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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> 502<br />

May is the fifth month of the year.<br />

Latin (Roman) name: Maius<br />

May<br />

The Roman month of Maius is named for Maia. Maia was a daughter of Atlas. May was sacred to<br />

Maia, Roman Goddess of spring.<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, May (the third month) had 31 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, May had<br />

31 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>), May<br />

had 31 days. Caesar’s calendar was calculated by Sosigenes, an Egyptian astrologer/astronomer. In 8<br />

BCE, Augustus Caesar fixed errors by pontiffs after Julius’ death and made other minor modifications,<br />

resulting in the modern Western calendar. The modern Gregorian <strong>Calendar</strong>, named for Roman Catholic<br />

Pope Gregory the Thirteenth, was a realignment in 1582.<br />

Meaning of name: From Maria, or Maia, Roman Goddess of Spring. Christian church month of<br />

Mary/Yemaya.<br />

Flowers: hawthorne and lily.<br />

Birthstone: emerald.<br />

Goddesses: Maia, Flora, Tanith, Bel, Medb, Mu Lan, Mary, Hera, Aida Wedo.<br />

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

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