On This Day – July 22nd A Day of Discovery, Reflection, and Celebration

From ancient saints and scientific breakthroughs to royal milestones and astronomical wonders, July 22nd has been a day marked by transformation, exploration, and enduring legacy. Whether viewed through the lens of history, religion, or culture, this date continues to shape the world in surprising ways.

📅 Calendar Overview

Gregorian Calendar: July 22nd is the 203rd day of the year (204th in leap years), with 162 days remaining until the end of the year.
Zodiac Sign: People born on this day may fall under Cancer (up to July 22) or Leo (from July 23), depending on the year and location. It is a transitional date that bridges emotional depth and creative fire.
Seasonal Context:
- In the Northern Hemisphere, it’s the heart of summer—a time of warmth, growth, and peak daylight.
- In the Southern Hemisphere, it’s mid-winter—often cold and introspective.

🕯️ Religious & Cultural Traditions

✝️ Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene (Christianity – Western)

July 22nd is celebrated across the Catholic Church, Anglican Communion, and other Christian traditions as the Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene.
Known in the Gospels as the first witness to Jesus’ resurrection, Mary Magdalene has historically been mischaracterized, but modern interpretations honor her as a faithful disciple and early Christian leader. In 2016, Pope Francis elevated her memorial to the level of a feast day, giving her liturgical recognition on par with the apostles.

In parts of France, especially Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume, traditions include processions and masses celebrating her role in early Christianity.

🧭 Key Historical Events

🧬 1822 – Birth of Gregor Mendel, Father of Genetics

On this day, Gregor Mendel, an Augustinian friar and scientist, was born in Heinzendorf, Austrian Empire (now Czech Republic). Through his meticulous experiments with pea plants, Mendel discovered the fundamental laws of inheritance. Although unrecognized in his lifetime, his work became the foundation for modern genetics in the 20th century.

His legacy reminds us that revolutionary ideas often begin in the quiet of gardens and monasteries.

🌊 1793 – Alexander Mackenzie Reaches the Pacific Ocean

On July 22, 1793, Alexander Mackenzie became the first known European to cross North America overland from east to west, reaching the Pacific Ocean in present-day British Columbia, Canada. He carved “Alexander Mackenzie, from Canada by land, 22nd July 1793” on a rock at the site.
His journey predated Lewis and Clark by over a decade and played a key role in expanding the British colonial reach across the continent.

🌑 2009 – Longest Total Solar Eclipse of the 21st Century

This extraordinary eclipse passed over India, China, and parts of the Pacific Ocean, lasting up to 6 minutes and 39 seconds—the longest duration a total solar eclipse will have this century. Cities like Shanghai and Varanasi were plunged into sudden darkness as millions watched the rare event, blending modern fascination with ancient awe.

For many, it was a reminder of humanity’s smallness beneath the vast mechanics of the cosmos.

🏨 1946 – King David Hotel Bombing, Jerusalem

One of the most significant—and controversial—events of the British Mandate of Palestine occurred on this day in 1946. Members of the Irgun, a Zionist paramilitary group, bombed the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, which housed British administrative offices.
The attack killed 91 people, including British officials, Arabs, and Jews, and sparked intense international condemnation.

It remains a key episode in the complex path leading to the founding of the State of Israel in 1948.

👶 2013 – Birth of Prince George of Wales

Born on July 22, 2013, Prince George Alexander Louis is the eldest child of Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales. As second in line to the British throne at birth, his arrival was met with global fanfare, media coverage, and public celebration throughout the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth realms.

🎂 Famous Birthdays

🧬 Gregor Mendel (1822) – Austrian monk and pioneer of genetics.
🖼️ Edward Hopper (1882) – American realist painter best known for Nighthawks and his depictions of modern solitude.
🎬 Willem Dafoe (1955) – American actor with a wide-ranging career in films like Platoon, Spider-Man, and The Lighthouse.
🎤 Selena Gomez (1992) – American singer, actress, and mental health advocate, known for both her pop hits and acting roles.

🧠 Quote of the Day

“The value of a man resides in what he gives and not in what he is capable of receiving.”
— Albert Einstein

This quote resonates with the spirit of July 22—from Mendel’s humble scientific gifts to Mary Magdalene’s faithful witness, it’s a day that celebrates contributions over titles.

🧩 Quick Facts

Zodiac Element: Cancer (Water) or Leo (Fire), depending on birth hour.
Birthstone: Ruby – associated with passion and protection.
Flower: Larkspur – symbolizing dignity and positivity.

🧭 Why July 22nd Matters

July 22nd is a date where faith meets science, where discovery meets remembrance, and where modern milestones—like the birth of a future king—coexist with moments of global change. It is a day that encourages reflection on who we are, where we’ve been, and what we pass on.

✅ Continue the Journey
Check out more entries in the On This Day series on Earth Site to explore how every day on the calendar offers insight into the forces that shape our world.

: 1946 In 1946 the King David Hotel in Jerusalem was bombed killing 91 people. In the 6^th century the Babylonian King, Nebuchadnezzar, began conquering the Kingdom of Judah (part of what was Palestine and now Israel). The Jewish people fled the Land of Israel and began living as immigrants in foreign lands (known as “Jewish diaspora” in Yiddish). The Jewish immigrants were often persecuted by various countries throughout their history.
Palestine was conquered in 643 AD by the Islamic Empire but the majority of the population remained Christian for centuries, including throughout the crusades, until Saladin’s conquest of the land in 1187. In the 19^th Century a great number of Jews and some people of other faiths began to support the idea of the Jewish people returning home to the Holy Land, an act known as Aliyah, and the creation of a Jewish homeland once more. This movement was known as Zionism and by 1882 a large scale immigration of Jews to Palestine began. By 1840 Palestine was under the administration of Ottoman Empire and by 1917 the First World War had reached most of Palestine and the Holy City of Jerusalem. The Arabs in Palestine had already planned to start an uprising against the Ottoman Empire and the British gave assurances that they would support an uprising and guarantee the Independence of the Arabs if they were successful. British and Commonwealth forces managed to secure Jerusalem by the end of 1917 and by the 25^th of September 1918 they had freed Palestine from the Ottoman forces. However the United Kingdom did not keep its promise to the Palestinians. On the Second of November the Foreign secretary, Arthur Balfour, also promised to support a home for the Jewish people in Palestine in a letter known as the Balfour Declaration. At the end of World War I, administration of the Ottoman Empire was divided by the Allied powers and Britain received a Mandate from the league of Nations to Govern Palestine.
The Arabic people were understandably furious and the United Kingdom had to deal with several riots. More over many Zionist-Jewish-Palestinians were unhappy as they wanted a Jewish homeland of their own in Palestine. One such group was Irgun, a Zionist Paramilitary group that had been known to have carried out terrorist acts. It was believed that Amichai Paglin, head of Operations for Irgun, had been involved with several terrorist attacks on the King David Hotel, which was the base of operations for the British administration in Palestine. On the 29^th of June 1946 the British forces conducted “Operation Agatha” which involved raiding the premises of “the Jewish Agency” and Irgun to gather evidence of their involvement in terror attacks. Thousands of arrests were made and documents confiscated. The documents were taken to the British Administration headquarters at the King David Hotel. On the 22^nd of July 1946 the Irgun planted an explosive device in the basement of the hotel. A Bomb threat was called in but 91 people were killed and another 46 were injured. After World War II the United Kingdom made requests for an end to their Mandate of Palestine and the newly formed United Nations gave an order for its completion on the 14^th of May 1948. The United Nation created a partition plan for Palestine which would divide the country into an Israeli State (around 56% of the land) and the Arab State with the Holy City of Jerusalem as an international regime. This plan was agreed by the Jewish Palestinians but rejected by the Arabic Palestinians. After the UN General Assembly voted in agreement of the plans on the 30^th of November 1947 the Arab State members of the United Nations requested that the resolution go before the International Court of Justice to determine its legitimacy but their request was denied. On the day of the vote civil war broke out in Palestine.
The British Mandate of Palestine ended on the 14^th of May 1948 and on the same day the Jewish community declared their independence as a separate state of Israel. The Arab-Israeli war of 1948 began the following day as the neighbouring Arab States began to engage the Israeli military in open combat. Both Jewish and Arab Palestinians had been building forces for several years in anticipation for war and by the start Israeli forces outnumbered the Arabic Palestinians with 35,000 to 12,000 troops. After 10 months of fighting, with intermittent cease fires, the Arab-Israeli War ended on the 10^th of March 1949. The State of Israel claimed all the allocated land as proposed to them by the UN Resolution and in addition the also claimed over 60% of the land that had been allocated to the Arab State of Palestine. 700,000 Arabic Palestinians were expelled from their homes and forced to flee.