The Gregorian calendar is a refined version of the Julian calendar, introduced by Julius Caesar in 45 BCE to simplify the Roman calendar. Swipe to know 8 interesting facts about this calendar.
The calendar was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582, and it was designed to correct certain perceived inaccuracies in the Julian calendar and keep Easter aligned with the spring equinox.
The Gregorian calendar adds a leap day every four years, but there’s a twist! Years divisible by 100 are not leap years unless they are also divisible by 400.
When the Gregorian calendar was introduced, 10 days were dropped in October 1582 to realign the dates with the solar year.
Different countries switched to the Gregorian calendar at different times. England and its colonies didn’t adopt it until 1752 — nearly 200 years later!
When the Gregorian calendar was introduced, many Protestant countries rejected it at first, seeing it as a Catholic plot.
The Gregorian calendar is solar-based, aligning with Earth’s orbit around the Sun, which is why it’s so widely used today.
February’s odd length is a result of ancient Roman calendar revisions and remains unique in the Gregorian calendar.
Many months in the Gregorian calendar have roots in Roman culture. January is named after Janus, the Roman god of beginnings and transitions. March comes from Mars, July from Julius Caesar.