Wikipedia:Main Page history/2021 May 29

the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

From today's featured article

Roman statue of Isis, second century CE

The mysteries of Isis were religious initiation rites performed in the cult of the goddess Isis in the Greco-Roman world. Alluding to the worship of Isis from ancient Egyptian religion, they were modeled on other mystery rites, particularly the Eleusinian mysteries, which honored the Greek goddess Demeter. By undergoing the mystery rites, initiates signaled their dedication to Isis. Many texts from the Roman Empire refer to the Isis mysteries, but the only source to describe them is a work of fiction, the novel The Golden Ass, written in the second century by Apuleius. In it, the initiate undergoes ritual purification before descending into the innermost part of Isis's temple, where he experiences a symbolic death and rebirth and has an intense religious experience. Some aspects of the mysteries of Isis and of other mystery cults resemble elements of Christianity, but the evidence for their influence on Christianity is unclear. (Full article...)

Recently featured:

Did you know ...

Meeri Kalavainen

... that Meeri Kalavainen (pictured), Finland's first minister of culture, helped end a schism in the women's branch of the Social Democratic Party?
... that a chemical known as ROY has eleven crystalline forms, including red, orange and yellow examples?
... that Bruce Baillie's short film All My Life was shot in one continuous take?
... that Life magazine put an Amster Yard Christmas tree on their cover in 1946?
... that Republic of Ireland youth-team international footballer Jaden Charles is the son of former England international Gary Charles?
... that Gao Jiamin is commonly known as the "Queen of Taiji"?
... that Margaret Thatcher's usage of the royal we was interpreted as an example of her "pseudo-royal grandiosity"?
... that as part of a World War I patriotic fundraiser, Frederick E. Betts agreed to run in a "fat man's race"?

In the news

Naomi Mataʻafa

The district court of The Hague orders Royal Dutch Shell to cut its global carbon emissions by 45 per cent by the end of 2030.
In Mali, President Bah Ndaw, his prime minister and his defence minister are arrested by the army in a coup d'état.
A makeshift ceremony is held to swear in Naomi Mataʻafa (pictured) as Prime Minister of Samoa after she and her party are locked out of parliament.
At least fourteen people are killed in a mass shooting by the Militarized Communist Party of Peru in San Miguel del Ene.

On this day

May 29: Feast day of Saint Paul VI (Catholicism)

Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay

1233 – The Mongols entered Kaifeng after a 13-month siege and began looting the fallen capital of the Jin dynasty.
1852 – Swedish operatic soprano Jenny Lind concluded a successful concert tour of the United States under the management of showman P. T. Barnum.
1953 – The mountaineers Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay (both pictured) became the first people to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
1999 – President Olusegun Obasanjo took office as Nigeria's first elected and civilian head of state after 16 years of military rule.

Louise-Adéone Drölling (b. 1797)
G. K. Chesterton (b. 1874)
Margaret Barr (d. 1991)

More anniversaries:

Today's featured picture

This historical depiction of the coat of arms of Wisconsin was illustrated by the American engraver Henry Mitchell in State Arms of the Union, published in 1876 by Louis Prang. The symbols depicted on the shield in the center represent the changing focus of the state's economy from fur trading to lead and iron mining, agriculture, manufacturing and shipping, as well as the traditional motto of the United States, E pluribus unum. The badger depicted above the shield alludes to Wisconsin's nickname as the "Badger State", while the cornucopias in the base represent prosperity and abundance, and the lead ingots mineral wealth and the original thirteen U.S. states. Wisconsin's state motto, "Forward", appears above the design, which also features on the state flag and the state seal.

Engraving credit: Henry Mitchell; restored by Andrew Shiva

Recently featured:

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.