Calendar

(kal'en-dur.) [L calendarium.] A division of time according to years, seasons, months, weeks, ., according to the usages or wants of civil life. The year or period of the sun's apparent revolution around the sidereal heavens is the first basis of all modern calendars. The day, or period of the sun's apparent revolution with the sidereal heavens around the earth is the principal subdivision. The year is measured with reference to the return of the seasons, the day with reference to the average interval separating succe ive returns of the sun to the meridian. In the C. devised by Julius Cæsar, and called the Julian C., the ordinary year contained 365 days. Every fourth year contained 366 days (see BISSEXTILE), and no further arrangement was made to bring the civil year into accordance with the actual length of the astronomical year, which is 365 d. 5 h. 48 m. 49-6 s. It followed that, as century after century pa ed, the equinoxes and solstices fell gradually away from their true dates, occurring rather more than three days too late in the Calendar year at the end of the 4th century, more than 6 days too late at the end of the 8th century, and so on. It was to correct this state of things that the C. now in use was devised by Pope Gregory XIII. When it was first introduced into Catholic countries, in 1582, 10 days had to be dropped. All the Protestant countries adhered to it in 1700, except England, which maintained the old style till 1752. Ru ia, and all countries in communion with the Greek Church, still maintain the old style. [s. 130]