The Feast of St. Augustine of Hippo, 28th August [I Am Roman Catholic]

@Persephonee I will need to look into that personally, as I was never schooled in American history...but thank you, I will look into the analogy...

@Mandalorian Given their influence over the history of the Church and its development, Ss Jerome and Augustine have claim (along with all the Church Fathers) to a "founding fathers" status. They helped formulate ideas and doctrine which are pivotal today, as did those founding fathers (and a few uncredited mothers!) in the nascent United States.

And like Jerome and Augustine in particular, Jefferson and Adams who had formally had a good relationship had a huge argument (though for political reasons), but in time came to be reconciled and by their deaths were again close friends.

(And again, American civic nationalism understandably makes secular 'saints' of the country's founders, further adding to the parallels!).

@Persephonee Thank you for the insight...I look forward to researching into the parallel...

@Persephonee the same seems to be true across the entire religion spectrum, Cristianity, Hindu, Muslim and Judaism, I am not familiar with Budhism and know no one practicing that. I have heard from clergypeople(is that pc?) That their congregation sizes have plummeted.

@samueltyler2 With some exceptions, there's been a plummet, yes :(

@Persephonee congregations are just holding on financially.