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Pr Ntr Kmt World Religious Calendar Pagan Holy Days

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<strong>World</strong> <strong>Religious</strong> <strong>Calendar</strong> 1383<br />

The a.d. VII Kal. designation means ante diem or seven “days before” the Kalends (first day or New<br />

Moon) of the next month. When counting days, the Romans included both the start and end day (in<br />

modern Western culture, we skip the start day). When the Romans switched to a solar calendar, they<br />

continued to use the lunar day names.<br />

The Roman month of December is named for decem, because it was originally the tenth month of the<br />

Roman solar year. December was sacred to Vesta, the Roman Goddess of hearth, home, and family.<br />

The earliest Roman months were lunar. According to Roman mythology, the ten month solar calendar<br />

aligned to the vernal equinox was introduced by Romulus, the founder of Rome, around 753 BCE. In<br />

Romulus’ calendar, December (the tenth month) had 30 days. Numa Pompilius, the second of the seven<br />

traditional kings of Rome, added two more months, for a 12 month year. In Numa’s calendar, December<br />

had 29 days. Gaius Julius Caesar, as Pontifex Maximus (supreme bridge-builder, a religious title),<br />

reorganized the calendar on the first day of 45 BCE. In Caesar’s calendar (the Julian <strong>Calendar</strong>),<br />

December had 31 days. Caesar’s calendar was calculated by Sosigenes, an Egyptian<br />

astrologer/astronomer. In 8 BCE, Augustus Caesar fixed errors by pontiffs after Julius’ death and made<br />

other minor modifications, resulting in the modern Western calendar. The modern Gregorian <strong>Calendar</strong>,<br />

named for Roman Catholic Pope Gregory the Thirteenth, was a realignment in 1582.<br />

Today totals 8 in modern Western numerology.<br />

numerology<br />

1383 of 1413 7/14/08 9:29 AM

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