(ORDO NEWS) — The appearance in the calendar of a leap year is associated with the need to synchronize it with astrological cycles. Even ancient scientists noticed that our planet spends not 365 days, but a little more for a complete revolution around the Sun. To be absolutely precise, the full turnover takes 365.2422 days and every four years it becomes necessary to “get rid” of the surplus by adding one day.
Without a leap year, our chronology would be in complete disarray. It would take only three centuries for January to become an autumn month and six for it to fall in summer. Julius Caesar was the first to notice the need to put this system in order. At his time, the calendar was already 3 months behind real time, therefore, in 45 BC. Caesar reformed time tracking by ordering to add that extra day every 4 years.
After the reform, the calendar year began to lag behind the real one by only 11 minutes and this error suited everyone. But over time, it became clear that this is not so little. In the 16th century, it was noticed that major Christian holidays shifted by 10 days and the error continued to confuse the binding of dates to the church calendar.
Pope Gregory XIII decided to eliminate this and carried out another reform, correcting the error of the Julian calendar. The Pope issued a decree according to which October 4, 1582, was immediately followed by October 15. In addition, the wise pontiff found a way to get rid of the accumulation of errors in the future – all leap years that are divisible by 100, by his decree turned into ordinary ones, having 365 days.
The only exceptions were those that, in addition, were divisible by 400. These leap years numbered 366 days. Thus, every 400 years, three days were subtracted and this allowed, finally, to balance the calendar.
Introduction history
Ancient Greek astronomers wondered about the accuracy of the calendar even before our era. They assumed that the year consists of an imprecise number of hours and minutes. That is why, at the court of Julius Caesar, work began to create a more accurate and reliable calendar. Subsequently, he received the name Julian – in honor of the great commander. It was used until the sixteenth century. And some religions today consider it more correct.
Already in our time, people realized that the Julian calendar is not perfect either. Pope Gregory was one of these people. He noticed that some seasons are shifting. It was he who, with the court astronomers, made an attempt to transform the ancient calendar. I had to be guided by the knowledge of our ancestors. But by 1528, the calendar still saw the light of day. It was also named after its creator – Gregorian. He retained the principle of divisibility of the year number by 4, but also added division by 100 and 400. We use this calendar to this day.
Some countries also continue to use their own calendar, developed by distant ancestors. For example, Jews still live according to the lunar calendar, the month of which is approximately 29 days. It has a big difference from the Gregorian calendar. With a leap year, which also exists in tradition, not a day is added, but a whole thirteenth month. In this case, the year comes, like in most countries, every four.
However, the Gregorian calendar is now largely recognized as imperfect. Scientists now have information about how long each year lasts, accurate to the second. Many important natural phenomena (for example, the solstice) do not fall on the calendar dates assigned to them. Who knows, perhaps in the near future we will live on a completely different calendar.
Historical journey
Why is a leap year called a leap year? The word “leap” comes from the Latin “Bic sextus”, which means “second sixth”. For the first time, a calendar with an additional February day appeared in 46 BC. in ancient Rome under Julius Caesar. By order of the dictator, another 24th day was introduced in February. Such a calendar was called “Julian” (we know it as “old style”). Caesar opted for February, as this was the last month of the Roman year.
A couple of years later, the great commander was killed. The Roman priests, deliberately or out of ignorance, appointed a leap year every third year. With their help, from 44 to 9 AD, instead of the prescribed 9, people lived 12 leap years. Octavian Augustus put things in order in the “temporary disgrace”. By decree of the emperor of Rome, the next 16 years passed without leap time and the chronology leveled off.
For 16 centuries, Europe existed according to the Julian calendar. Until the Orthodox Church got down to business. Christian believers strove for a one-time celebration of church festivals. 1582 was the next time of change. The head of the Catholic Church, Pope Gregory XIII, proposed a different calendar calculation. The innovation was adopted at the Ecumenical Council during the discussion of the date of Easter. The new chronology introduced an additional February day for a leap year (29th day).
As you can see, nothing mystical. So why did the leap year become unlucky, turned into a frightening monster? Maybe this was influenced by the death of Caesar – the founder of the extra day? Or is it the mysterious birth of the great martyr Cassian?
Saint Kasian’s Day
Cassian lived in the 5th century. During his lifetime he was a completely respectable person: he founded Gallic monastic cloisters, preached monasticism. With his help, the literary world was replenished with 12 books about the life of the monks of Egypt and Palestine. The writer created 24 essays “Interviews” on the foundations of morality of the Christian faith. But a law-abiding person managed to be born on the 29th of the month of February.
The face of the peace-loving Kasyan acquired negative traits due to the influence of ancient Russian postulates about good / bad times. Ancestors considered a prosperous period when the world around is predictable and organized. The definition of “bad” was given during the transition-change of one being into another (arrival of a new year, change of seasons).
The date of birth of Cassian fell on the most terrible number according to Slavic beliefs – the last day of a harsh winter and the end of the year (among the Slavs, the year began on March 1). The harmless Kasyan has taken a bad name. The people called him: “Ill-wisher, Distortion, Avaricious, Unmerciful, Crooked, Envious, Cross-eyed, Vindictive.”
Slavic fears. The 29th day of February is considered difficult for the Slavic people. This is the time of Kashchei-Chernobog, the ruler of dark, unclean forces. The ruler of the Pekelny kingdom, the god Navi (the world of the dead) brings evil, madness, corruption and death. After the adoption of Christian canons in Russia, the image of a dark entity passed on to the Holy Martyr, whose day is celebrated on February 29. Added negativity and the same names (Kasian – Kaschey).
The ancient Russ did not add the martyr Cassian to the number of Saints. His name was covered with shame, his appearance was painted devilish, demonic. Cross-eyed, crooked-handed, empty-eyed, hunched over, with an evil look and a bad disposition – that was, in the opinion of the Slavs, Kasian.
Christian legends. Many legends were associated with the name of Cassian, where he acted as a traitor, a negative, gloomy personality, an evil spirits:
- Initially, Kasian belonged to the brightest cherubim. But he committed a betrayal of the Lord, warning Satan about the divine plans to expel the devilish horde from Heaven. Soon the disobedient repented, God took pity on the apostate and appointed light punishment. The traitor was handed over to the seraphim, who lashed at the disobedient for three years, for the subsequent apostate they were given rest.
- Cassian served as a guard at the gates of Hell. He rested once in four years. In his absence, 12 apostles guarded the underworld. But they did not have enough strength, experience. During their service, some evil spirits escaped from the underworld and went to dirty the Earth, spoiling the whole year with their presence.
- The baby Kasyan was kidnapped by demons and brought up according to demonic canons. Cassian matured and began to harm humanity, relying on a satanic upbringing.
- Kasyan, in response to the farmer’s request to help him free the stuck cart, rudely refused him. Nikolay Ugodnik helped the poor man. The Lord was angry at the arrogance of Cassian and commanded people to serve him prayers once in four years, and gave Nicholas the Pleasant a divine favor.
What is the “demonic” time. Poor fellow Kasyan whipped up negativity for his entire year. In a gloomy time, many people die, livestock dies, a pestilence occurs for a bird. Equipment broke down, food deteriorated. The harvests were stagnant in the fields, hunger came, and mortality increased. According to legend, on February 29, prayers at the image of Cassian helped to protect themselves from misfortunes. On this date, it was recommended once again not to leave the hut, not to let animals and birds into the yard, and to postpone work and service.
If a person left home on February 29, he was trapped by a dangerous ailment, death. The “lucky ones”, who saw the light of day on the 29th, had a difficult fate, severe ailments from childhood and thankless work.
Signs and beliefs. They said that Kasyan, having escaped to freedom on a leap time, loved to wander the Earth and look around. Wherever his gaze fell, there was misfortune, he looked at a man – a sickness would overcome him, catch a glimpse of a village – a human pestilence, an eye on the field – would give a year of crop failure. What attitude the people had towards the leap year is tracked by numerous sayings:
- “Kasyan to the people – it is hard for people, on livestock – a little animal perishes, on a tree – a trunk breaks.”
- “Mower Kassian crooked obliquely, until he mows life.”
- “Kasyan went lame, he ruined the whole year in a crooked way.”
- “The leap year is coming – the pestilence and death brings.”
- “Cassian doesn’t look at anything – everything fades.”
- “Hood offspring in the Kasyanov year.”
Legend
2021 is considered the year of the widow, and 2022 is the year of the widower. And only because they follow a leap year. But superstition does not mean precisely the death of one of the spouses. This can be a breakdown in a relationship, a divorce, or the departure of one of the partners to another relationship.
Leap years have gotten their bad reputation since the days of Jesus. As the legend says, once Kasyan was asked to help a farmer with a cart, mired in mud. But he refused. Then Nikolai the Pleasant came to the rescue. For this act, Jesus predicted that Kasyan would be remembered only once every 4 years, and Nicholas – twice a year.
It is because of the unresponsive saint that leap years have come to be considered unlucky. And our ancestors, in order to somehow get around the superstition about an unhappy marriage, went to the trick. In a leap year, the men did not ask for the hands of their beloved, and the girls themselves went to woo. But, the grooms did not always reciprocate, therefore, family life was often unsuccessful. Perhaps it is because of this pattern that a leap year and the following one began to be considered unlucky for a wedding.
Rituals
Nowadays, many people think that believing in omens is stupid. But if superstitions are still frightening, then you can try to protect yourself from negativity.
The ransom of the bride is considered one of the most popular rituals. It consists in the fact that the groom presents gifts to the parents, as if redeeming their daughter. The ritual allows the spirits to be appeased. If the ceremony is not carried out, then the guardians of the clan will be offended by the girl who went to another family.
A veil is not just a wedding accessory. She carries a powerful force. A girl getting married is considered “dead” to one family and “born” to another. This is why it is so important to wear a veil during the ceremony.
Witnesses at the wedding have long been considered protectors for young people from negativity.
This year has grown with mysticism and superstition since ancient times.
A year with an “extra” day is associated with Saint Kasyan. According to one of the legends, he betrayed God, went over to the side of Satan and was punished for this. It was ordered to beat him on the forehead with a hammer for 3 years, and on the 4th to release him to the ground. Another legend: Kasyan served at the gates of hell and could leave his post only once a year.
According to legends, Kasyan appeared on February 29 – from that time a series of misfortunes began: animals died, equipment broke down, the harvest did not grow, people were starving, sick and dying. They say that it is on Kasyanov’s day that no business can be started, it is better not to leave the house at all and postpone work.
Myth # 1: Leap Year Marriages Will Fail
Most couples in Greece avoid getting married in a leap year as it is considered bad luck and the number of weddings in the country is steadily decreasing every 4 years. In this matter, the Greeks are supported by the inhabitants of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova. However, the myth that it is undesirable to marry in such a year is debunked in any registry office – according to statistics, those who marry in a leap year do not get divorced more often than those who went down the aisle in an ordinary year.
In many countries, not only a year, but the day of February 29 itself does not scare anyone – in England, in 19 years, 2,989 couples got married on this date and it is 62% more popular than other dates of February (of course, except for the 14th) … The lovers joke cheerfully that they are lucky, since the anniversary should be remembered every 4 years. By the way, earlier this time was called the year of brides, because a girl could get married to any guy she liked, but he could not refuse her.
Myth # 2: Babies born in a leap year will be unhappy.
In different leap years, many famous people were born who contributed to art, science and the development of progress: Leonardo Da Vinci, David Copperfield, Keanu Reeves, Nicolas Cage, Elizabeth Taylor, Monica Bellucci, Hugh Jackman, Will Smith, Johann Strauss, Kim Kardashian, Mark Zuckerberg, Scarlett Johansson and many other prosperous, successful and talented people.
It is problematic to judge how difficult the fate of these people is. But the fact that they are outstanding is a fact. As for February 29, the chance of being born on this day is small: 1 in 1 461. The birth of children on a leap day occurs less often than with 11 fingers or toes – here the chances are 1 in 500.
Myth number 3: This year is very “bloodthirsty”
At first it seems that the fears are not in vain. In leap years, the plague mercilessly mowed down the population of medieval Europe, twice as a result of devastating earthquakes in China, more than a million people died, a tsunami hit Japan and claimed thousands of lives, the Tunguska meteorite fell, the Titanic sank, the first American hydrogen bomb exploded, devastating earthquake in Armenia, the nuclear submarine “Kursk” sank.
However, how many tragic events happened in non-leap years – the October Revolution, World War I and the Great Patriotic War, the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the death of the Challenger in the 73rd second of the flight, the Dona Paz passenger ferry sank in the Philippines , which killed approximately 4,375 people, making this the largest maritime disaster in peacetime. It becomes clear that wars, natural disasters, man-made disasters occur spontaneously and do not adjust to an extra day on the calendar.
Myth # 4: It is better not to buy real estate during this period.
It is believed that in a leap year you cannot start building a house or buy a house. After all, according to superstitions, there will be continuous problems with the construction of a house, and the purchased apartment will be completely unhappy. It is unrealistic to find a logical explanation for such a sign. Realtors say that there is no downturn in the real estate market in leap years.
Myth # 5: Traveling is not recommended
There is a limitation in this regard: supposedly a trip even to a neighboring city does not bode well. In fact, the largest train crash incident occurred in the usual 1981 – in India, a hurricane wind knocked the train into the water and killed about 800 people. If you look at the statistics of the largest crashes in aviation history, the crashes with the largest number of victims do not occur in leap years.
The list is headed by a plane crash involving 2 airliners, which occurred in 1977 in the Canary Islands – while trying to take off at Tenerife airport, a Boeing-747 of the Dutch airline KLM crashed into a Boeing-747 of PanAm airline in the fog. The collision killed 578 people.
Myth # 6: You shouldn’t change jobs and start a business
It is impossible to stop life for a whole year, and someone will still have to change jobs for a number of reasons. Many successful people were not embarrassed by an extra day of the year, and for them it became successful – for example, in different leap years the companies Facebook, Coca-Cola, Nike, Apple, BMW were officially registered. Indeed, what is the point of abandoning your plans or a lucrative offer because of the “wrong date”. Risk is a noble cause, and if you are unlucky, you can always blame it on a leap year.
Myth # 7: You can’t make repairs and build a house
It is believed that construction or repairs will progress with difficulty, may be delayed and overgrown with problems. But in the world every year a huge number of residential buildings are built and populated by people who begin repairs there, paying attention only to the season, since it is best to have time to do all the work in spring and summer.
In addition, in leap years, very unusual buildings were built: the Dancing House in Prague, the tallest skyscraper in Europe and England, the Shard in London, and the Forest Spiral Building in Darmstadt, Germany. And the construction of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, which took almost 200 years, ended precisely in the long year 1360.
Myth # 8: It is believed that nothing good happens in a year like this.
If you look closely, you can see many positive aspects: with each leap year, the Summer Olympics coincide, and this is 16-18 days of a real holiday for people who are waiting for bright competitions, grandiose opening and closing ceremonies with famous artists. Broadcasts of these events break records every time. The radio, gas and diesel engines, the printing press, and the antibiotic penicillin were invented.
Leap years gave the world the films The Godfather, The Terminator, Love and Doves and the cult TV series Santa Barbara. On February 29, 1940, Hattie McDaniel became the first African American to win an Academy Award for her performance in Gone With the Wind. And in 2004, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King received a record number of Oscar victories – it became the third highly acclaimed film in the history of the ceremony after Ben-Hur and Titanic.
Facts that will warm all 366 days
- The record for the largest number of generations born on a leap day belongs to the Keo family. Peter Anthony Keough was born on February 29, 1940 in Ireland, his son Peter Eric was born on February 29, 1964 in the UK, and his granddaughter Bethany Wells was on February 29, 1996.
- Karin Henriksen from Norway holds the world record for the largest number of children on a leap day: her daughter Heidi was born in 1960, son Olav in 1964 and son Leaf-Martin in 1968. The probability of this is 1 in 311 853 518.
- In France, once every 4 years on February 29, the newspaper La Bougie du Sapeur is published. Copies of the newspaper sell for € 4 apiece, but generous investors can buy a lifetime subscription – as little as € 100 per century. Each edition is published in the amount of 200,000 copies. It is interesting that, among other materials, a crossword puzzle is printed in the publication, the answers to which can be found only after 4 years.
- There is a club born on February 29th, which has 10,000 members. People born on this unusual date can connect with each other.
- All those born on this day can celebrate their birthday on a grand scale in the Texas city of Anthony – the self-proclaimed World Capital of a Leap Year. Once every 4 years, Anthony’s authorities hold a festival there, which includes a festive dinner for the birthday.
Reality
If you believe popular omens, then marriages concluded in the wrong year, quickly disintegrate and are doomed to misfortune. But statistics alone do not confirm this.
It is impossible to trace the pattern of divorces in a leap year. Belief in superstition, on the other hand, can ruin a happy relationship or upset a planned wedding.
If you follow all the superstitions, then you can bring trouble. But if you are a very impressionable person, then it may be worth postponing the ceremony from 2021 to another time. So you can definitely protect yourself from negative thoughts and worries.
Signs of leap years
And now I propose to analyze the most popular folk signs associated with leap years. After all, a huge number of them are known, many people believe in them and try not to do anything that is indicated in them.
You can not marry
It is explained by the fact that, allegedly, then the newlyweds will have an unhappy, short married life, it will be difficult to find mutual understanding, plus the risk of cheating will increase.
True, there is no objective confirmation of this superstition. According to world statistics, the number of divorce proceedings does not in any way depend on whether the spouses got married in a leap year or in a regular year.
We need to prepare for mass deaths
Another belief says that “a leap year mows people down.” And now gullible people begin to compare the facts, looking for an explanation for the deaths of their loved ones in a leap year. In fact, in ordinary years, no less people die, so we can confidently call this sign absolutely meaningless.
Natural disasters are foreseen
In addition, leap years have been credited with increasing the number of riots in nature. But if you think about it and turn to statistics, we will find that the most terrible cataclysms often occur not at all in years endowed with ill fame!
For example, the catastrophic earthquake in Japan, which claimed a huge number of human lives, happened in 2011 – not a leap year. And the most terrible war in Russian history – the Second World War also fell out not in a leap year.
Therefore, there is no point in trying to discern any pattern here. Because she is not here and cannot be.
You can’t change anything in your life
As folk signs say, everyone who wants to make significant life changes must certainly postpone their plans for at least another 12 months. Otherwise, all undertakings will be unsuccessful, even destructive. Moreover, the changes can be both serious (change of job, new relationship), and not very (change of image).
Again, no one can explain why any changes are prohibited. And, therefore, there is no particular point in relying on a sign.
Can’t pick mushrooms
Although at first glance this omen seems completely absurd, in reality it just has real justifications. The fungus degenerates once every 4 years, therefore, mushrooms collected in a leap year can potentially be poisonous.
But on the other hand, all the mushrooms in the forest, obviously, did not grow only in leap years, so you can, without a twinge of conscience, stock up on a basket and go on a mushroom hunt.
Women in position should not cut their hair
Another rather strange and inexplicable omen. Allegedly, if a pregnant woman in a leap year cuts her curls, she will have a feeble-minded child.
It is difficult to imagine that all mothers of genius people in history (for example, Nobel laureates) who were born in a leap year did not renew their hairstyle during their entire pregnancy.
Now you know how many days there are in a leap year and what is forbidden to do in it according to folk signs. Finally, I would like to note that a person himself creates his life with his thoughts, words and actions. Therefore, exactly what we think about always materializes.
Isn’t this a reason to stop bullying yourself with empty superstitions and start creating your happy life in 2020?
List of disasters
Observations of residents of different countries say that in a leap year a large number of unpleasant incidents really happen: tragedies, social and natural disasters, important political events. Despite the fact that all of the above problems occur in other years, in leap years they become the most destructive and lead to important changes.
If you look back in time, you can find that in a leap year there were not only wars and natural disasters, but also the sinking of the Titanic in 1912, the explosion of the Tunguska meteorite in 1908 and many other key events in history. In 1268, more than 60 thousand people died from a natural disaster in Sicily, and in 1400 Medieval Europe was seized by a plague that killed more than a third of the population.
In 1572, on St. Bartholomew’s Night, 10 thousand people were destroyed, and in 1896 the Japanese tsunami claimed the lives of 27 thousand people. The years 1976 and 1988 were marked by the most terrible earthquakes, the number of victims of which goes to tens of thousands.
Determining if a year is a leap year or not is actually very simple.
- If the numerical value of the year is divisible by four, but not divisible by one hundred, then the year is a leap year.
- If it is divisible by one hundred, then it is not a leap.
- However, if the number of the year is divided by one hundred and at the same time also by four hundred, then the year is a leap year.
In each such year, one “extra” day is added to February. Since this month has the least number of days, and the already established calendar has a maximum of thirty-one days in a month.
Also, a leap year is chosen for the Summer Olympics. This tradition was introduced by the ancient Greeks.
Interesting facts about leap years
- If we go back to the origins, then in mythology “an extra day” was of great importance. According to an ancient Irish legend, the goddess Brigitte told Saint Patrick that many women have to wait a very long time for the opportunity to start a family with a loved one. The saint agreed with her and suggested that once every 4 years, namely on February 29, women should have the opportunity to propose marriage to men. Brigitte agreed and it was on February 29 that she approached Patrick, got down on one knee and offered to become her husband. To which she was refused and a silk dress as a consolation gift. Now, in many countries, refusal on this day can only be accompanied by atoning gifts. In Greece, a man, upon refusal, is obliged to give his beloved 12 pairs of gloves, and in New Zealand – fabric for a new skirt.
- Leap year weddings are treated differently. The Greeks, for example, consider this year to be very unfortunate not only for marriage, but also for any other endeavors – after all, it is impossible to get happiness from this in a leap year. In Spain, for a long time, it was believed that in such a year a girl becomes as unpredictable as possible, so not only a wedding, but also any serious business was out of the question.
- If a child was born on February 29, then in almost all countries this was considered the maximum luck. They said that the child will become talented, but serious difficulties may arise in his upbringing. In some countries, the birthday on this day is postponed either to February 28 or March 1. On this day, such great people were born as the poet Lord Byron, the composer Rossini, many other creative people and great politicians. In Texas, to this day, there is a festival of those born on the “extra day”. This state is considered the capital of a leap year around the world.
- Even in ancient times in Europe, people considered a leap year to be bad and difficult for any endeavors. According to popular beliefs, this year Saint Kasyan descended to earth and sowed adversity. According to legend, the saint was closest to God, but decided to betray him. God punished Kasyan – for three years in a row he should be hit on the forehead with a hammer, and for 4 years he descends to the ground and harms people.
In a leap year you cannot
- Christmas carol. After all, it is believed that this way you can lose your happiness forever.
- Women are in the position to have their hair cut before childbirth, otherwise a sick child will be born.
- They do not build baths, because ill health can settle in them.
- They do not talk about any plans, otherwise luck will turn away.
- You cannot sell, donate or drown animals. The ancients believed that this attracted poverty to the house.
- Do not pick mushrooms in the forest, they are considered poisonous.
- You should also not change your job or place of residence, because you will not find a calm one this year.
- It is undesirable for the elderly to buy something for the funeral, it will attract death.
- Under no circumstances can you get a divorce, otherwise you will not find happiness in life.
1. Start new
A leap year is considered extremely unfavorable for any new projects and acquisitions. You shouldn’t start building a house, starting your own business, concluding contracts, or moving to a new place.
All this threatens with financial losses, unexpected difficulties, setbacks and troubles. It is better to postpone any serious decisions, and everything new is not worth planning.
2. Getting married and getting married and getting divorced
May, Friday 13th and leap years are not the best time to tie the knot. It is believed that those who marry or get married in May will face adversity throughout their life in marriage. The reason people avoid getting married on Friday the 13th is also obvious.
In most countries, many couples try not to marry in leap years, as the marriage is believed to be unsuccessful. According to statistics and research, leap marriages are less happy than regular ones.
Divorce is also not advised in a leap year, as this promises loneliness for life.
3. Buying a house or car
A leap year is considered a fateful year. If you are thinking about buying a new house or apartment, it is better to wait until next year.
If the need for new housing does not require delay, approach the choice of a house carefully and slowly. The same goes for buying a car. It might be superstition, but a leap year is considered bad for big purchases.
4. Celebrate your birthday ahead of time
If you are one of the lucky ones born on a leap day, then most likely you are celebrating your birthday on February 28 or March 1, or not at all.
In a leap year, birthday should be celebrated only on February 29, otherwise, according to signs, something bad may happen this year. Of course, this is just a superstition, but maybe sometimes you should play it safe?
5. Change jobs
In many countries, it is considered a bad omen to change jobs, be laid off or take a new job in a leap year. Such changes could lead to financial hardship for the years to come.
If you are not superstitious, are not afraid to take risks, and you cannot stay in a hopeless place, feel free to look for a new job and, perhaps, luck will smile at you.
6. Have a baby
There is a belief that children born or conceived in a leap year are difficult to bring up, may fall ill with unknown or serious diseases, or be unlucky. Their life can be filled with different tests.
At the same time, children born in a leap year were considered unique and gifted, endowed with unusual abilities, capable of imparting special knowledge to those around them, which, despite all the difficulties, will live an amazing fate.
7. Talk about your plans
In a leap year, you should not dwell on what you have in mind or planned, even to close people, since your plan may never come true.
There are other signs in a leap year:
- You cannot pick mushrooms, as this can promise death.
- It is considered a sin to drown kittens in a leap year.
- It is not recommended for pregnant women to cut their hair, because this threatens the birth of a weak child, which will often be ill.
- Throughout the year, you should not pick up round objects so as not to frighten off luck.
- Fortune-telling and caroling were forbidden, which could lead to misfortune for relatives and friends.
- If a girl first had her periods in a leap year, it was impossible to tell anyone about it, otherwise she would give her feminine energy and happiness.
- Long and serious trips were also worth postponing until better times. The protection of a person this year was weak, and troubles and difficulties could await him on the way.
Why 2021 is considered the year of the widow
According to popular beliefs, people who got married in 2021 are destined to be widowed. But there is another version that the year of the widow does not necessarily mean physical death. It is quite possible that those who got married during this period will disperse and in the future will no longer be able to find their happiness.
History and statistics often play into the hands of prejudice. Indeed, in the course of wars or revolutions that took place after a leap year, there was indeed a high mortality rate both among the male population and among women. For example, the widow’s year falls on the revolutionary years 1905 and 1917, as well as the military years 1941 and 1945.
Is it true that you can’t get married in 2021
Many couples are afraid of a leap year, considering it unlucky. And the most superstitious of them fear for the next two years, fearing to lose their spouses in their youth. It is believed that one of the spouses who married in the first two years after a leap year (that is, in 2021 and 2022), will suffer an early death.
However, there are currently no statistics designed to confirm or deny this fact. According to the registry office employees, those who want to get married in the year of the widow are no less than the rest of the time, since the newlyweds are driven by love, and not superstitious fears and apprehensions.
Note that the church is also categorically opposed to such superstitions, arguing that no such connections have been established during the keeping of marriage books for many centuries.
What young couples shouldn’t do in 2021
First of all, young couples planning a wedding next year should not believe in bad omens and tune in to negativity, because even minor troubles can be turned into a reason for divorce.
Psychologists emphasize that the emotional state of the couple affects the future of marriage. To ensure a happy family life, you need to direct all your thoughts and desires in a positive direction and treat minor issues with humor and optimism.
In addition, it is important to remember that there are no completely cloudless relationships and life is rarely without difficulties. Therefore, you need to be prepared for difficulties and perceive them as a test that must be overcome together with the soul mate.
Unfortunately, they become a widow or widower in different years. When getting married and starting a family, it is necessary to rely on mutual feelings of love and trust, and not be guided by superstitious fears and omens.
Is it possible to get married in the year of the widow
Popular beliefs often dictate their own rules, which people are wary of. They are going to get married once and for all, so I don’t want to be captured by bad coincidences.
The year of the widow and widower passes so often that girls would not have time to get married, waiting for a better time. In addition, it is more about tragic situations – wars, shipwrecks, revolutions and other large-scale disasters. In hostilities, more men do die, and this leaves widows.
If you believe the statistics, then for the year that follows the leap year, there are no more divorces.
How to get married to avoid problems
To calm the soul, you can get married in the year of the widow, observing simple rules that can save you from unpleasant predictions. You need to properly plan and prepare for the celebration. Namely:
- the bride must be redeemed from her parents. This symbolic action is carried out to appease the spirits of the family, so that they treat kindly the person who takes the daughter from the parental home;
- be sure to wear a veil. The covered head symbolizes that the girl “dies” for one family and is “born” in another;
- witnesses – as protection from everyday threats;
- to play the wedding quietly, but tastefully;
- the newlywed tablecloth from the wedding table should keep the whole life.
The most important thing for happiness is mutual understanding and love between two people. The rest can be overcome if you take care of each other and do not believe in silly omens. Otherwise, you can remain, if not a widow, then a virgin for life.
For a safety net, you can choose a good month. Each of them predicts what family life will be like if you get married during this period:
- in January – the wedding is not desirable, because the bride can become a widow;
- in February – a strong and friendly family;
- in March – the family will leave to live in another country;
- in April – promises happiness and good luck;
- in May – there may be treason;
- in June – mutual understanding and warm relations;
- in July – a strong and friendly family;
- in August – the couple will be lovers and friends at the same time;
- in September – happiness and good luck in family life;
- in October – a difficult life;
- in November – wealth and happiness in the family;
- in December – the relationship will be strong and friendly.
Astrologers advise when to get married in 2021
Astrologers do not really believe in folk omens, they laid out their cards of opportunities for those who want to get married. They advise skipping the beginning of the year and planning your wedding in June, August, September, November and December. These months will bring strong relationships and financial stability to the young family in the future.
It is better to refuse marriage in February, March and October, and on days of solar or lunar eclipses. The days of the week for marriage on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday will be non-family days.
How to protect yourself from troubles
According to ordinary people, a leap year is no different from the usual, only an additional day. This time does not affect the person. But, given that most people believe in popular beliefs, it is better to protect yourself in Kasyanovo time, just in case.
Psychic advice
Esotericists say that it is imperative to be protected for the year of Cassian. This time, when it manifests itself, the forces of the dark essence increase. In a leap year, there is a high probability of suffering from a surge in negative energy. To avoid problems, use the following rules:
- Go to church / temple more often. When you come to a sacred place, pray for yourself, light candles for the health of your loved ones, not forgetting to remember the departed.
- Do not pick up round objects (coins, rings) for a leap year.
- Protect yourself from the evil eye. The best helpers in this are protective talismans, pectoral crosses. Don’t forget to wear protective clothes all the time!
- Wash off the accumulated negative energy from yourself every month. To do this, dilute vinegar and boiled water in equal proportions. Pour vinegar over yourself before going to bed. After the procedure, wash your body with running water, wait for natural drying.
- Perform a ritual to protect your energy field on February 29th. Tear the February page out of the calendar and burn the leaf, saying the following words: “Evil leave, dashingly disappear, help good, a clear path and a bright path to light me.”
Interesting fact. In the villages, it was customary to give the neighbors the third slaughtered goose (or other bird). In this way, the villagers at the time of Kasyan’s hard times paid off from lack of money and bad luck.
The opinion of psychologists
“Your problems are your own head,” psychologists say. As you set yourself up, you will live a leap year. Understand that “unlucky” times are scary with your own conviction. A positive attitude, an optimistic life position have always yielded positive results.
If you are afraid of trouble, illness for the year of Kasyan – this will definitely happen to you. A personal attitude will work on a subconscious level.
What to advise in a leap year? Live like the rest of the time. Without getting hung up on old superstitions, ancient omens. You create your own life. Only you are the owner of it. Do not let negative reflections on yourself, get carried away with something so that you do not have free time. You will not even notice how the year flashes by – no less successful and positive than the rest.
Astrologers’ predictions
The celebrity experts support the psychologists’ views. Fears, worries associated with the Kasyanov year – prejudices, omens and superstitions. Remember the Olympics, which were created by the Greeks. Competitions are held on leap time. Prosperous America also elects presidents in a “long” year.
According to the arrangement of the stars, leap years are, from the point of view of astrology, the most favorable for improving human destiny.
At this time, the planets are folded in such a way that they create temporary corridors for a person. In the year of Cassian, each person is able to change, improve the future. There are all the prerequisites for this. Know how to catch the signs that the providence of Kasyanov’s time sends you.
Which statement, whose advice to remember is up to you. The only one-size-fits-all action for taming the luck of a “scary” year is maintaining a personal optimistic mood. How you will live through Kasyanov’s time: good or bad, depends on you. And you can make this year positive with the help of unlimited self-confidence.
Leap Year Statistics
Many are convinced that in leap years, natural and man-made disasters, as well as wars and other disasters, occur most often. On the one hand, it can be considered as follows:
- 1204-fall of the Byzantine Empire: Constantinople was captured by the crusaders;
- 1232-beginning of the Spanish Inquisition;
- 1268-volcanic eruption on the island of Sicily led to the death of 60,000 people;
- 1400-terrible plague epidemic claimed the lives of almost a third of the population of Medieval Europe;
- 1556-strong earthquake in China killed 830,000 people;
- 1572-massacre on St. Bartholomew’s night, more than 10,000 people died;
- The 1896 tsunami in Japan claimed 27,000 lives;
- 1908-fall of the Tunguska meteorite;
- 1912-sinking of the Titanic, and with it more than one and a half thousand passengers;
- 1948 earthquake in Ashgabat, which killed 37,000 people;
- 1976 earthquake in China with 655,000 deaths;
- 1988-Spitak earthquake in Armenia killed more than 25,000 people;
- 2000-fire in Ostankino, disaster at the Kursk submarine, plane crash of the Concorde aircraft near Paris
These statistics are impressive. However, many other tragic events can be cited that are not related to leap years. For example, the first and second world wars, the revolutions of 1905 and 1917, the Chernobyl disaster and others.
People, on duty, engaged in statistical research, argue that all negative events are locked in the psychology of humanity. If deep in the subconscious there is a thought that a leap year will definitely become unhappy, then, willingly or unwillingly, you expect trouble from it.
Moon, chaos and mercedonia: how the years were counted in Rome before Julius Caesar
By the time of the reign of Julius Caesar, the Roman calendar, from the point of view of earthlings of the XXI century, was something chaotic. There were 355 days in a year, divided by 12 months, tied to lunar cycles. Since the lunar year does not coincide with the solar year, the Romans invented “Mercedonia” – the thirteenth month of the year. The compensator month got its name in honor of the patron goddess of trade and payments.
Mercedony appeared in the calendar every two years, preceding the March calendars (according to modern accounts, after February 23).
Mercedonia could have 22 or 23 days, so the length of the year was 355, 377, 378 days.
At some point, it turned out that even in such a complex calendar there is an error leading to distortion. Then the right to announce the mercedony was transferred to the great pontiff, the head of the college of priests, so that he would make adjustments in the year depending on how great the distortion of the calendar at the moment.
But the great pontiffs began to use their right for political purposes, shortening the period of rule of some consuls and increasing the term of office of others.
Sozigen’s calendar
Caesar summoned Sozigenes of Alexandria, the most respected mathematician and astronomer of the 1st century BC, to Rome. The scientist led a team of specialists who were developing the new calendar.
Sozigen proposed to take as a basis the Egyptian solar calendar, invented several millennia before.
Egyptian scientists defined the year as the period of time between two heliacal ascents of the star Sirius, coinciding in ancient Egypt with the summer solstice and preceding the flooding of the Nile. This period was 365 days and a quarter. The Egyptians decided that there would be 365 days in a year, and the deviation would be compensated for by the passage of a large cycle of 1460 years. They say that seasonal phenomena will, of course, run away, but in 1460 years everything will again coincide with natural cycles.
The Romans did not possess the phlegmatic nature of the Egyptians, and therefore Sosigenes proposed to compensate for the surplus in a quarter of a day by introducing one additional day once every four years.
On January 1, 45 BC, the Sozigenes calendar, which later became known as Julian, was put into effect. True, in order to equalize the previous distortion, in 46 BC, Caesar had to add two additional months to the calendar with a total duration of 67 days!
“The second sixth before the March calendars”
Caesar was soon killed, but the calendar remained. True, after 36 years it turned out that an error crept into the calculations. The peculiarities of the Roman account led to the fact that an additional day was added every 3rd year, and not every 4th.
Emperor Octavian Augustus ordered to remove “extra” days from the chronology.
Where the extra day came from and why it is needed, it became clearer. But why was the year called “leap”?
This word comes from the Latin bis sextus – “second sixth”. In the Roman calendar, days were counted in relation to subsequent calendars (first day of the month), nones (5th or 7th day) and idam (13th or 15th day of the month).
The day of February 24 was designated as ante diem sextum calendas martii (“the sixth day before the March calendars”). Caesar ordered the addition of a second sixth (bis sextus) day before the March calendars to February.
Why by February? Because the new annual cycle in Rome traditionally began in March, and the increase occurred at the end of the previous year. At the same time, the very beginning of the year, Caesar postponed to January 1.
Why is December “tenth”?
The Julian calendar reached Russia in transit through Byzantium, after many centuries of “running in” and adjusting various roughnesses.
What is astronomical winter and when does it come? But something from the past can be seen today. Familiar to us September, October, November and December in Byzantium were called “september”, “oktober”, “november” and “december”. These names, translated from Latin, mean “seventh”, “eighth”, “ninth” and “tenth”, respectively. And this is because the names of the months appeared at a time when the year began in March, and not in January, and have not changed anymore.
The new calendar introduced by Pope Gregory XIII made adjustments to the Julian calendar, but retained the principle of “leap year”. An extra day every four years was February 29th.
Psychologists, astrologers and esotericists about leap years
From the point of view of psychologists, all our problems are in our heads. If you tune in to the positive, then the year will pass without shocks. And if you constantly think about trouble, then it will eventually manifest itself.
A personal life attitude is at work on a subconscious level. Hence the conclusion: one must live without getting hung up on superstitions and omens. And do not let negativity into yourself, even in thoughts.
Astrologers and esotericists agree with psychologists in the sense that fears attract negativity, and positive thoughts attract positive. Moreover, from the point of view of astrologers, it is leap years that are most favorable for improving fate.
The arrangement of the stars and planets at this time is such that temporary corridors open up for people. With their help, you can change and improve not only your present, but also your future.
In conclusion, I propose an old conspiracy for good luck, which is held on February 29 on Kasyanov Day. You need to get up early in the morning by the window and say:
“As the sun shone, so luck stuck to me.
Today is a magical day, unfamiliar adversity.
The day will come, only joy will bring “
Then open the window and greet the sun. They say that this old conspiracy works even for those who do not believe in omens and superstitions.
How to find out which year is “high”
With the development of astronomy, it turned out that the Julian calendar (named after Julius Caesar) is not entirely accurate. In the second half of the 16th century, by order of Pope George XIII, the calendar was adjusted again. Since that time, leap years are considered to be multiples of four, except for those that are divisible by one hundred.
Based on this principle, the new calendar will be named – Gregorian, in honor of the Pope. On it and need to navigate in order to calculate the “high”. You can independently determine which year is a leap year by the following characteristics:
- it is divisible by 4 but not divisible by 100;
- it is divisible by 100 and 400 at the same time.
Despite popular superstitions, psychics believe that “vysokos” initially does not carry disasters and misfortunes, but is distinguished by powerful uncontrolled energy. It becomes a period of trials, making serious decisions, it bears losses for some people, and new opportunities for others.
—
Online:
Contact us: [email protected]
Our Standards, Terms of Use: Standard Terms And Conditions.