Concordia Historical Institute

06/02/2026

DID YOU KNOW that Concordia Historical Institute maintains a museum of Lutheran history on-site at The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod International Center? The museum is open five days a week and tells the story of Lutheranism and the Lutheran journey to America. And it’s the perfect pitstop on your summer vacation, enriching outing with The kiddos, or whatever else might be bringing you to St. Louis this summer! Learn more and plan your visit today: https://concordiahistoricalinstitute.org/visit/international-center-museum/

06/01/2026

Today, the church commemorates Justin, martyr.

Justin (c. 100 – c. 165) was an early Christian apologist, philosopher, and martyr for the faith. A Greek, he converted to Christianity from Platonism as an adult, after which he established a school and debated with other (non-Christian) philosophers. During the reign of the emperor Marcus Aurelius (r. 161–180), Justin was reported as a Christian to the authorities by the cynic philosopher Crescens. Justin, along with six friends—two of whom were slaves he had educated—were arrested and tried for their faith. Justin was beheaded at an unknown date, the form of ex*****on used for Roman citizens, including the Apostle Paul.

Most of Justin's works are, sadly, lost to time. However, three works survive, most notably his First Apology. In the work, Justin defends the morality of the Christian life to a Roman audience, specifically, then-emperor Antoninus Pius, who was at that time persecuting Christians. The LCMS joins many other church bodies in commemorating Justin, like the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England. He is referred to as both Justin Martyr and Justin the Philosopher.

Image source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Justin_Martyr._Great_St_Mary%27s_church_in_Cambridge.jpg

05/29/2026

TODAY IN HISTORY: On May 29th, 1927, the KFUO building on the campus of Concordia Seminary in Clayton, Missouri was dedicated.

Before KFUO Radio was located on-site at The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod International Center, they recorded in the KFUO building on the campus of Concordia Seminary! The historic KFUO tower recently came down, as part of Concordia Seminary’s ongoing campus revitalization program. But never fear: For those local to the St. Louis area, KFUO remains on the airwaves thanks to a new tower, which has also put KFUO back on FM airwaves.

Read about the tower removal in the story from Reporter: https://reporter.lcms.org/2026/historic-kfuo-tower-removed-from-seminary-campus/

You can also learn lots of interesting radio tidbits from RadioWorld’s more technical coverage of KFUO’s old and new towers: https://www.radioworld.com/tech-and-gear/facilities/a-historic-tower-falls-a-new-era-begins-for-st-louis-kfuo

Click below to see a number of photos and diagrams of the building—and stop by CHI to see the original KFUO doors!

Read more about the history of KFUO on their website: https://www.kfuo.org/history/

05/28/2026

With Sunday just around the corner, here's a reminder to greet your pastor after the service and thank him for everything he does! That's what these young women are doing in the picture here from our Japan missions collection.

The caption on the back of the photo reads: "Saying 'Sayonara' gracefully to Pastor [George] Shibata at the Martin Luther Church after services." This photo was likely taken on 19 November 1950, after the church's dedication service. George Shibata was the first Japanese-American LCMS missionary to Japan.

05/27/2026

Are you a freshly-ordained pastor? Or a newly-commissioned deaconess? Then we want YOU to send us your Biographical Record! All concluding seminarians and deaconess students receive a sheet from CHI for you to fill out and return to us that includes your personal information (place of birth, family members, etc.), your educational history, your ordination date, and your current call. If you seem to have misplaced this handout, never fear—we have copies online here: https://concordiahistoricalinstitute.org/chi-publications/information-sheets/

05/26/2026

Here’s a piece of local history news you might have missed: Across the river in Nashville, Illinois, the Washington County Historical Society received a 258-year old Luther Bible back in January. The article — which includes a quote from the Rev. Heath Curtis, President of the Southern IL District - Lutheran Church Missouri Synod — indicates that the Bible will be on display on the second and fourth Sundays of every month at the county’s historical society.

We frequently receive queries from individuals with an old family Bible that they wish to donate. We are unfortunately unable to accept many of these donations due to space limitations. If you have an intriguing Bible that is of historical significance, a local historical society may also be able to receive and care for that donation!

“It really is a book of love,” Washington Co. Historical Society President Elaine Rucker said.

05/25/2026

This Memorial Day, we would like once again to share the story of Rev. Markus Ewald Lohrmann, U.S. Army captain and Lutheran chaplain who died trying to save his fellow soldiers in the Second World War.

Rev. Lohrmann was born on 26 December 1910 in Covington, Illinois, and died on 6 March 1944 in Milne Bay in Papua New Guinea; he was 33 years old. Lohrmann served in the U.S. Army during World War II in the 24th Infantry Division. The 24th arrived on Goodenough Island in early 1944, and the island served as an important medical outpost during Gen. MacArthur's "island hopping" campaign in the Pacific Theater of the war.

On March 6th, 1944, Lohrmann and the other men of the 24th Infantry Division were in a small boat off the coast of Goodenough Island when their power failed. As they began to drift closer to Japanese waters, Rev. Lohrmann and two other men volunteered to swim back to land to get help. Rev. Lohrmann did not reach land with the other two swimmers, who found the chaplain's body while swimming back to their ship. They pulled him ashore and attempted in vain to resuscitate him. They buried him on Goodenough Island, and his body was re-interred at Oakridge Cemetery in Effingham, Illinois several years later.

In 2017, Rev. Lohrmann's daughter, Marcia Luecke, travelled to Papua New Guinea to retrace her father's steps and see the site of his original grave. Marcia was only 18 months old when her father died. The story of Marcia's pilgrimage and a wonderful tribute is available at the Find a Grave memorial website for Rev. Lohrmann: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/182682512/markus-e.-lohrmann

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13

05/22/2026

Pentecost is this Sunday — take a moment to meditate on the First Reading in anticipation of this great feast of the church year. And early Pentecost blessings from all of us at CHI!

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested[a] on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:1–4)

05/21/2026

Today the church commemorates the emperor Constantine, Christian ruler, and Helena, his mother.

Emperor Constantine (c. 272–337) was the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity, and he legalized Christianity throughout the region with the Edict of Milan in 313. Previously, it was legal to persecute Roman Christians. Constantine also was involved in the Council of Nicaea (325), a council he himself summoned, which dealt with the issue of Arianism and produced the Nicene Creed.

According to the church historian Eusebius, Constantine's conversion also inspired his mother, Helena, to become Christian. Helena herself played an important role in Christian history: Deeply interested in history and the sites mentioned in the New Testament, she went on a Holy Land pilgrimage. During her time there, she identified several sites associated with Scripture, many of which are still maintained as churches and pilgrimage sites to this day. She also is said to have discovered the True Cross. Obviously, the topic of cross relics is a bit controversial—you've probably heard that Luther remarked there were enough fragments of the True Cross to build an ark (though, we haven't been able to track down the quote, so it might be apocryphal). This story, found in the Golden Legend, Eusebius, and elsewhere, though, was very influential, as you can see from the 1525 painting of Helena with the True Cross by Luther's friend Lucas Cranach.

Image source:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brosen_icon_constantine_helena.jpg
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lucas_Cranach_the_Elder_-_Saint_Helena_with_the_Cross_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg

05/20/2026

TODAY IN HISTORY: On May 20, 1979 Christ College (Irvine, California) was dedicated. The school is now known as Concordia University Irvine .

The first class at CUI was actually admitted three years earlier, in 1976. Ground was broken for the first building, The Living Learning Center, in 1975, and initially the college met in this one building. After the second and third buildings. (Founders Hall and a residential hall) were completed, the Festival Service for the Dedication of the Campus was held on this day in 1979.

The first image is an undated early photo from Christ College, and the second is the festival service bulletin from the dedication.

Any Christ College/Concordia University Irvine alumni among our CHI friends? (CHI Executive Director Dr. Harmelink is a Christ College alum!)