September 24 has witnessed many important moments in Catholic history. On this date, popes died, an important early Church council helped bring Christians in England together
Missionaries gave their lives for the faith, a Franciscan saint died, and modern popes worked for Christian unity, religious freedom and care for people in need.
September 24 is also closely connected with Our Lady of Mercy, a Marian devotion with a long history in the Catholic Church.
Here are 10 memorable and important events connected with Catholic Church history on September 24.
1. September 24, 366 – Pope Liberius Dies in Rome
Pope Liberius died on September 24, 366, after leading the Church for about fourteen years. His papacy came during a difficult argument about who Jesus Christ truly is.
The Church was fighting the teaching known as Arianism, which denied the full divinity of Jesus. Emperor Constantius II put Liberius under great pressure and even sent him away from Rome for a time.
Liberius later returned and continued serving as Bishop of Rome until his death. Vatican records list him as the 36th Pope of the Catholic Church, with his pontificate ending on September 24, 366.
2. September 24, 672 – The Synod of Hertford Helps Unite the Church in England
An important meeting of bishops known as the Synod of Hertford took place under Archbishop Theodore of Canterbury. The surviving council text gives September 24, 672, although the historian Bede placed the meeting in 673.
Bishops from different parts of Anglo-Saxon England came together to discuss how the Church should be organized. They agreed on important rules concerning bishops, Church boundaries, marriage and the celebration of Easter.
The meeting is often described as the first general council of the English Church. It helped different Christian communities in England work together more closely under one Church structure.
3. September 24, 1046 – St. Gerard of Csanád Is Martyred in Hungary
St. Gerard of Csanád was killed on September 24, 1046, during a violent uprising in Hungary. Gerard was originally from the area of Venice and became a Benedictine monk.
He later travelled to Hungary, where King St. Stephen asked him to help teach his son and spread Christianity. Gerard became the first Bishop of Csanád and worked to establish churches, schools and Christian communities.
During a revolt against Christianity, he was attacked and killed near what is now Budapest. He was later honoured as a martyr and became one of the important saints connected with the growth of Christianity in Hungary.
4. September 24, 1143 – Pope Innocent II Dies
Pope Innocent II died in Rome on September 24, 1143. Much of his papacy had been shaped by a serious division in the Church.
When he was elected pope in 1130, another group elected Anacletus II, creating two rival claimants to the papacy. Innocent had to leave Rome and seek support in other parts of Europe before eventually returning.
After the division ended, he called the Second Lateran Council in 1139, which dealt with Church discipline and helped restore order.
Innocent also took part in the work that produced the Concordat of Worms before he became pope. He served for more than thirteen years.
5. September 24, 1721 – St. Pacificus of San Severino Dies
St. Pacificus of San Severino died on September 24, 1721, in Italy. Born Carlo Antonio Divini in 1653, he lost his parents when he was young and later entered the Franciscan Order.
He became a priest and spent many years preaching, teaching and serving people in the area around San Severino. Poor health eventually limited what he could do physically, but he continued living a life of prayer and service.
He became known for deep faith and was later associated with reports of extraordinary spiritual gifts. The Church eventually declared him a saint. Vatican News remembers St. Pacificus among the saints associated with September 24.
6. September 24, 1912 – Pope St. Pius X Writes About Catholic Workers and Labour Organizations
On September 24, 1912, Pope St. Pius X issued the encyclical Singulari Quadam. The letter was mainly addressed to bishops in Germany and discussed Catholic workers and labour organizations.
At the time, Europe was changing quickly because of industrial growth, political movements and difficult conditions faced by many workers.
Pius X encouraged Catholics to work for better conditions while remaining faithful to Catholic teaching. He said social and economic questions also involved moral responsibilities, including justice and respect between different groups in society.
The document shows how the Catholic Church was trying to respond to the changing world of work in the early twentieth century.
7. September 24, 1990 – Pope John Paul II Meets the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria
On September 24, 1990, Pope St. John Paul II met Patriarch Parthenios III of Alexandria, an important leader of the Greek Orthodox Church.
The meeting took place at the papal residence in Castel Gandolfo, Italy. Catholics and Orthodox Christians share much of the same early Christian history but have been formally divided for centuries.
John Paul II strongly supported efforts to improve their relationship. Patriarch Parthenios had also been involved in official Catholic-Orthodox discussions.
Their meeting focused on prayer, dialogue and the hope that Christians separated by history could grow closer together. It was another step in John Paul II’s long work for Christian unity.
8. September 24, 2001 – Pope John Paul II Celebrates Mass With Catholics in Kazakhstan
On September 24, 2001, Pope St. John Paul II celebrated Mass with priests, religious men and women, and seminarians in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan had spent many decades under Soviet communist rule, when religious life was heavily restricted. Many Catholics living there were descendants of people who had been deported into the region.
The Pope’s visit therefore carried special meaning for a small Catholic community rebuilding its Church life after the fall of the Soviet Union.
John Paul II encouraged them to continue serving faithfully despite their small numbers. He also met people from the worlds of culture, science and education during the same day.
9. September 24, 2015 – Pope Francis Becomes the First Pope to Address the U.S. Congress
On September 24, 2015, Pope Francis addressed a joint meeting of the United States Congress in Washington, D.C. He became the first pope ever to address a joint meeting of Congress.
During the speech, he discussed human dignity, religious freedom, immigration, care for poor people, family life, the environment and the responsibility of public leaders to serve the common good.
He also spoke about four Americans whose lives he believed offered useful examples: Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton. The event took place during Francis’ first apostolic visit to the United States.
10. September 24, 2018 – Pope Francis Celebrates Mass at the Shrine of Aglona in Latvia
On September 24, 2018, Pope Francis visited Latvia during his journey through the Baltic countries. One of the day’s most important Catholic events was his Mass at the Shrine of the Mother of God in Aglona, one of Latvia’s best-known Catholic pilgrimage sites.
Francis spoke about the Virgin Mary standing close to Jesus during His suffering. He encouraged Catholics to stay close to people who are poor, rejected, lonely or suffering.
Latvia had experienced many years of Soviet rule and religious repression, so the Pope’s visit also honoured Catholics who had kept their faith alive during difficult times.
Marian Celebration – Our Lady of Mercy
September 24 is also associated with Our Lady of Mercy, sometimes called Our Lady of Ransom.
The devotion became especially connected with the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy, commonly called the Mercedarians.
The religious order was established in the Middle Ages and became known for helping Christians who had been taken captive.
The title reminds Catholics that Mary points people toward the mercy of Jesus and encourages Christians to show mercy to people who are suffering or trapped in difficult situations.
Vatican News lists the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy among the Catholic celebrations associated with September 24.
A Special September 24, 2026 Note – Archbishop Fulton Sheen
There is also something particularly important happening today, September 24, 2026.
The Vatican announced that American Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen is scheduled to be beatified today in St. Louis, Missouri, with Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle presiding on behalf of Pope Leo XIV. Sheen became internationally famous for using radio and television to teach the Catholic faith.
Because the beatification ceremony is scheduled for later today and had not yet taken place when this article was prepared, I have not counted it among the ten completed historical events above. Once the ceremony has taken place, it will become a major new September 24 event for future editions of this article.
What Can We Learn From September 24?
- September 24 shows us a Church living through difficulty, change and renewal.
- Pope Liberius experienced great pressure during arguments about Christian teaching.
- The Synod of Hertford shows the importance of Christians working together.
- St. Gerard gave his life while spreading the Gospel.
- St. Pacificus shows that sickness does not prevent a person from living a holy and useful life.
- Pope Pius X reminds us that faith must also influence the way people treat workers.
- And the meetings and journeys of modern popes remind us that Christians are called to seek unity, peace and respect for human dignity.
The message of September 24 is simple: remain faithful to God, work for unity, care for others and use whatever opportunities you have to spread the Gospel.
Subscribe to and follow our Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, X and Threads channels for Catholic Daily Readings, Reflections, Saint of the Day, Prayers, History, Motivation, Inspiration and Encouragement.
Follow @ReadingCatholic
