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On this day, Nov. 5, in 1775 — exactly 250 years ago — Gen. George Washington put an end to anti-Catholic “Guy Fawkes Day” celebrations in the American Army. It was an important move toward combatting religious prejudice in America even before we officially declared independence.

On Nov. 5, 1605, the unfortunate “Gunpowder Plot” of a small group of upper-class English Catholics (including Guy Fawkes) failed. While the plan to blow up Parliament was undoubtedly terroristic, it is vitally important to note that the plotters appeared to have been driven into insanity by the harsh and bloody persecution of Catholics by Protestant King James I and his predecessor Elizabeth I. As awful as the plot was, it was one unsuccessful attempt balanced against hundreds if not thousands of successful killings of Catholics. Elizabeth had been particularly brutal in her attempts to impose Anglicanism on Ireland, leaving some tens of thousands of Irish dead, while up to 300 English Catholics were executed under her rule — along with Elizabeth’s Catholic cousin Mary of Scots. Indeed, Scots Catholics suffered under Elizabeth’s rule. James I sold 30,000 Irish Catholics into “indentured servitude,” which is a more flowery term for abusive slavery, in the New World. He also executed a number of English Catholics, though much fewer than Elizabeth had. This is the backdrop for “Guy Fawkes Day.”

The Gunpowder Plot was unfortunately weaponized as justification for a harsh crackdown on British Catholics. “Guy Fawkes Day” is still celebrated as a holiday in Britain, and when I visited England last year, ads for a historical event centered around the unsuccessful plot made it sound as if it were the worst terrorist plot in British history. Ironically, near the ads were massive and violent protests in London by huge numbers of Muslims in support of genocidal terrorism against Israel. Now as then, British elites fail to identify the worst threats to their society.

One man with no such inability to see through dangerous lies was George Washington. Though a devout Episcopalian, and thus a Christian in the Anglican tradition, he was remarkably free from many of the prejudices that both English and Americans of his day had — perhaps because one of his closest friends was the Irish Catholic immigrant John Fitzgerald (there is even an old tradition that Washington died a Catholic). Washington throughout his life always displayed considerable open-mindedness towards Catholics and Jews, two religious groups who were often targeted at the time, laying the groundwork for America’s religious freedom both in policy and in practice.

One way he did that was by scotching Guy Fawkes Day revels in the Revolutionary Army, which would eventually lead to the end of the anti-Catholic celebrations in America overall. On Nov. 5, 1775, George Washington heard that some of his soldiers were planning to burn an effigy of the pope, and issued the following proclamation:

As the Commander in Chief has been apprized of a design form’d for the observance of that ridiculous and childish custom of burning the Effigy of the pope–He cannot help expressing his surprise that there should be Officers and Soldiers in this army so void of common sense, as not to see the impropriety of such a step at this Juncture; at a Time when we are solliciting, and have really obtain’d, the friendship and alliance of the people of Canada, whom we ought to consider as Brethren embarked in the same Cause. The defence of the general Liberty of America: At such a juncture, and in such Circumstances, to be insulting their Religion, is so monstrous, as not to be suffered or excused; indeed instead of offering the most remote insult, it is our duty to address public thanks to these our Brethren, as to them we are so much indebted for every late happy Success over the common Enemy in Canada.

There was, of course, an element of political interest in Washington’s move, since America was hoping for the financial and military support of Catholic Spain, Canada, and France, not to mention the Irish were one of the biggest ethnic groups in the continental army. But it was more than that — Washington was explicitly condemning a long-held prejudice, a holiday with which all of those men had grown up, as “monstrous.”

He was standing up for a religion despised by many Anglo-Americans, including two large a portion of his own army and the Continental Congress, and condemning actions which were ubiquitous at the time. In doing so, Washington set a precedent for fighting against religious prejudice and encouraging political tolerance that proved so vitally important in the foundation and expansion of America. Washington would also repeatedly proclaim celebrations of St. Patrick’s Day in the army and put a stop to anti-Catholic, anti-Irish demonstrations.

Today, tragically, religious prejudice is rising again in America, particularly antisemitism, but also hatred against Catholicism and any Protestant church which does not bow to woke ideology. The only protected religion seems to be Islam, which is inherently antithetical to many of our founding principles. We would do well on this “Guy Fawkes Day” to learn a lesson from and follow the example of George Washington, prizing the religious liberty and tolerance which he fought so hard to establish.