Famous 19th Century Spiritual & Religious Leaders

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 1 
Swami Vivekananda
(Indian Monk & Philosopher Who Introduced the Vedanta and Yoga to the Western World)
Swami Vivekananda
55
Birthdate: January 12, 1863
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Died: July 4, 1902

The founder of the Ramakrishna Mission and Ramakrishna Math, Swami Vivekananda was an Indian Hindu monk, philosopher, and spiritual leader. He is credited with introducing the Indian philosophies of Yoga and Vedanta to the Western world. He is also credited with elevating the status of Hinduism as a major religion in the modern world by raising interfaith awareness.

 2 
Sai Baba of Shirdi
(Spiritual Guru)
Sai Baba of Shirdi
18
Birthplace: India
Died: October 15, 1918

Sai Baba of Shirdi was an important and influential Indian spiritual master. Identified both as a Muslim fakir and a Hindu saint, Sai Baba's teachings are still relevant among Muslim and Hindu communities around the world. While Shri Sai remains a common name for establishments in India, his temples are also located in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Australia, and Asia.

 3 
Ramakrishna Paramhamsa
(Spiritual & Religious Leader)
Ramakrishna Paramhamsa
13
Birthdate: February 18, 1836
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Kamarpukur, West Bengal, India
Died: August 16, 1886

The widely revered Hindu religious leader and saint who had a large following was known for promoting the ancient Indian philosophy of Advaita Vedanta and Bhakti. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was a devotee of Goddess Kali who he worshipped as the universal mother. His marriage to Sharada Devi was never consummated. Swami Vivekanada was the most famous disciple of the Bengal-born mystic.

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 4 
Sri Aurobindo
(Philosopher, Spiritual Leader)
Sri Aurobindo
14
Birthdate: August 15, 1872
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Died: December 5, 1950

Sri Aurobindo was an Indian philosopher, poet, yogi, teacher, and nationalist. He was one of the most influential leaders of the Indian independence movement before becoming a spiritual reformer, focusing on spiritual evolution and human progress. He is credited with founding the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry, which continues to serve spiritual aspirants from all over the world.

Paramahansa Yogananda
9
Birthdate: January 5, 1893
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, India
Died: March 7, 1952

Paramahansa Yogananda was an Indian Hindu monk, yogi, and guru. He is known for introducing the teachings of meditation and Kriya Yoga through his organization Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF) / Yogoda Satsanga Society (YSS) of India to millions across the world. He authored the book Autobiography of a Yogi and is considered the Father of Yoga in the West.

 6 
Joseph Smith Jr.
(Religious Leader and Founder of 'Mormonism' and the Latter Day Saint Movement)
Joseph Smith Jr.
8
Birthdate: December 23, 1805
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Sharon, Vermont, United States
Died: May 27, 1844

Religious leader Joseph Smith Jr. is known as the founder of the Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint movement. He also published the Book of Mormon. He established his communities in Ohio and Missouri and eventually founded the city Nauvoo in Illinois, which became the center of his spiritual activities.

 7 
Brigham Young
(Second President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
Brigham Young
8
Birthdate: June 1, 1801
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Whitingham
Died: August 29, 1877
Brigham Young, known as the "American Moses," was the second president of the LDS Church. He founded Salt Lake City, was the first governor of the Utah Territory, and led to the formation of the University of Utah and Brigham Young University. He was a polygamist who had 55 wives.
 8 
Ibn Saud
(King of Saudi Arabia from 1932 to 1953)
Ibn Saud
5
Birthdate: January 15, 1875
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Died: November 9, 1953

Ibn Saud, or King Abdulaziz, was the founder and first monarch of Saudi Arabia. He oversaw the discovery of petroleum and the subsequent oil production in his country. He annexed the kingdoms of central and northern Arabia and ruled for over 20 years. He sired countless children, including 45 sons.

 9 
Bernadette Soubirous
(French Saint Who Received Visions from the Virgin Mary in a Cave Near Lourdes)
Bernadette Soubirous
4
Birthdate: January 7, 1844
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Lourdes, France
Died: April 16, 1879
Bernadette Soubirous grew up amidst poverty, which contributed to her ill health and her stunted frame of just over 4 feet. At 14, she had visions of the Virgin Mary, which led to the formation of the Marian shrine of Lourdes. She was declared a saint by Pope Pius XI.
 10 
Pope Pius IX
(Head of the Catholic Church from 1846 to 1878)
Pope Pius IX
4
Birthdate: May 13, 1792
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Senigallia, Italy
Died: February 7, 1878

Pope Pius IX served as the longest-tenured pope. His reign also witnessed the first Vatican Council and was thus the last pope who had control over the Papal States. He also issued the Syllabus of Errors and inspired books such as The Pope Who Would Be King by David Kertzer.

 11 
Charles Taze Russell
(Christian Restoration Minister)
Charles Taze Russell
4
Birthdate: February 16, 1852
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Allegheny, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Died: October 31, 1916

Charles Taze Russell was an American restorationist minister who is credited with founding the Bible Student movement, which formed the basis for several independent Bible Student groups. He is also credited with co-founding a not-for-profit, non-stock organization called the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, which is an important publisher of religious books in America.

 12 
Pope Leo XIII
4
Birthdate: March 2, 1810
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Carpineto Romano, Italy
Died: July 20, 1903
Pope Leo XIII is best remembered for writing the Prayer to St. Michael and his encyclicals on the Rosary, which earned him the nickname Rosary Pope. He advocated for age-old Christian ways and means and was the first pope to have no authority over the Papal States.
 13 
John Bosco
(Italian Catholic Priest Known for Educating the Poor and Founded the Education System 'Salesian Preventive System')
John Bosco
4
Birthdate: August 16, 1815
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Castelnuovo Don Bosco, Italy
Died: January 31, 1888

The founder of the Salesian Order, John Bosco, also known as Don Bosco, started his life as a priest in Turin. He began teaching young boys who came to Turin for jobs and later branched out to form a similar institution for girls too, with St. Mary Mazzarello.

 14 
Jiddu Krishnamurti
(Public Speaker & Philosopher)
Jiddu Krishnamurti
6
Birthdate: May 12, 1895
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Madanapalle
Died: February 17, 1986

Jiddu Krishnamurti was an Indian philosopher, speaker, and writer. Many years after his death, Krishnamurti's supporters oversee several schools based on his views and ideas. The Krishnamurti Foundation runs several schools in India and foreign countries. Among those who were influenced by his works were Toni Packer, Dada Dharmadhikari, and Achyut Patwardhan.

 15 
Pope Pius X
(Head of the Catholic Church from 1903 to 1914)
Pope Pius X
6
Birthdate: June 2, 1835
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Riese Pio X, Italy
Died: August 20, 1914

Pope Pius X was the head of the Catholic Church from 1903 to 1914. He is credited for initiating the preparation of the 1917 Code of Canon Law. He was vehemently opposed to modernism as a pope. He regularly gave homily sermons in the pulpit, a rare practice for popes. He was beatified in 1951 and canonized in 1954.

 16 
Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla
(Catholic Priest, Leader of the Mexican War of Independence and Recognized as the Father of the Nation)
Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla
4
Birthdate: May 8, 1753
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Pénjamo, Mexico
Died: July 30, 1811

Spanish priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla is remembered as the father of Mexican independence. During the 1808 French invasion of Spain, the Mexicans demanded independence from Spanish rule. Hidalgo’s subsequent call for revolt against the Spanish is remembered as the Cry of Dolores. He was executed by a firing squad.

 17 
13th Dalai Lama
(13th Dalai Lama of Tibet)
13th Dalai Lama
6
Birthdate: February 12, 1876
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Thakpo Langdun, Ü-Tsang, Tibet
Died: December 17, 1933
Thubten Gyatso served as the 13th Dalai Lama after he was recognized as Dalai Lama's reincarnation in 1878. A skilful politician and intellectual reformer, Gyatso is remembered for standing up against the British expedition to Tibet. He is also credited with reinstating discipline in monastic life.
 18 
Wallace Fard Muhammad
(American religious leader)
Wallace Fard Muhammad
6
Birthdate: February 26, 1877
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Died: 1934 AD

Wallace Fard Muhammad, who flounded the Nation of Islam, or Black Muslim, movement, was born in Mecca but later moved to the U.S. He mostly preached in and around Detroit and even opened the the Temple of Islam. Considered a reincarnation of Allah by his followers, he mysteriously disappeared in 1934.

 19 
Abdülmecid II
(Was the last Caliph of the Ottoman Dynasty, the only Caliph of the Republic of Turkey)
Abdülmecid II
3
Birthdate: May 29, 1868
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Beşiktaş, Turkey
Died: August 23, 1944

Abdülmecid II is remembered as the last caliph of the Ottoman dynasty of Turkey. Son of Sultan Abdulaziz, he received his education at the palace. After the deposition of his cousin and the abolition of the Sultanate, he was declared the caliph by the Turkish National Assembly.

 20 
Father Damien
(Belgian Priest Known for His Missionary Work Among the Hawaiian Lepers)
Father Damien
3
Birthdate: January 3, 1840
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Tremelo, Belgium
Died: April 15, 1889

Father Damien was a Roman Catholic priest best remembered for his ministry, which he led for people with leprosy. He is credited with building schools and hospitals to benefit those in need. After caring for those in the leper colony for 11 years, Damien contracted leprosy and succumbed to the disease. He is referred to as a martyr of charity.   

 21 
Mary MacKillop
(Australian Religious Sister Who Has Been Declared a Saint By the Catholic Church)
Mary MacKillop
3
Birthdate: January 15, 1842
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Fitzroy, Australia
Died: August 8, 1909

Mary MacKillop, the first Australian to be made a saint by the Catholic Church, was born to poor Scottish immigrants and had taken up the reins of her family at age 14. She got a pedophile priest dismissed and is thus revered as a patron saint of sexual abuse victims.

 22 
Muhammad Ahmad
(Ruler of Sudan from 1881 to 1885)
Muhammad Ahmad
3
Birthdate: August 12, 1844
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Dongola, Sudan
Died: June 22, 1885

Born to a Sudanese shipbuilder, Muhammad Ahmad grew up to become a Sufi religious leader. His war against the Ottoman-Egyptian rule and his capture of Khartoum led him to establish a vast Islamic state. Named the first Mahdi, he was one of the rare African rulers to defeat the British.

 23 
Dayanand Saraswati
(Indian Philosopher, Social Leader and Founder of the 'Arya Samaj', a Reform Movement of the Vedic Dharma)
Dayanand Saraswati
5
Birthdate: February 12, 1824
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Gujarat, India
Died: October 30, 1883

Dayananda Saraswati was an Indian social leader and philosopher. He is credited with founding an influential Hindu reform movement known as Arya Samaj. He is also credited with popularizing the term Swaraj which was used as a powerful tool by leaders like Lokmanya Tilak and Mahatma Gandhi during India’s freedom struggle. Saraswati influenced people like Bhagat Singh and Madam Cama.

 24 
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
11
Birthdate: September 1, 1896
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Kolkata
Died: November 14, 1977
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, also known as Srila Prabhupada, was born Abhay Charan De. He founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, better known as ISKCON or the Hare Krishna Movement. He renounced his family and pharmaceutical business to become a Vaishnava monk and was considered a Krishna Chaitanya messenger.
 25 
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
(Founder of Ahmadiyya Sect)
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
7
Birthdate: February 13, 1835
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Qadian
Died: May 26, 1908

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was an Indian religious leader. He is credited with founding the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, which is an Islamic revival movement. A prolific author, Ghulam Ahmad wrote over 90 books on various theological, moral, and religious subjects. He continues to be revered as a subordinate prophet by Ahmadi Muslims, which is often debated by mainstream Muslims.

 26 
Idris of Libya
(King)
Idris of Libya
3
Birthdate: March 12, 1889
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Al Jaghbub, Libya
Died: May 25, 1983
 27 
Denmark Vesey
(Early 19th Century Free Black Pastor and Community Leader Accused of Planning the 1822 Slave Revolt)
Denmark Vesey
5
Birthdate: 1767 AD
Birthplace: Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Died: July 2, 1822

Sold as a slave in childhood, Denmark Vesey adopted the surname of his master. He later purchased his freedom with the money he had won in a lottery. Earning a living as a carpenter, he simultaneously launched a slave rebellion and planned a coup but was eventually hanged to death.

 28 
Frances Xavier Cabrini
(Italian-American Catholic Religious Sister and Founder of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus)
Frances Xavier Cabrini
3
Birthdate: July 15, 1850
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Sant'Angelo Lodigiano, Italy
Died: December 22, 1917

Frances Xavier Cabrini was an Italian-American nun who founded a Catholic religious institute called the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The institute played a major role in supporting Italian immigrants to the US. In 1946, Frances Xavier Cabrini became the first American citizen to be canonized by the Roman Catholic Church.

 29 
Narayana Guru
(Spiritual Leader, Social Reformer)
Narayana Guru
3
Birthdate: August 20, 1856
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Chempazhanthy, Thiruvananthapuram, India
Died: September 20, 1928

Born in Travancore in India, Narayana Guru was the son of a teacher and studied in a gurukula. He grew up to lead a social reform movement against the caste system that he saw in erstwhile Kerala. He believed in the motto One Caste, One Religion, One God for All.

 30 
Baháʼu'lláh
(Religion Founder)
Baháʼu'lláh
4
Birthdate: November 12, 1817
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Tehrān, Iran
Died: May 29, 1892

Baháʼu'lláh was an Iranian religious leader. He is credited with founding a world religion called Baháʼí Faith, which emphasizes the spiritual unity of mankind. It is the only independent world religion of the modern age. Some of his works, such as The Book of Certitude and The Hidden Words, have been translated into more than 800 languages!

 31 
Swaminarayan
(Religious leader)
Swaminarayan
3
Birthdate: April 3, 1781
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Chhapaiya, India
Died: June 1, 1830

Swaminarayan, also known as Sahajanand Swami, was an Indian yogi and ascetic. He is credited to have revived several central Hindu practices of dharma, ahimsa, and brahmacharya. He was initiated into the tradition of Uddhav Sampradaya by his guru and later became the leader of the tradition. He also undertook reforms for women and the poor. 

 32 
Pope Pius VII
(Pope)
Pope Pius VII
3
Birthdate: August 14, 1742
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Cesena, Italy
Died: August 20, 1823
 33 
Emir Abdelkader
(Military Leader)
Emir Abdelkader
3
Birthdate: September 6, 1808
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: El Guettana, Algeria
Died: May 26, 1883
 34 
Mary Slessor
(Missionary)
Mary Slessor
4
Birthdate: December 2, 1848
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Aberdeen
Died: January 13, 1915

Born into a Scottish working-class family, Mary Slessor had grown up in the slums of Dundee and had initially been a mill worker. She later went to Nigeria as a Presbyterian missionary. She fought against the Nigerian custom of killing twins and later became the first female British Magistrate.

 35 
Joseph F. Smith
(6th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1901 - 1918))
Joseph F. Smith
3
Birthdate: November 13, 1838
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Far West, Missouri, United States
Died: November 19, 1918

Joseph F. Smith was an American political and religious leader. From 1901 to 1918, he served as the president of the Mormon Church. An influential president of the church, Joseph F. Smith's teachings were the course of study in the Church's Melchizedek priesthood classes and Sunday Relief Society for the year 2000–01.

 36 
Mary Baker Eddy
(Religious Leader)
Mary Baker Eddy
7
Birthdate: July 16, 1821
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Bow, New Hampshire, United States
Died: December 3, 1910

Born to Congregationalist parents, Mary Baker Eddy had a difficult life, from losing her brother at 20, being widowed at 22, and then surviving a divorce. Remembered as the pioneer of Christian Science, she propagated faith healing and believed the cause of all illnesses lie in the human mind.

 37 
Pope Gregory XVI
(Pope)
Pope Gregory XVI
3
Birthdate: September 18, 1765
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Belluno, Italy
Died: June 1, 1846
 38 
Cosmo Gordon Lang
(Archbishop)
Cosmo Gordon Lang
3
Birthdate: October 31, 1864
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Aberdeenshire, United Kingdom
Died: December 5, 1945
 39 
Baha'u'llah
(Religious leader)
Baha'u'llah
4
Birthdate: November 12, 1817
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Tehran, Iran
Died: May 29, 1892

Baháʼu'lláh was an Iranian religious leader. He is credited with founding a world religion called Baháʼí Faith, which emphasizes the spiritual unity of mankind. It is the only independent world religion of the modern age. Some of his works, such as The Book of Certitude and The Hidden Words, have been translated into more than 800 languages!

 40 
Joseph Smith, III
(Religious leader)
Joseph Smith, III
3
Birthdate: November 6, 1832
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Kirtland, Ohio, United States
Died: December 10, 1914

Joseph Smith III was an American religious leader best known as the son of Joseph Smith. Joseph Smith III served as the Prophet-President of the Community of Christ and presided over the church for 54 years until his death in 1914. He made immense contributions to the development of the church, which earned him the nickname, the pragmatic prophet.

 41 
The Bāb
(Religious Leaders)
The Bāb
3
Birthdate: October 20, 1819
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Shiraz, Iran
Died: July 9, 1850

The Bāb was an Iranian religious leader who is credited with founding a monotheistic religion called the Bábi Faith. He is also one of the most influential figures of the Baháʼí Faith; Baháʼu'lláh, who founded the Baháʼí Faith, was one of his ardent followers.

 42 
David O. McKay
(9th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
David O. McKay
3
Birthdate: September 8, 1873
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Huntsville, Utah, United States
Died: January 18, 1970

David O. McKay, son of Utah senate member David McKay, had been the president of the LDS Church for almost 2 decades. He had initially been a missionary in Scotland and had then been a faculty member and a principal at what is now known as the Weber State University.

 43 
Pope Leo XII
(Pope)
Pope Leo XII
3
Birthdate: August 2, 1760
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Genga, Italy
Died: February 10, 1829
 44 
Oliver Cowdery
Oliver Cowdery
3
Birthdate: October 3, 1806
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Wells
Died: March 3, 1850

Oliver Cowdery was an American religious leader who played an important role during the developmental duration of the Latter Day Saint movement in the 1830s. The first baptized Latter Day Saint, Cowdery was also the Second Elder of the church and one of the first apostles of the Latter Day Saint movement.

 45 
Nachman of Breslov
(Rabbi)
Nachman of Breslov
3
Birthdate: April 4, 1772
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Międzybóż, Kingdom of Poland
Died: October 16, 1810

Nachman of Breslov was a Polish Rabbi best remembered as the founder of the famous Breslov Hasidic movement. He managed to revive the Hasidic movement by merging in-depth Torah scholarship with the esoteric secrets of Judaism. Nachman of Breslov attracted thousands of followers and his influence continues even today through several Hasidic movements like Breslov Hasidism.

 46 
Henry Benedict Stuart
(Cardinal)
Henry Benedict Stuart
3
Birthdate: March 6, 1725
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Palazzo Muti, Rome, Italy
Died: July 13, 1807
 47 
Pope Pius VIII
(Pope)
Pope Pius VIII
3
Birthdate: November 20, 1761
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Cingoli, Italy
Died: November 30, 1830
 48 
Tenskwatawa
(Political leader)
Tenskwatawa
3
Birthdate: 1775
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Ohio, United States
Died: October 31, 1836

Tenskwatawa was a Native American political and religious leader. Remembered for changing his ways after a near-death experience, Tenskwatawa led a purification movement that condemned the consumption of alcohol and promoted unity among Native Americans. He became known as the Prophet among his ethnic group and accumulated several followers.

 49 
Samory
(Cleric)
Samory
3
Birthdate: 1830 AD
Birthplace: Beyla, Guinea
Died: June 2, 1900
 50 
Mirra Alfassa
(Spiritual Guru and Founder of ‘Sri Aurobindo Ashram’)
Mirra Alfassa
3
Birthdate: February 21, 1878
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: November 17, 1973

Mirra Alfassa was a French occultist and spiritual teacher. Alfassa, who worked closely with the Indian philosopher and yogi Sri Aurobindo, is credited with founding the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry, India. She is also credited with establishing Auroville, an experimental township in India. She serves as an inspiration to people seeking knowledge about Integral Yoga.