People who like American history consider it quite ironic that two of the Founding Fathers (John Adams and Thomas Jefferson) both died on July 4th. But even more of a coincidence is they died on the same day in 1826 and they had this odd “love/hate” relationship (not really hate). Martin Luther and Michelangelo both died on February 18 – Luther in 1546 and the great artist in 1564. The most striking irony is raising the money for the building of St. Peter’s Basilica is what caused Luther to question papal authority and throw gas on the burgeoning Protestant Reformation while Michelangelo was the benefactor of papal authority when he painted the Sistine Chapel in St. Peter’s Basilica.
