Today in History and Celebrity Birthdays

Today in History for May 8: On this date: In 615, Pope St. Boniface IV, who sanctioned moral and material improvements for the lower clergy, died.

Today in History for May 5: On this date: In 614, Persians seized Jerusalem and captured the True Holy Cross that St. Helena had placed there after finding it. It would be years before the Christians would recapture it.

Today in History for May 6: On this date: In 1491 BC, it is said Moses began his ascent up Mount Sinai and his inevitable appointment with the Lord to receive the Ten Commandments.

Today in Music History for April 26: In 1886, pioneer blues singer Gertrude "Ma" Rainey was born in Columbus, Ga., During her heyday in the 1920s, she was billed as the "Mother of the Blues" and served as a model for the more famous Bessie Smith.

Today in History for April 26: In 322, St. Basil was martyred by torture and beheading after he sheltered a young Christian woman named Glaphiga from the clutches of Roman Emperor Lucinius. In 387, St.

Celebrity Birthdays for April 26: Actress-comedian Carol Burnett is 91. Guitarist-songwriter Duane Eddy is 86. Singer Maurice Williams of Maurice and the Zodiacs is 86. Record producer/songwriter Giorgio Moroder is 84.

Today in Music History for April 25: In 1800, English poet and hymn writer William Cowper died. He wrote such enduring hymns as "God Moves in Mysterious Ways" (1774) and "There is a Fountain Filled With Blood" (1771).

Today in History for April 25: In 912, Venice was founded and its main square named after St. Mark to honour his feast day. In 1214, Louis IX, king of France and saint, was born.

Celebrity Birthdays for April 25: Actor Al Pacino is 84. Singer Michael Kennedy (born Michael Kogel) (Los Bravos) is 80. Bassist Stu Cook of Creedence Clearwater Revisited is 79. Singer Bjorn Ulvaeus of ABBA is 79. Actress Talia Shire is 79.

Today in History for April 24: In 1626, French explorer Samuel de Champlain sailed from Dieppe on his 11th voyage to Canada. In 1800, the U.S. Library of Congress was established in Washington, D.C.