What Day Is August 16? Elvis Presley Dies and St. Roch's Feast
August 16 is the 228th day of the year. In 1977, Elvis Presley died at 42 at Graceland. In 1960, Cyprus declared independence. The Catholic Church observes the feast of St. Roch, patron against plague and epidemics.
About August 16
August 16 is the 228th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (229th in a leap year). There are 137 days remaining until the end of the year.
The significance of August 16
Elvis Presley was found unresponsive at Graceland on August 16, 1977, and was pronounced dead later that afternoon. He was 42. The cause was cardiac arrhythmia, complicated by years of prescription drug use. Elvis had transformed American popular music in the mid-1950s by bringing together country, gospel, and rhythm and blues in a style that reached across racial lines and drew enormous, sometimes hysterical, audiences. More than a million people visited Graceland in the first year after his death. The feast of St. Roch, patron of those suffering from plague and disease, falls on August 16; he is one of the most widely invoked saints in times of epidemic.
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On This Day in History
- 1960Cyprus declared independence from Britain, becoming a republic with Archbishop Makarios III as its first president.
- 1977Elvis Aaron Presley died at Graceland, Memphis, aged 42. He was found unresponsive in his bathroom; the cause was cardiac arrhythmia.
Baby Names for This Day
August 16 is the feast of St. Roch and the anniversary of Elvis's death. Names connected to this date:
- ElvisBoy
The 'King of Rock and Roll'; Elvis Presley died on August 16, 1977. The name may derive from the Old Norse Alviss, meaning 'all-wise.'
- AaronBoy
Elvis Aaron Presley's middle name; from the Hebrew, meaning 'high mountain' or the brother of Moses.
- RochBoy
St. Roch of Montpellier (c. 1295-1327), pilgrim and patron against plague; his feast is August 16.
- GracelandGirl
Elvis's Memphis estate, now a museum visited by millions; a rare but evocative place-name for a given name.
- PriscillaGirl
Priscilla Presley, Elvis's wife; also a name with deep roots in Roman Christian tradition.
- MemphisGirl
The Tennessee city where Elvis lived, recorded, and died; also the ancient Egyptian capital on the Nile.
Frequently Asked Questions
What day is August 16?add
August 16 is the day Elvis Presley died in 1977 and Cyprus became independent in 1960. The Catholic Church observes the feast of St. Roch. The 228th day of the year.
What number day of the year is August 16?add
August 16 is the 228th day of the year, or the 229th in a leap year, with 137 days remaining.
What zodiac sign is August 16?add
August 16 is Leo, which runs from July 23 to August 22.