February 22 is the 53rd day of the year in the
Gregorian calendar
Oldest Historical Event: 1371 –
Robert II became King of
Scotland, beginning the
Stuart dynasty.
Robert II (early 1316 – 19 April 1390) became King of Scots in 1371 as the first monarch of the
House of Stewart. He was the son of
Walter Stewart, hereditary
High Steward of Scotland and of
Marjorie Bruce, daughter of
Robert I and of his first wife
Isabella of Mar. (The marriage of princess Marjorie took place in 1315, making Robert's probable birth date early in 1316.)
Recent Historical Event: 2006 – At least six men stage
Britain's
biggest robbery ever, stealing £53m (about $92.5 million or 78€ million) from a Securitas depot in
Tonbridge,
Kent.
The
Securitas depot robbery was the largest cash
robbery in
British history, that took place on the evening of 21 February 2006 from 18:30
UTC until the early hours of 22 February. Several men abducted and threatened the family of the manager, tied up fourteen staff members and stole
£53,116,760
(about
US$92.5 million at the time of the robbery) in
bank notes from a
Securitas Cash Management Ltd depot in Vale Road,
Tonbridge,
Kent.
Oldest Recorded Birth: 1040 –
Rashi, French rabbi (d. 1105).
Shlomo Yitzhaki (
Hebrew:
רבי שלמה יצחקי) (February 22, 1040 – July 13, 1105), better known by the acronym
Rashi (
Hebrew:
רש"י,
RAbbi
SHlomo
Itzhaki), was a
medieval French rabbi famed as the author of the first comprehensive commentary on the
Talmud, as well as a
comprehensive commentary on the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible). He is considered the "father" of all commentaries that followed on the Talmud (i.e., the
Baalei Tosafot) and the Tanakh (i.e.,
Ramban,
Ibn Ezra,
Ohr HaChaim, et al.).
Recent Recorded Birth: 1990 –
Luca Profeta, Italian footballer.
Born in
Milan,
Lombardy, Profeta spent his youth career at
Internazionale, as first as a midfielder. He played from
Giovanissimi Regionali B Team to
Allievi Nazionali Team (2006–07 season). In January 2008, he was loaned to
Pro Sesto along with Fabio Perissinotto, rejoining Inter team-mate
Andrea Bavena,
Cristiano Biraghi,
Samuele Beretta, Marco Buonanno,
Nicolò De Cesare, Mattia Dell'Aera, Domenico Maiese,
Marco Puntoriere and Davide Tremolada. He then spent 2 seasons with
Serie D club
Colognese. In 2009–10 season he played 27 times.
Oldest Recorded Death: 965 –
Otto, Duke of Burgundy (b. 944)
Otto of Paris (944 – February 22, 965) was
duke of Burgundy from 956 to his death. Otto was son of
Hugh the Great, count of Paris by his wife Hedwige of Saxony, sister of
Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor, and was brother of king
Hugh I of France. He became duke through his wife
Liutgarde of Chalon, heiress of Burgundy. He had no known descendants.
Recent Recorded Death: 2007 –
George Jellicoe, Lord Privy Seal and Leader of the House of Lords &
Special Boat Service veteran
George Patrick John Rushworth Jellicoe, 2nd Earl Jellicoe,
KBE,
DSO,
MC,
PC,
FRS (4 April 1918 – 22 February 2007) was a
British politician and statesman, diplomat and businessman. Jellicoe was the only son but sixth and youngest child of
First World War naval commander, commander at the Battle of
Jutland, Admiral of the Fleet Sir
John Jellicoe, 1st Earl Jellicoe by his wife Florence Gwendoline (died 1964), second daughter of
Sir Charles Cayzer, 1st Baronet of
Gartmore,
Perthshire. George Jellicoe was one of the longest-serving parliamentarians in the world, being a member of the House of Lords for 68 years (1939–2007).
Holidays and Observances:
Celebrity Day (Church of Scientology): The
Church of Scientology is an organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the
Scientology belief system. The
Church of Scientology International is the Church of Scientology's parent organization, and is responsible for the overall ecclesiastical management, dissemination and propagation of Scientology.
Every Church of Scientology is separately incorporated and has its own local board of directors and executives responsible for its own activities and well-being, both corporate and ecclesiastical.
The first Scientology church was incorporated in December 1953 in
Camden, New Jersey, by American
science fiction author
L. Ron Hubbard. The church has been the subject of much
controversy. The church's world headquarters are located in the
Gold Base,
unincorporated Riverside County, California.
Washington's Birthday: Titled
Washington's Birthday, a federal h honoring
George Washington was originally implemented by an
Act of Congress in 1880 for government offices in the
District of Columbia (20
Stat. 277) and expanded in 1885 to include all federal offices (23
Stat. 516). As the first federal holiday to honor an American citizen, the holiday was celebrated on Washington's actual birthday, February 22.
On January 1, 1971, the federal holiday was shifted to the third Monday in February by the
Uniform Monday Holiday Act.
This date places it between February 15 and 21, which makes the name "Washington's Birthday" in some sense a misnomer, since it never lands on Washington's actual birthday, February 22.
World Thinking Day: World Thinking Day, or just
Thinking Day, is celebrated annually on February 22 by all Girl Guides and Girl Scouts around the world. It is a day when Girl Guides and Girl Scouts think about the meaning of Guiding and Scouting, its global impact and most importanly, about all of their "sisters" in all the countries of the world. Each year the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts sets a theme - an important international issue, as well as focus countries. The troops use it as an opportunity to study and appreciate other countries and cultures, and equally increase awareness and sensitivity on global concerns. Donations are collected for the Thinking Day Fund which supports projects to help Guides and Scouts around the world. February 22 was chosen as it was the
birthday of Scouting founder
Robert Baden-Powell and of
Olave Baden-Powell, his wife and World Chief Guide.
Independence Day: Representative government came about in 1924 (with universal
suffrage from 1953). From 1958 to 1962 the island was a member of the
Federation of the West Indies. Finally, on February 22, 1979,
Saint Lucia became an independent state of the
Commonwealth of Nations.
The island nation celebrates this every year with a public holiday. It is also a member of
La Francophonie.
