January 1st is the New Year for so many nations, but it wasn’t always that way. In fact, at one point in time January did not exist.
What You Didn’t Know…
New Year
January 1st is the New Year for so many nations, but it wasn’t always that way. In fact, at one point in time January did not exist. Let’s start from the beginning. Exodus 12:2 marks March as the first month of the year. And after that mark March was the first month for every nation. There were no New Years celebrations. Once March came in it was like any other day. Months and seasons were used for agriculture (and still is). The months and seasons determined which seeds were to be planted and which crops were to be harvested. The earliest festivals to honor the new year was back in ancient Babylon. They celebrated Akitu which was celebrated in mid-March. In 153 B.C. Julius Caesar decided he needed to change the calendar once again (the second king of Rome, Numa Pontilius added January and February to the year.) King Caesar decided January 1 needs to be the first month and not March. During this time most of the New Year celebrations involved worshiping and celebrating many gods and goddesses so some Christians changed their New years to March 25. Others to December 25 and Jews and Muslims changed theirs to autumn. Finally, it was Pope Gregory, XIII, who established January 1 as the New Year in 1582 and most nations rearranged theirs to January 1. As of today, not only is New Years Day celebrated on different dates, but the years are different as well all over the world. For instance, it is 2012 in Ethiopia; in China it is 4717; The Jewish new year is 5779; and Morocco celebrates three new years. Although the world started with March as the first month it obviously did not end that way. Maybe one day things will change (once again) and March will be the beginning of the year.
Very interesting. It wasn't a scientists that established the new year, but religions. I believe it was here in February when the Buddhists recently celebrated their New Year of the Rat.
Democratic Dilemmas and Divine Inspiration examines the significance or relevance of the idea that the U.S. Constitution was, as many believe, divinely inspired. How much did that belief matter to founders of the nation and how much does it matter no
Democratic Dilemmas and Divine Inspiration examines the significance or relevance of the idea that the U.S. Constitution was, as many believe, divinely inspired. How much did that belief matter to founders of the nation and how much does it matter no
Democratic Dilemmas and Divine Inspiration examines the significance or relevance of the idea that the U.S. Constitution was, as many believe, divinely inspired. How much did that belief matter to founders of the nation and how much does it matter no
Ron