December 7

Solomon Schechter, later renowned for recovering the Cairo Geniza manuscripts, was born in Focsani, Moldavia.

Marcus Tullius Cicero, the orator and philosopher who carried Greek thought into Latin prose, died in the triumviral proscriptions of 43 BCE.

Ambrose, acclaimed by the people of Milan while still unbaptized, was consecrated its bishop and became a leading voice of the Latin Church.

Henepola Gunaratana, the Sri Lankan monk and author of the meditation guide 'Mindfulness in Plain English,' was born on this day in 1927.

Apollo 17, the final crewed mission of the Apollo program, lifted off from Kennedy Space Center in the program's first night launch, carrying the last astronauts bound for the Moon.