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Today's featured article The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Holy Virgin Mary is a neo-Gothic church that serves as the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Moscow. Located in the Central Administrative Okrug, it is one of only two Catholic churches in Moscow and the largest in Russia. The construction of the cathedral was proposed by the Czarist government in 1894. Groundbreaking was in 1899; construction work began in 1901 and was completed ten years later. Three-aisled and built from red brick, the cathedral is based on a design by architect Tomasz Bohdanowicz-Dworzecki. The style was influenced by Westminster Abbey and Milan Cathedral. With the help of funds from Catholic parishes in Russia and its neighbouring states, the church was consecrated as a chapel for Moscow's Polish parish in 1911. In the aftermath of the Russian Revolution, to promote state atheism, the government ordered many churches closed; the cathedral was closed in 1938. During World War II, it was threatened with demolition, and was used after the war for civil purposes, as a warehouse and then a hostel. In 1996, following the fall of communism, it once again became a church, and in 2002 it was elevated to the status of cathedral. Following an extensive and costly program of reconstruction and refurbishment, the cathedral was reconsecrated in 2005. (more...) Recently featured: William Walton – Court of Chancery – Hurricane Eloise Did you know... From Wikipedia's newest content: ... that the skull thought for almost 200 years to belong to the revered poet Friedrich Schiller (pictured) was shown to be someone else's in 2008? ... that in vocabulary development from age six to eight, the average child in school is learning six to seven words per day? ... that before being forced to resign from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1987 for homosexuality, Joseph Steffan sang the U.S. National Anthem at two Army–Navy games? ... that the shelling of Stepanakert, during the Nagorno-Karabakh War, caused mass casualties and widespread damage? ... that Ali al-Sulayhi, originally an Ismaili missionary, brought all of Yemen under the control of his Sulayhid dynasty before capturing Mecca in 1063? ... that the 1880 Michigan football team played its only game in a foreign country and at a lacrosse club?

In the news The fourth BRICS summit is held in New Delhi. The Deepsea Challenger completes the first solo voyage to reach the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, the deepest point on Earth. Macky Sall (pictured) is elected President of Senegal. The African Union suspends Mali after President Amadou Toumani Touré is ousted in a coup d'état. The Mahon Tribunal into political corruption in Ireland concludes with findings against high-profile politicians, including two former Taoisigh. Mohammed Merah, the suspect in a series of fatal shootings in southern France, is killed during a police siege. On this day... March 30: Land Day (Palestinians) 1282 – Sicilians began to rebel against the rule of the Angevin King Charles I of Naples, starting the War of the Sicilian Vespers. 1842 – American physician Crawford Long (pictured) became the first person to use diethyl ether as an anesthetic in a surgical procedure. 1918 – Bolshevik and Dashnak forces suppressed a Muslim revolt in Baku, Azerbaijan, resulting up to 30,000 deaths. 1954 – The Yonge–University–Spadina line, the first subway in Canada and the busiest in Toronto, opened. 1981 – Trying to impress actress Jodie Foster, obsessed fan John Hinckley, Jr. shot and wounded U.S. President Ronald Reagan and three others outside the Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. 2009 – Twelve gunmen attacked the Manawan Police Training School in Lahore, Pakistan, and held it for several hours before security forces could retake it. More anniversaries: March 29 – March 30 – March 31 It is now March 30, 2012 (UTC) – Refresh this page

Today's featured picture Messier 81, also known as NGC 3031 or Bode's Galaxy, is a spiral galaxy about 12 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Ursa Major. Due to its relative proximity, large size and active galactic nucleus, Messier 81 has been studied extensively by professional astronomers. Its relatively high brightness also makes it a popular target for amateur astronomers. Photo: NASA, ESA, STScI/AURA Recently featured: Giant spider conch – Space Shuttle Atlantis launch video – Southern Red Bishop

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