Wikipedia:Main Page history/2011 April 21

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Today's featured article
Royal Maundy is a religious service in the Church of England held on Maundy Thursday, the day before Good Friday. At the service, the British Monarch or a royal official ceremoniously distributes small silver coins known as "Maundy money" as symbolic alms to elderly recipients. The name "Maundy" and the ceremony itself derive from an instruction, or mandatum, of Jesus at the Last Supper that his followers should love one another. In the Middle Ages, English monarchs washed the feet of beggars in imitation of Jesus, and presented gifts and money to the poor. Over time, additional money was substituted for the clothing and other items that had once been distributed; the custom of washing the feet did not survive the 18th century. Today, Queen Elizabeth II (pictured at the 2005 service) almost always attends, and the service is held in a different church (usually a cathedral) every year. Maundy money is struck in denominations of one penny, two pence, three pence, and four pence. In most years there are fewer than 2,000 complete sets; they are highly sought after by collectors. (more...) Recently featured: Peterborough – Design 1047 battlecruiser – Doolittle Archive – By email – More featured articles...
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From Wikipedia's newest articles: ... that depictions of the Last Supper in Christian art (example pictured) date back to early Christianity and can be seen in the Catacombs of Rome? ... that Jurassic Park's discussion of chaos theory was inspired by Ivar Ekeland? ... that five-thousand types of communion tokens have been issued by Presbyterian churches? ... that the historian Josephus wrote that the Jordan River had its source in Aaiha, because of an underground stream feeding the Hasbani River? ... that one-quarter of the plant diversity of Mexico occurs in Landa de Matamoros municipality in Querétaro? ... that Fort Center may be the earliest archaeological site in Florida where maize was cultivated? ... that Dwight B. Heard is credited with making Arizona's cotton industry more competitive after becoming president of the Arizona Cotton Association? ... that "You Debt Your Life" was the second American Dad! episode to feature the story of how Roger the Alien saved Stan Smith at Area 51, the first episode having been "Roger Codger"? Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news
Syria lifts its 48-year-old state of emergency in response to anti-government protests (pictured). Goodluck Jonathan is elected President of Nigeria. Fidel Castro resigns from the Communist Party of Cuba's central committee. A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan wins the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. The National Coalition Party, led by Jyrki Katainen, win a plurality in the Finnish parliamentary election. An Egyptian court orders the dissolution of the former ruling National Democratic Party of Hosni Mubarak as part of overall political reform. Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events...
On this day...
April 21: Maundy Thursday (Christianity, 2011); Grounation Day in the Rastafari movement; First day of Ridván in the Bahá'í Faith 753 BC – Romulus and Remus founded Rome, according to the calculations by Roman scholar Varro Reatinus. 1509 – Henry VIII became King of England, following the death of his father Henry VII, eventually becoming a significant figure in the history of the English monarchy. 1863 – After the Ottoman Empire exiled him from Baghdad, Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, began his twelve-day stay in the Garden of Ridván where he declared his mission as "He whom God shall make manifest". 1960 – Brasília (Cathedral of Brasilia pictured), a planned city primarily designed by architect and urban planner Lúcio Costa, was officially inaugurated, replacing Rio de Janeiro as the capital of Brazil. 1975 – Nguyễn Văn Thiệu resigned as President of South Vietnam, and was replaced by Tran Van Huong, as communist forces closed in on victory. More anniversaries: April 20 – April 21 – April 22 Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries It is now April 21, 2011 (UTC) – Refresh this page

Today's featured picture

A panoramic view of Grote Werf, a community in the municipality of Waterland, located on the Marken peninsula in the Netherlands. Marken is a tourist attraction, well-known for its characteristic wooden houses. The island is connected to the mainland by a causeway and was a separate municipality until 1991, when it was merged into Waterland.

Photo: Massimo Catarinella

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