January 17

356 Saint Anthony the Great (b. ca. 251), founder of Christian monasticism, died.

395 The Christian emperor of Rome Theodosius I (b. 11 January 347) died.

1377 Pope Gregory XI (ca. 1336–1378) moved the Papacy back to Rome from Avignon.

1463 Frederick III, the Wise, Elector of Saxony, founder of Wittenberg University and protector and secular prince of Martin Luther, was born (d. 5 May 1525).

1484 George Spalatin, German reformer, co-worker and associate of Luther, was born at Spalt, Bavaria (d. 16 January 1545, Altenburg, Saxony).

1504 Pope Pius V was born (d. 1 May 1572).

1525 The Zurich City Council arranged a public debate on the subject of infant baptism, which Huldrych Zwingli (1484–1531) mandated but Conrad Grebel and Felix Manz (among others) opposed on the grounds that baptism symbolizes a believer's commitment to Christ. Grebel and Manz were defeated and eventually killed for their views.

1562 France recognized the Huguenots under the Edict of Saint-Germain.

1789 August Neander, German theologian and church historian, was born (d. 14 July 1850).

1859 Johann Philip Koehler, professor at the Wisconsin Synod seminary in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, was born in Manitowoc, Wisconsin (d. 30 September 1951).

1927 Thomas Anthony Dooley III, Roman Catholic missionary to southeast Asia, was born in Saint Louis, Missouri (d. 18 January 1961).

1932 Charles Gore (b. 1853), Anglican bishop and leader of the Anglo-Catholic party of the English church, died.

1949 A mission survey of Mindanao Island, The Philippines, was begun by the LCMS.

1963 The Baptist World Mission was incorporated in Chicago, Illinois.

1999 Christ Assembly Lutheran Church of Philadelphia became the first African immigrant congregation in the LCMS Eastern District. Its members are primarily from Liberia.