On this day

On this day: the independence of Greece was proclaimed, 1822; a patent for the electric lamp was taken out by Thomas A. Edison, 1879; the communist party ``Spartacus'' was formed in Berlin, 1916; the first London production of the musical show Oh, Boy! was presented as Oh, Joy!, 1919; television was first demonstrated publicly by John Logie Baird, 1926; civilian women were conscripted in Germany, 1943; the US made their first bombing raid on Germany, 1943; three US astronauts lost their lives dur ing tests in the Apollo capsule at Cape Kennedy, 1967; in Iraq, 14 men, most of them Jewish, were publicly hanged on charges of spying for Israel, 1969; a ceasefire began in Vietnam, 1973.

Today is the Feast Day of St Angela Merici, St Julian of Le Mans, St Marius or May and St Vitalian, pope.