June 18

Elisabeth of Schönau was born around 1129 and entered the Benedictine Abbey of Schönau in the Rhineland at an early age. She became renowned for receiving mystical visions and prophecies concerning the Church and secular rulers. Her detailed visionary accounts were recorded by her brother and fellow monk, Ebbo of Schönau. She corresponded with popes and bishops, offering spiritual guidance and prophecy during times of crisis. Elisabeth’s writings had a lasting impact on medieval spirituality and visionary literature.

Christoph Scheiner (1575–1650) was a German Jesuit priest and pioneering astronomer. He made some of the earliest telescopic observations of sunspots and their movement across the solar disk. Scheiner invented the helioscope to project sunlight safely for solar observation. He engaged in a famous priority dispute with Galileo Galilei over the discovery of sunspots. His work in optics and astronomy contributed significantly to the understanding of solar phenomena. Later in life, he served as a professor of mathematics and philosophy for the Jesuit order. He left a lasting legacy as a key figure in early 17th-century astronomy.

Adam Gib (1714–1788) was a Scottish Presbyterian minister and a leading figure in the Associate Secession Church. Originally ordained in the Church of Scotland, he became a prominent opponent of patronage and state interference. Gib led the Secession Church, advocating for congregational rights and spiritual autonomy. He delivered passionate sermons and authored theological tracts on church government. Under his leadership, the Secession Church grew and established its own educational institutions. Gib's steadfast devotion to religious principles earned him both respect and controversy. He died in 1788 after a life dedicated to faith and reform.

Robert Hett Chapman was born in 1771 in New Jersey and graduated from the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University). Ordained as a Presbyterian minister, he became the second president of the University of North Carolina in 1812. Chapman focused on moral and classical education, striving to raise academic standards. After resigning in 1816, he devoted himself to missionary work among the Choctaw people in Mississippi. He traveled extensively, translating religious texts and establishing schools. Chapman died in 1833, leaving a legacy as a pioneer of higher education and frontier ministry.

Abdul Awwal Jaunpuri was born in 1867 in the region of Jaunpur, India. He emerged as a respected Islamic scholar specializing in theology and jurisprudence. Throughout his life, he authored several works on religious topics, earning recognition among scholarly circles. Jaunpuri served as a teacher and mentor, shaping the next generation of Islamic students in the subcontinent. He passed away on June 18, 1921, leaving behind a legacy of theological scholarship and educational influence.