Wikipedia:Main Page history/2014 February 3

Welcome to Wikipedia,
4,440,508 articles in English

From today's featured article

The cover of Faber & Gwyer's first edition, published in 1928

"A Song for Simeon" is a 37-line poem written in 1928 by American-British poet T. S. Eliot (1888–1965). It is one of five poems that he contributed to the Ariel poems series of 38 illustrated pamphlets with holiday themes by several authors published by Faber and Gwyer and sent to the firm's clients and business acquaintances as Christmas greetings. Eliot had converted to Anglo-Catholicism in 1927 and his poetry, starting with the Ariel Poems (1927–31) and "Ash Wednesday" (1930), took on a decidedly religious character. The poem retells the story of Simeon from the Gospel of Luke. Simeon was a devout Jew told by the Holy Ghost that he would not die until he saw the Saviour of Israel. When he encounters Mary, Joseph and the infant Jesus entering the Temple of Jerusalem, he sees in the infant the Messiah promised by the Lord and asks God to permit him to "depart in peace." Eliot's poem employs references to the Nunc dimittis, a Christian liturgical prayer for Compline, and literary allusions to earlier writers Lancelot Andrewes, Dante Alighieri and St. John of the Cross. Critics have debated whether Eliot's depiction of Simeon is evidence of anti-Semitism on the poet's part. (Full article...)

Recently featured: Charlie Chaplin – USS Constellation vs La Vengeance – Jin campaigns against the Song Dynasty

Did you know...

From Wikipedia's new and recently improved content:

La Réunion battles with HMS Crescent off the Cotentin Peninsula, on 20 October 1793

In the news

Philip Seymour Hoffman

Recent deaths: Maximilian Schell Arthur Rankin, Jr. Pete Seeger

On this day...

February 3: Setsubun in Japan; Four Chaplains' Day in the United States

Wreckage of the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper

More anniversaries: February 2 February 3 February 4

It is now February 3, 2014 (UTC) – Reload this page
A color photograph of a smiling woman with blue eyes wearing a red shirt, a necklace, and pearl earrings, all in front of a grey background

The president of Washington & Jefferson College is the chief executive officer of the college, which resulted from the 1865 merger of Jefferson College and Washington College. Several early presidents of Jefferson College had close ties to John McMillan, one of the college's three founders; both his son-in-law John Watson and his nephew William McMillan served as president, and James Dunlap was one of McMillan's early students. James I. Brownson, who was a long-time pastor at the First Presbyterian Church, served two separate terms as president pro tempore, once for Washington College and later for Washington & Jefferson College. During World War II, Ralph Cooper Hutchison simultaneously served as president of the college and as Director of Civilian Defense for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In 2004, Tori Haring-Smith (pictured) became the first woman to serve as president. (Full list...)

Sainte-Enimie

Sainte-Enimie is a commune in the Lozère department in southern France. Named after a daughter of Chlothar II, who is said to have lived in the area after catching leprosy to avoid marriage, the commune has been the location of several monasteries. Tourism is now a major part of its economy, and many of the sites are religious in nature.

Photograph: Tobi 87

Other areas of Wikipedia

  • Community portal – Bulletin board, projects, resources and activities covering a wide range of Wikipedia areas.
  • Help desk – Ask questions about using Wikipedia.
  • Local embassy – For Wikipedia-related communication in languages other than English.
  • Reference desk – Serving as virtual librarians, Wikipedia volunteers tackle your questions on a wide range of subjects.
  • Site news – Announcements, updates, articles and press releases on Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation.
  • Village pump – For discussions about Wikipedia itself, including areas for technical issues and policies.

Wikipedia's sister projects

Wikipedia is hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation, a non-profit organization that also hosts a range of other projects: