In what year did the Roman calendar begin? The Julian Calendar: The Roman Julian calendar was used by the Western world for almost 1,600 years. It was adopted by most European countries and their colonies. However, it was abandoned starting in 1582 after the adoption of the Gregorian calenda...
In what year did the Roman calendar begin? What is a homily? What is April named after in the Roman calendar? What is the history of Easter Sunday? What are the two main cycles on the Jewish calendar? What is the fourth month of the Jewish calendar?
Did you know that the celebration of Halloween has ancient roots that tie it to both farming and astronomy? Halloween marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter, the “darker half” of the year. Let’s explore the origins of Halloween and our Halloween celebrations. Wh...
I should have asked myself “Where did the wordcatholiccome from, and what does it mean?” Was I right to assume that Roman Catholics invented the word to set themselves apart from biblical Christianity? A short and interesting investigation will turn up some valuable information. Let’s star...
My fourteen-year-old daughter Jamie happened to ask me one day why a certain Beatles song had such funny harmony; she couldn't seem to find the right chords for it on her guitar. And I began to explain to her that the song was modal; that is, it was based on what is called a ...
Year A–Epiphany of the Lord This upcoming Sunday is the feast of the Epiphany of the Lord. Consequently, the readings are selected to match this feast. In this episode, we’re going to focus solely on some challenges that pertain to the Gospel reading taken from Matthew 2:1-12, where ...
Together, the Quarter Days and Cross-Quarter Days made an eight-part year that reflected the natural progression of the seasons. The 4 Quarter Days The days that marked the four major divisions of the year were calledQuarter Days; they marked the solstice (when the Sun sets at its most nor...
Here's a look at who Ireland's patron saint was and why he is celebrated each year. When did we start celebrating St. Patrick's Day? The first historical record of revelry for St. Patrick dates back to the 7th century in Ireland, Sarah Waidler, a visiting assistant professor of Irish...
Ohio, for example, in 2008 “submitted the same voter information 1,778 times during the year for a 77-year-old man who died in December 2005.” The submissions were made over an 11-day period, ranging from 1 to 278 verification requests per day. The same voter’s infor...
Some 340,000 people from more than 150 countries donated $364 million for the restoration of the nearly 900-year-old cathedral, the public body in charge of Notre Dame’s restoration says. “It’s something which belongs to everybody,” fundraising co...