This Week in Christian History: Elizabeth I Crowned, Pope Returns to Rome, Catechism Published
Elizabeth I Crowned Queen of England - January 15, 1559
This week marks the anniversary of when Elizabeth I was officially crowned Queen of England at age 25, succeeding her infamous half-sister Mary I, known as "Bloody Mary" for her persecution of Protestants.
Soon after taking power, Queen Elizabeth I helped to establish the Church of England with the hopes of ending years of religious conflict between Catholics and Protestants within the nation.
"Elizabeth's religious views were remarkably tolerant for the age in which she lived. While she had her own beliefs and convictions, she also believed in tolerating the views of others, and sincerely believed that Catholics and Protestants were basically of the same faith," noted elizabethi.org.
"'There is only one Christ, Jesus, one faith' she exclaimed later in her reign, 'all else is a dispute over trifles.' She also declared that she had 'no desire to make windows into men's souls.'"