(Fox News) – Turkey officials found an ancient Bible believed to be 1,200 years
old in a dramatic operation.  

The ancient text is in a frail condition, made of leather with gold lettering, and religious symbols and motifs appear on the pages. The Bible is 34 pages long
and has a cross and a star of David inside the book.

According to a Turkey news station, police recovered the ancient Bible as part
of an anti-smuggling operation on Monday in the city of Kayapınar, hours away from Syria. Police say three suspects were caught while trying to sell it in a
shoe store (below).

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ROSS SIMPSON

On this day in 1831, Charles Darwin (above) set out on a
voyage to the Pacific aboard the HMS Beagle. Darwin’s
discoveries during the voyage helped him form the basis
of his theories on evolution.

The British naval vessel HMS Beagle.

James Barrie’s play "Peter Pan" premiered in London
on this day in 1904.

Sir James Matthew Barrie, 1st Baronet (May 9, 1860 – June 19, 1937)  

Historical newspaper report on “Peter Pan”.

Peter Pan statue by Sir George Frampton in Kensington
Gardens, London.

SANDY KOZEL

Apollo 8 astronauts, James A. Lovell, William Anders and Frank 
Borman, reached the moon on this day in 1968. They orbited the 
moon 10 times before coming back to Earth. Seven months later 
man first landed on the moon.

Apollo 8 crew members (from left) James A. Lovell Jr., William A.
Anders and Frank Borman.

ROSS SIMPSON

The poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas" by Clement C. Moore (" ‘Twas
the night before Christmas…") was published on this day in 1823.

ROSS SIMPSON

On this day in 1978, Cult leader Jim Jones and hundreds of his
followers died in a mass murder-suicide in Jonestown, Guyana
in South America. It was the largest mass suicide in modern
history and resulted in the largest single loss of American
civilian life in a non-natural disaster until September 11, 2001.

Shown are bodies of members of the Peoples Temple who died
after their leader Jim Jones ordered them to drink Flav-R-Aid
laced with cyanide. 

Congressman Leo Ryan (above) was among five killed by Temple members at the nearby Port Kaituma airstrip (below).

The first successful sound-synchronized animated cartoon premiered
in New York on this day in 1928. It was Walt Disney’s "Steamboat
Willie," starring Mickey Mouse.

Walt Disney drawing “Steamboat Willie”.