (358th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are eight days remaining until the end of the year.
Events
- 484 – Huneric dies and is succeeded by his nephew Gunthamund, who becomes king of the Vandals. During his reign the Catholics are free from persecutions.
- 558 – Chlothar I is crowned King of the Franks.
- 562 – Hagia Sophia in Constantinople reopened with a rebuilt dome after a series of earthquakes caused the original to collapse.
- 583 – Maya queen Yohl Ik'nal is crowned ruler of Palenque.
- 679 – King Dagobert II is murdered while hunting.
- 962 – Arab–Byzantine wars: Under the future Emperor Nicephorus Phocas, Byzantine troops storm the city of Aleppo.
- 1572 – Theologian Johann Sylvan executed in Heidelberg for his heretical Antitrinitarian beliefs.
- 1688 – As part of the Glorious Revolution, King James II of England flees from England to Paris, France after being deposed in favor of his nephew, William of Orange and his daughter Mary.
- 1783 – George Washington resigns as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army at the Maryland State House in Annapolis, Maryland.
- 1793 – The Battle of Savenay: a decisive defeat of the royalist counter-revolutionaries in War in the Vendée during the French Revolution.
- 1823 – A Visit from St. Nicholas, also known as The Night Before Christmas, is published anonymously.
- 1893 – The opera Hansel and Gretel by Engelbert Humperdinck is first performed.
- 1913 – The Federal Reserve Act is signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson, creating the Federal Reserve System.
- 1914 – World War I: Australian and New Zealand troops arrive in Cairo, Egypt.
- 1916 – World War I: Battle of Magdhaba – Allied forces defeat Turkish forces in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula.
- 1919 – Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919 becomes law in the United Kingdom.
- 1921 – Visva-Bharati University is inaugurated.
- 1936 – Colombia becomes a signatory to the Buenos Aires copyright treaty.
- 1938 – Discovery of the first modern coelacanth in South Africa.
- 1940 – World War II: Greek submarine Papanikolis (Y-2) sinks the Italian motor ship Antonietta.
- 1941 – World War II: After 15 days of fighting, the Imperial Japanese Army occupies Wake Island.
- 1947 – The transistor is first demonstrated at Bell Laboratories.
- 1948 – Seven Japanese convicted of war crimes by the International Military Tribunal for the Far East are executed at Sugamo Prison in Tokyo, Japan.
- 1954 – First successful kidney transplant is performed by J. Hartwell Harrison and Joseph Murray.
- 1958 – Dedication of Tokyo Tower, the world's highest self-supporting iron tower.
- 1968 – The 82 sailors from the USS Pueblo are released after eleven months of internment in North Korea.
- 1970 – The North Tower of the World Trade Center in Manhattan, New York, New York is topped out at 1,368 feet (417 m), making it the tallest building in the world.
- 1970 – The Democratic Republic of the Congo officially becomes a single-party state.
- 1972 – A 6.5 magnitude earthquake strikes the Nicaraguan capital of Managua killing more than 10,000.
- 1972 – The 16 survivors of the Andes flight disaster are rescued after 73 days, having survived by cannibalism.
- 1979 – Soviet war in Afghanistan: Soviet Union forces occupy Kabul, the Afghan capital.
- 1982 – The United States Environmental Protection Agency announces it has identified dangerous levels of dioxin in the soil of Times Beach, Missouri.
- 1986 – Voyager, piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager, lands at Edwards Air Force Base in California becoming the first aircraft to fly non-stop around the world without aerial or ground refueling.
- 1990 – History of Slovenia: In a referendum, 88.5% of Slovenia's overall electorate vote for independence from Yugoslavia.
- 2002 – An MQ-1 Predator is shot down by an Iraqi MiG-25.
- 2003 – PetroChina Chuandongbei natural gas field explosion, Guoqiao, Kai County, Chongqing, China, killing at least 234.
- 2007 – An agreement is made for the Kingdom of Nepal to be abolished and the country to become a federal republic with the Prime Minister becoming head of state.
- 2010 – A monsoonal trough crosses the northeastern coast of Australia from the Coral Sea, bringing mass flooding across Queensland.
Births
- 1173 – Louis I, Duke of Bavaria (d. 1231)
- 1513 – Thomas Smith, English diplomat and scholar (d. 1577)
- 1582 – Severo Bonini, Italian composer (d. 1663)
- 1597 – Martin Opitz, German poet (d. 1639)
- 1613 – Carl Gustaf Wrangel, Swedish military commander (d. 1676)
- 1621 – Heneage Finch, 1st Earl of Nottingham, English politician (d. 1682)
- 1621 – Edmund Berry Godfrey, English magistrate (d. 1678)
- 1689 – Joseph Bodin de Boismortier, French composer (d. 1755)
- 1690 – Pamheiba, Indian emperor (d. 1751)
- 1713 – Maruyama Gondazaemon, Japanese sumo wrestler, the 3rd Yokozuna (d. 1749)
- 1732 – Richard Arkwright, English businessman and inventor, invented the Water frame (d. 1792)
- 1743 – Ippolit Bogdanovich, Russian poet (d. 1803)
- 1750 – Frederick Augustus I of Saxony (d. 1827)
- 1758 – Nathan Wilson, American politician (d. 1834)
- 1777 – Alexander I of Russia (d. 1825)
- 1790 – Jean-François Champollion, French scholar, philologist, and orientalist (d. 1832)
- 1804 – Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuve, French critic (d. 1869)
- 1805 – Joseph Smith, American religious leader, founder and leader of the Latter Day Saint movement (d. 1844)
- 1812 – Samuel Smiles, Scottish author (d. 1904)
- 1819 – Jan Jakob Lodewijk ten Kate, Dutch poet and clergyman (d. 1889)
- 1822 – Wilhelm Bauer, German engineer (d. 1875)
- 1839 – János Murkovics, Slovene-Hungarian author and educator (d. 1917)
- 1843 – Richard Conner, American soldier, Medal of Honor recipient (d. 1924)
- 1854 – Henry B. Guppy, English botanist (d. 1926)
- 1864 – Princess Zorka of Montenegro (d. 1890)
- 1867 – Madam C. J. Walker, American businesswoman and philanthropist (d. 1919)
- 1874 – Viggo Wiehe, Danish actor (d. 1956)
- 1878 – Stephen Timoshenko, Ukrainian-American engineer (d. 1972)
- 1885 – Pierre Brissaud, French painter (d. 1964)
- 1896 – Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, Italian author (d. 1957)
- 1899 – Rambriksh Benipuri, Indian Hindi writer (d. 1968)
- 1900 – Otto Soglow, American cartoonist (d. 1975)
- 1902 – Norman Maclean, American author (d. 1990)
- 1902 – Charan Singh, Indian politician, 5th Prime Minister of India (d. 1987)
- 1907 – Manuel Lopes, Cape Verdean author and poet (d. 2005)
- 1907 – James Roosevelt, American soldier and politician (d. 1991)
- 1907 – Avraham Stern, Polish Zionist leader (d. 1942)
- 1908 – Yousuf Karsh, Turkish-Canadian photographer (d. 2002)
- 1910 – Kurt Meyer, German SS officer (d. 1961)
- 1911 – Niels Kaj Jerne, English-Danish immunologist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1994)
- 1911 – James Gregory, American actor (d. 2002)
- 1916 – Dino Risi, Italian director and screenwriter (d. 2008)
- 1918 – José Greco, Italian-American dancer and choreographer (d. 2000)
- 1918 – Kumar Pallana, Indian-American actor (d. 2013)
- 1918 – Helmut Schmidt, German politician, 5th Chancellor of Germany
- 1919 – Kenneth M. Taylor, American pilot (d. 2006)
- 1921 – Guy Beaulne, French Canadian actor and director (d. 2001)
- 1922 – Micheline Ostermeyer, French athlete and pianist (d. 2001)
- 1923 – Onofre Marimón, Argentine race car driver (d. 1954)
- 1923 – Günther Schifter, Austrian journalist (d. 2008)
- 1923 – James Stockdale, American admiral, Medal of Honor recipient (d. 2005)
- 1924 – Bob Kurland, American basketball player
- 1925 – Duncan Hallas, English author and politician (d. 2002)
- 1925 – Rayner Unwin, English publisher (d. 2000)
- 1926 – Robert Bly, American poet and author
- 1928 – Chronis Aidonidis, Greek singer
- 1929 – Chet Baker, American trumpet player and singer (d. 1988)
- 1929 – Dick Weber, American bowler (d. 2005)
- 1931 – Peter Lachmann, German born British immunologist
- 1931 – Ronnie Schell, American actor
- 1933 – Akihito, Japanese emperor
- 1935 – Paul Hornung, American football player
- 1935 – Abdul Ghani Minhat, Malaysian footballer (d. 2012)
- 1935 – Esther Phillips, American singer (d. 1984)
- 1936 – Frederic Forrest, American actor
- 1937 – Barney Rosenzweig, American screenwriter and producer
- 1937 – Avi, American author
- 1938 – Bob Kahn, American computer scientist and engineer, co-developed the Transmission Control Protocol
- 1939 – La Lupe, Cuban-American salsa singer (d. 1992)
- 1940 – Jorma Kaukonen, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna)
- 1940 – Robert Labine, Canadian politician
- 1940 – Eugene Record, American singer-songwriter and producer (The Chi-Lites) (d. 2005)
- 1941 – Peter Davis, English businessman
- 1941 – Tim Hardin, American singer-songwriter (d. 1980)
- 1941 – Serge Reding, Belgian weightlifter (d. 1975)
- 1942 – Quentin Bryce, Australian politician, 25th Governor-General of Australia
- 1942 – John Peterman, American businessman, founded The J. Peterman Company
- 1943 – Ron Allen, American baseball player
- 1943 – Mikhail Leonidovich Gromov, Russian-French mathematician
- 1943 – Elizabeth Hartman, American actress (d. 1987)
- 1943 – Margaret MacMillan, Canadian historian
- 1943 – Harry Shearer, American actor
- 1943 – Queen Silvia of Sweden
- 1944 – Wesley Clark, American general
- 1944 – Derek Simpson, English trade unionist
- 1945 – Adly Mansour, Interim President of Egypt
- 1945 – Geoffrey Wheatcroft, English journalist and writer
- 1946 – Edita Gruberová, Slovak soprano
- 1946 – Susan Lucci, American actress
- 1946 – John Sullivan, English screenwriter (d. 2011)
- 1946 – Ray Tabano, American musician and former Aerosmith rhythm guitarist
- 1947 – Graham Bonnet, English singer-songwriter (The Marbles, Rainbow, Anthem, and Michael Schenker Group)
- 1948 – David Davis, English politician
- 1948 – Jim Ferguson, American guitarist, composer, author, and journalist
- 1948 – Jack Ham, American football player
- 1948 – Charles Herbert, American actor
- 1949 – Adrian Belew, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (King Crimson, Tom Tom Club, and The Bears)
- 1949 – Reinhold Weege, American screenwriter and producer (d. 2012)
- 1950 – Michael C. Burgess, American politician
- 1950 – Richard Dannatt, English retired army officer
- 1950 – Vicente del Bosque, Spanish football manager and former player
- 1950 – Ilchi Lee, South Korean educator and author
- 1951 – Anthony Phillips, English guitarist and songwriter (Genesis)
- 1952 – William Kristol, American politician and journalist, founded The Weekly Standard
- 1953 – Andres Alver, Estonian architect
- 1953 – Maria Vladimirovna, Grand Duchess of Russia
- 1953 – Gerrit W. Gong, American religious leader
- 1953 – Belinda Lang, English actress
- 1954 – Raivo Järvi, Estonian politician (d. 2012)
- 1955 – Carol Ann Duffy, Scottish poet and playwright
- 1956 – Michele Alboreto, Italian race car driver (d. 2001)
- 1956 – Dale Berra, American baseball player
- 1956 – Dave Murray, English guitarist and songwriter (Iron Maiden and Urchin)
- 1957 – Dan Bigras, Canadian singer and actor
- 1957 – Trisha Goddard, English television host and actress
- 1958 – Joan Severance, American actress
- 1958 – Victoria Williams, American singer-songwriter (Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers)
- 1959 – Geoff Willis, English engineer
- 1961 – Ezzat el Kamhawi, Egyptian author
- 1961 – Carol Smillie, Scottish model and actress
- 1961 – Lorna Tolentino, Filipino actress
- 1962 – Bertrand Gachot, Belgian race car driver
- 1962 – Kang Je-gyu, South Korean director
- 1962 – Keiji Mutoh, Japanese wrestler
- 1963 – Jim Harbaugh, American football player
- 1963 – Jess Harnell, American voice actor and singer (Rock Sugar)
- 1963 – Donna Tartt, American author
- 1963 – Ante Zelck, German businessman
- 1964 – Eddie Vedder, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (Pearl Jam, Temple of the Dog, Bad Radio, and Hovercraft)
- 1966 – Badi Assad, Brazilian singer-songwriter and guitarist
- 1967 – Carla Bruni, Italian-French singer-songwriter and model
- 1967 – Tim Fountain, English playwright
- 1967 – Otis Grant, Jamaican-Canadian boxer
- 1968 – Karyn Bryant, American television host and actress
- 1968 – Quincy Jones III, English songwriter and producer
- 1968 – Manuel Rivera-Ortiz, American photographer
- 1968 – René Tretschok, German footballer
- 1968 – Lucy Bell, British-born Australian actress
- 1969 – Greg Biffle, American race car driver
- 1969 – Mary Boquitas, Mexican singer and actress
- 1969 – Martha Byrne, American actress
- 1969 – Rodney Culver, American football player (d. 1996)
- 1969 – Rob Pelinka, American basketball player, agent, and lawyer
- 1970 – Catriona Le May Doan, Canadian speed skater
- 1970 – Raymont Harris, American football player
- 1970 – Holly Samos, English radio host
- 1970 – Karine Polwart, Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist (The Burns Unit, Malinky, and The Fruit Tree Foundation)
- 1971 – Corey Haim, Canadian-American actor (d. 2010)
- 1971 – Michalis Klokidis, Greek footballer
- 1971 – Jo Johnson, English politician
- 1971 – Tara Palmer-Tomkinson, English model and author
- 1971 – Wim Vansevenant, Belgian cyclist
- 1971 – Masayoshi Yamazaki, Japanese singer-songwriter
- 1972 – Christian Potenza, Canadian actor
- 1974 – Agustín Delgado, Ecuadorian footballer
- 1974 – Mieszko Talarczyk, Polish-Swedish singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (Nasum and Genocide Superstars) (d. 2004)
- 1975 – Sky Lopez, American porn actress
- 1975 – Thanasis Sentementes, Greek footballer
- 1975 – Vadim Sharifijanov, Russian ice hockey player
- 1975 – Lady Starlight, American singer
- 1976 – Brad Lidge, American baseball player
- 1976 – Dimitris Mavrogenidis, Greek footballer
- 1976 – Jamie Noble, American wrestler and producer
- 1977 – Matt Baker, English television host
- 1977 – Alge Crumpler, American football player
- 1977 – Jari Mäenpää, Finnish singer-songwriter and guitarist (Wintersun, Ensiferum, and Arthemesia)
- 1977 – Paul Shirley, American basketball player
- 1978 – Esthero, Canadian-American singer-songwriter and producer
- 1978 – Andra Davis, American football player
- 1978 – Jodie Marsh, English model
- 1978 – Víctor Martínez, Venezuelan baseball player
- 1978 – Estella Warren, Canadian model and actress
- 1979 – Summer Altice, American model and actress
- 1979 – Scott Gomez, American ice hockey player
- 1979 – Holly Madison, American model and actress
- 1979 – Kenny Miller, Scottish footballer
- 1980 – Elvin Ng, Singaporean actor
- 1980 – Cody Ross, American baseball player
- 1981 – Beth, Spanish singer and actress
- 1981 – Maritza Correia, American swimmer
- 1981 – Yuriorkis Gamboa, Cuban boxer
- 1981 – Agnes Milowka, Polish-Australian diver, explorer, author, and photographer (d. 2011)
- 1981 – Mario Santana, Argentine footballer
- 1982 – Brad Nelson, American baseball player
- 1982 – Thomas Rohregger, Austrian cyclist
- 1983 – Michael Chopra, English footballer
- 1983 – Hanley Ramírez, Dominican baseball player
- 1983 – Carlos Jiménez, Spanish basketball player
- 1984 – Dudu Aharon, Israeli singer
- 1984 – Josh Satin, American baseball player
- 1984 – Sebastian Werle, German rugby player
- 1985 – Harry Judd, English drummer (McFly)
- 1985 – Luke O'Loughlin, Australian actor
- 1986 – Beau Champion, Australian rugby player
- 1986 – T. J. Oshie, American ice hockey player
- 1987 – Tommaso Bellazzini, Italian footballer
- 1987 – Thomas Bourgin, French motorcycle racer (b. 2013)
- 1987 – Owen Franks, New Zealand rugby player
- 1988 – Eri Kamei, Japanese singer (Morning Musume and Tanpopo)
- 1988 – Yuka Kashino, Japanese singer and dancer (Perfume)
- 1988 – Eliana Ramos, Uruguayan model (d. 2007)
- 1989 – Liis Koger, Estonian painter and poet
- 1990 – Anna Maria Perez de Taglé, American actress and singer
- 1992 – Jeff Schlupp, German footballer
Deaths
- 484 – Huneric, Vandal king
- 558 – Childebert I, King of Paris
- 668 – Mor Gabriel, Syriac bishop and saint (b. 594)
- 679 – Dagobert II, Frankish king (b. 650)
- 910 – Saint Naum, Bulgarian missionary and scholar (b. 830)
- 918 – Conrad I of Germany (b. 890)
- 1230 – Berengaria of Navarre (b. 1165)
- 1556 – Nicholas Udall, English playwright (b. 1504)
- 1568 – Roger Ascham, English educator and scholar (b. 1515)
- 1575 – Akiyama Nobutomo, Japanese military commander (b. 1531)
- 1588 – Henry I, Duke of Guise (b. 1550)
- 1631 – Michael Drayton, English poet (b. 1563)
- 1646 – François Maynard, French poet (b. 1582)
- 1652 – John Cotton, English-American minister (b. 1585)
- 1675 – Caesar, duc de Choiseul, French marshal and diplomat (b. 1602)
- 1722 – Pierre Varignon, French mathematician (b. 1654)
- 1761 – Alastair Ruadh MacDonnell, Scottish spy (b. 1725)
- 1763 – Antoine François Prévost, French author (b. 1697)
- 1771 – Marie-Marguerite d'Youville, Canadian nun and saint, founded Grey Nuns (b. 1701)
- 1779 – Augustus Hervey, 3rd Earl of Bristol, English admiral and politician (b. 1724)
- 1789 – Charles-Michel de l'Épée, French philanthropist and educator (b. 1712)
- 1795 – Henry Clinton, English general and politician (b. 1730)
- 1805 – Pehr Osbeck, Swedish explorer (b. 1723)
- 1834 – Thomas Malthus, English demographer and economist (b. 1766)
- 1846 – Jean Baptiste Bory de Saint-Vincent, French naturalist (b. 1780)
- 1884 – John Chisum, American cattle baron (b. 1824)
- 1902 – Frederick Temple, English archbishop and academic (b. 1821)
- 1912 – Otto Schoetensack, German anthropologist (b. 1850)
- 1926 – Swami Shraddhanand, Indian educator (b. 1856)
- 1931 – Wilson Bentley, American photographer (b. 1865)
- 1939 – Anthony Fokker, Dutch aircraft manufacturer, designed the Fokker Dr.I and Fokker D.VII (b. 1890)
- 1944 – Peder Lykkeberg, Danish swimmer (b. 1878)
- 1946 – Kiki Preston, American socialite (b. 1898)
- 1946 – John A. Sampson, American gynecologist (b. 1873)
- 1948 – Akira Mutō, Japanese army commander (b. 1883)
- 1948 – Hideki Tōjō, Japanese general and politician, 40th Prime Minister of Japan (b. 1884)
- 1950 – Vincenzo Tommasini, Italian composer (b. 1878)
- 1953 – Lavrentiy Beria, Soviet politician (b. 1899)
- 1954 – René Iché, French sculptor (b. 1897)
- 1961 – Carolyn Sherwin Bailey, American children's author (b. 1875)
- 1961 – Kurt Meyer, German SS officer (b. 1910)
- 1963 – Vida Hope, English film actress (b. 1918)
- 1970 – Charles Ruggles, American actor (b. 1886)
- 1970 – Aleksander Warma, Estonian military commander (b. 1890)
- 1971 – Pasha Hristova, Bulgarian singer (b. 1946)
- 1972 – Andrei Tupolev, Soviet aircraft designer, designed the Tupolev Tu-95 and Tupolev Tu-104 (b. 1888)
- 1973 – Charles Atlas, Italian-American bodybuilder (b. 1892)
- 1973 – Irna Phillips, American screenwriter, director, and producer (b. 1901)
- 1979 – Peggy Guggenheim, American art collector (b. 1898)
- 1982 – Jack Webb, American actor, producer, and director (b. 1920)
- 1983 – Colin Middleton, Irish painter and illustrator (b. 1910)
- 1984 – Joan Lindsay, Australian author (b. 1896)
- 1992 – Vincent Fourcade, French interior designer (b. 1934)
- 1992 – Eddie Hazel, American guitarist (Funkadelic and Parliament) (b. 1950)
- 1994 – Sebastian Shaw, English actor (b. 1905)
- 1995 – Patric Knowles, English actor (b. 1911)
- 1997 – Stanley Cortez, American cinematographer (b. 1908)
- 1998 – Joe Orlando, Italian-American comics writer, artist and editor (b. 1927)
- 1998 – Michelle Thomas, American actress (b. 1969)
- 2000 – Billy Barty, American actor (b. 1924)
- 2000 – Victor Borge, Danish-American comedian, conductor, and pianist (b. 1909)
- 2000 – Noor Jehan, Indian,Pakistani Singer.(b.1926)
- 2001 – Bola Ige, Nigerian lawyer and politician, Governor of Oyo State (b. 1930)
- 2004 – P. V. Narasimha Rao, Indian politician, 9th Prime Minister of India (b. 1921)
- 2005 – Lajos Baróti, Hungarian footballer and coach (b. 1914)
- 2005 – Norman D. Vaughan, American explorer (b. 1905)
- 2006 – Charlie Drake, English comedian, actor, and singer (b. 1925)
- 2006 – Timothy J. Tobias, American composer (b. 1952)
- 2006 – Johnny Vincent, English footballer (b. 1947)
- 2007 – William Francis Ganong, Jr., American physiologist (b. 1924)
- 2007 – Michael Kidd, American dancer and choreographer (b. 1915)
- 2007 – Oscar Peterson, Canadian pianist and composer (b. 1925)
- 2009 – Robert L. Howard, American soldier, Medal of Honor recipient (b. 1939)
- 2009 – Ngapoi Ngawang Jigme, Tibetan general and politician (b. 1910)
- 2009 – Edward Schillebeeckx, Belgian theologian (b. 1914)
- 2010 – K. Karunakaran, Indian politician, 7th Chief Minister of Kerala (b. 1918)
- 2010 – Fred Hargesheimer, American pilot (b. 1916)
- 2012 – Anand Abhyankar, Indian actor (b. 1963)
- 2012 – Abe Deutschendorf, American politician (b. 1935)
- 2012 – Jean Harris, American educator and murderer (b. 1923)
- 2012 – Eduardo Maiorino, Brazilian mixed martial artist (b. 1979)
- 2012 – Judy Nerat, American politician (b. 1948)
- 2012 – Pedro Toledo, Puerto Rican police officer (b. 1943)
- 2012 – Cristian Tudor, Romanian footballer (b. 1982)
- 2012 – Mike Scaccia, American musician (b. 1965)
- 2013 – Ricky Lawson, American drummer (b. 1950)
- 2013 – Mikhail Kalashnikov, Russian weapons designer, developer of the AK-47 (b. 1919)
Holidays and observances
External links
