A calendar is a number system for large periods of time, based on the periodicity of the visible movements of celestial bodies. Calendars already existed 6,000 years ago. The word “calendar” itself comes from Ancient Rome. This was the name of the debt books, where moneylenders entered monthly interest. This happened on the first day of the month, which used to be called “Kalends”.
Different peoples at different times created and used three types of calendars: solar, lunar and solar-lunar. The most common is the solar calendar, which is based on the movement of the Sun, which allows the day and year to be coordinated. Currently, residents of most countries use this type of calendar.
One of the first creators of calendars were the inhabitants of Ancient Sumer (located in Iraq). They used a lunar calendar based on observation of the movement of the Moon. With its help, you can coordinate the day and the lunar month. The ancient Sumerian year had 354 days, and it consisted of 12 months of 29 and 30 days. Later, when the Babylonian priest-astronomers determined that the year consists of 365.6 days, the previous calendar was reworked and it became lunisolar.
Even in those days, when the first Persian states were just beginning to form, the ancient farmers already had their own calendar and knew: there is a day in the year when the shortest day is replaced by the longest night. This day of the longest night and shortest day is called the winter solstice and, according to the modern calendar, falls on December 22. Many centuries ago on this day, ancient farmers celebrated the birth of the Sun God - Mithra. The festive event included many obligatory rituals, with the help of which people helped Mithra to be born and defeat the villainess Winter, ensuring the arrival of Spring and the beginning of agricultural work. All this was a very serious matter for our ancestors, because their very lives depended on the timely arrival of spring.
Later, the god Mithra came from Persia to the Romans and became one of the gods they revered. In the Roman Empire, the months had different lengths (sometimes the length of the month could be changed for a bribe), but the New Year invariably fell on January 1, the date of the change of consuls. When the Roman Empire officially adopted Christianity and it turned out that the new, one God Jesus Christ was born on December 25, this further strengthened the traditions of celebrating the winter solstice and became a convenient time for New Year's festivities.
In 46 BC, Julius Caesar, who was not only a commander, but also a high priest, using the calculations of the scientist Sosigenes, moved to simple forms of the Egyptian solar year and introduced a calendar called the Julian. This reform was necessary, since the existing calendar was very different from the natural one, and by the time of the reform this lag from the natural change of seasons was already 90 days. This calendar was based on the annual movement of the Sun through the 12 zodiac constellations. According to the imperial reform, the year began on January 1. The first month of the year was named after the god Janus, who represents the beginning of everything. The average length of the year in the interval of four years was 365.25 days, which is 11 minutes 14 seconds longer than the tropical year, and this temporary inaccuracy began to creep in again.
In Ancient Greece, the beginning of summer fell on the longest day of the year - June 22. And the Greeks calculated chronology from the famous Olympic Games, which were held in honor of the legendary Hercules.
The second significant reform of the calendar was carried out by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582. This calendar was called the Gregorian (new style) and it replaced the Julian calendar (old style). The need for changes was determined by the fact that the Julian calendar lagged behind the natural one. The vernal equinox, very important for determining the dates of religious holidays, shifted and became earlier every year. The introduced Gregorian calendar became more accurate. The date of the vernal equinox was fixed at March 21, leap years falling in the last years of centuries were removed from the calendar: 1600, 1700, 1800, etc. - therefore, there are fewer leap years introduced to eliminate the discrepancy between the calendar and the counting of tropical years.
The Gregorian calendar was immediately adopted by many European countries, and at the beginning of the 20th century it established itself in China, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, and Egypt.
In Rus', the chronology invented by the Romans was used, and the Julian calendar with Roman names of months and a seven-day week was in effect. Before the decree of Peter I (1700), Russians kept their calendar “from the creation of the world,” which, according to Christian teaching, occurred 5506 BC, and the beginning of the New Year was celebrated in September, after the harvest, and in March. on the day of the spring solstice. The royal decree brought our calendar into line with the European one and ordered us to celebrate the New Year in winter - on January 1.
Until October 1917, Russia lived according to the Julian calendar, “lagging” behind European countries by 13 days. When the Bolsheviks came to power, they reformed the calendar. On February 1, 1918, a decree was issued declaring this day the 14th. This year turned out to be the shortest, consisting of 352 days, since according to the calendar reform, January 31 of the previous year immediately followed... February 14.
There was a danger of continuing to reform the Russian calendar in the spirit of revolutionary ideology. Thus, in the 1930s it was proposed to introduce “five-day weeks” instead of weeks. And in 1939, the “Union of Militant Atheists” took the initiative to assign other names to the generally accepted names of the months. It was proposed to call them this way (we list them from January to December, respectively): Lenin, Marx, Revolution, Sverdlov, May (agreed to leave), Soviet Constitution, Harvest, Peace, Comintern, Engels, Great Revolution, Stalin. However, sensible heads were found, and the reform was rejected.
Proposals with amendments to the current chronology system continue to appear. The last attempt to reform the calendar was made in 1954. A project was proposed for consideration by the UN, approved by many countries, including the Soviet Union. The essence of the proposed changes was that all the first days of the quarters would begin on Sunday, with the first month of the quarter containing 31 days, and the remaining two months - 30 each. This option for changing the calendar was considered and preliminarily approved by the UN Council as convenient for “service maintenance” "and was recommended for approval by the UN General Assembly, but was rejected under pressure from the United States and other countries. There is no information about new projects to change the calendar yet.
A number of Muslim countries still use a lunar calendar, in which the beginning of calendar months corresponds to the moments of new moons. The lunar month (synodic) is 29 days 12 hours 44 minutes 2.9 seconds. 12 such months make up a lunar year of 354 days, which is 11 days shorter than the tropical year. In a number of countries in Southeast Asia, Iran, and Israel, there are varieties of the lunisolar calendar, in which the change in the phases of the Moon is consistent with the beginning of the astronomical year. In such calendars, a period of 19 solar years equal to 235 lunar months (the so-called Metonic cycle) plays an important role. The lunisolar calendar is used by Jews who profess Judaism to calculate the dates of religious holidays.
Moon calendar - type of calendar, which is based on the period of changing phases of the Moon. The connection of the calendar with the Moon, as an astronomical phenomenon, occurred in ancient times.
There is a version that the Lunar calendar first appeared in Mesopotamia, on the territory of modern Iraq, in the city-states of the ancient Sumerians in the third millennium BC.
However, scientists continue to debate when exactly the lunar calendar appeared. But agree on its primacy. The fact is that the change in phases of the Moon is one of the most easily observed celestial phenomena. That is why many ancient peoples- Babylonians, Jews, Greeks, Chinese - originally used the lunar calendar.
During the period of change of lifestyle from nomadic to sedentary, the Lunar calendar ceased to satisfy. Since agricultural work is tied to the change of seasons, that is, the movement of the Sun. Therefore, lunar calendars, with rare exceptions, began to be replaced by lunisolar or solar calendars. One exception is the Muslim calendar. It is based only on changes in lunar phases. Therefore it is purely lunar.
What calendar did our ancestors use? Historians have long known that ancient Rus' used a lunisolar calendar. Our ancestors lived in harmony with nature. The lunar calendar, due to the climate of our country, of course, was not enough.
The modern solar calendar, as you well understand, is much easier to use. There are established “rules”, for example that a new day always begins at 00:00 hours.
The “irregularities” that we encounter when using the modern calendar are only that one month lasts 30 days, and the other - 31 days. The only exception is one month - February.
In the Lunar calendar, on the contrary, everything is very fluid. Just as water is mobile and changeable, it is the Moon that has the greatest influence on it (causing ebbs and flows).
However, if we take a closer look at both the official calendar and reality, we will see that the “once and for all” established rules do not affect how nature behaves. Winter can start early, and already at the end of October (the official autumn month) there may be snow and persistent sub-zero temperatures. In another year, autumn weather may last until the first days of December.
In nature, everything is changeable and mobile. Naturally, the influence of the Moon on the Earth and on human life did not stop due to the fact that the Lunar calendar was practically stopped being used. We are not only social creatures, but also “children of nature.” That’s why it’s so important for us to maintain flexibility, mobility, and changeability. It is important for our health and well-being to learn to feel the rhythms of nature. And the Lunar calendar provides significant assistance in this.
For example, our body reacts sensitively to changing lunar phases. When the phase of the Moon changes, the water balance shifts, the dynamics of water exchange changes, which, of course, cannot but affect our organs, systems and body functions. This affects not only our health and well-being, but also our psychological state.
As our internal state changes, our behavior also changes. That is why knowledge about the basic patterns described in the Lunar calendar helps us to be more successful in many areas of life. When we don’t know at what moment it’s better to act and what area of life is worth putting effort into at this moment, we often try to hit the wall with our heads, not seeing that there is a door nearby. When we understand the natural rhythms that influence us, we can ride the energetic wave, just as a sailboat moves when pulled by the force of the wind.
Basic concepts of the Lunar calendar:
- Lunar events (New Moon, Full Moon, Eclipse)
- Conditions of the Moon: Waxing (young) and Waning (defective or aging) Moon
Unique Lunar calendar “Rhythms of Life”
I tell you good news. The creation of a new unique Lunar calendar has been completed. This Lunar calendar called “Rhythms of Life” is SOMETHING SPECIAL.
It summarizes recommendations on the influence of several aspects of the Moon (lunar day, phase of the Moon, Moon in a sign, full moon-new moon, waxing-waning Moon) for each calendar day. “Rhythms of Life” includes detailed recommendations on health, nutrition, family, beauty, everyday life, lifestyle and business.
The lunar calendar “Rhythms of Life” was developed for Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Kyiv, Irkutsk, Vladivostok, New York, Paris, Berlin. Based on your request, we will develop “Rhythms of Life” for any city.
To learn more about the “Rhythms of Life” calendar, sign up for a free introductory course:
There are several types of different calendars in the world. The calendar determines certain time periods in accordance with the movement of celestial bodies such as the Sun and Moon.
The lunar calendar is a special type of calendar that is based on the phases of the Earth's satellite, the Moon. Calendars based on the phases of the moon appeared a long time ago, back in ancient times.
Many different sources provide a large number of facts indicating where exactly the Lunar calendar was first invented. According to one version, the world's first calendar, based on lunar phases, was first invented in the lands where Iraq is now located - in Mesopotamia. The ancient Sumerians began to use the Moon as a temporary measure back in the third millennium BC.
But the inquisitive minds of scientists to this day do not let up and continue to look for the answer to the main question: “Who and when became the creator of such a wonderful invention as the Lunar calendar?” and build many versions and guesses about this. But opinions are unanimous on one thing: the Lunar calendar was still the first. The phases of the moon are very easy and simple to observe. Therefore, the ancient Chinese, Jews, Babylonians and Greeks used the lunar calendar.
What caused the transition from the Lunar calendar to the Solar one?
Once upon a time, a very long time ago, people led a largely nomadic lifestyle, not staying in one place for long. Over time, there was a division into nomads and farmers. The latter led a sedentary lifestyle. In order to properly care for the land and get a good harvest, you need to monitor the seasons. After all, solar heat and light are extremely important for the tiller. That's when the Solar calendar replaced the Lunar calendar. Now almost all major calendars are based on the phases of the Sun, with the exception of the Muslim calendar, which is entirely based on the Moon.
Calendars of ancient Rus'
There are many versions and theories about which calendar our ancestors used. Historians claim that it was a lunisolar calendar. It is known that, being pagans and very superstitious, people who once lived on these lands found harmony in everything, and most importantly, lived in unity with nature. For our climate, the Lunar calendar alone was definitely not enough.
The version of the solar calendar that we are used to using is quite easy to use, since it has several clear rules. For example, there are 24 hours in a day, a new day begins exactly at 00.00 hours.
A feature of the modern solar calendar is some unevenness, namely the alternating number of days in each month: in one - 30 days, in the next - 31 days. February is an exception.
The lunar calendar does not have any clear, generally accepted system. It is as changeable as water. The moon has the greatest influence on water. The ebb and flow of the tides depend on its position.
Nevertheless, an officially adopted calendar cannot guarantee that in reality, in nature itself, everything will happen exactly as prescribed in it. As a rule, the new season does not start strictly on the first day. The warmth may last well into the winter months, but the cold does not necessarily end in the month of March. It is often colder in March than, for example, in January.
Nature is fickle and mobile. Its changing essence is largely reflected by the Lunar calendar. The fact that the Lunar calendar has faded into the background does not negate the powerful influence of this celestial body on the Earth, our nature and our lives. We are acutely aware of the changes in lunar phases. It is extremely important for a person to feel part of nature, one and to change with it, while maintaining flexibility.
The human body changes depending on the phases of the moon. The balance and exchange of water in the body changes, which also affects a person’s general well-being. The moon determines not only the physical, but also the mental state of a person.
We begin to change inside, which means our psyche and behavior are also rebuilt. By following the laws given in the Lunar calendar, a person gains the opportunity to become healthier and more successful in everything. In much the same way as a horoscope, the lunar calendar will tell you at what point it is better to take active action, and at what point it is better to just wait. After all, going ahead is not always the best option for achieving a goal. Understanding the rhythms of nature and energy, which have such a powerful influence on every person, makes it possible to “catch” the energy wave and act correctly.
Lunar calendar - basic concepts:
Lunar days (days) – time from lunar rise to the next sunrise.
Moon phases are the level of lunar illumination in the sky, which changes periodically.
Moon states:
The waxing (young) Moon is a time intended for change;
The waning (defective or aging) Moon is a time of rest and waning strength.
The main lunar events are:
New Moon is a period when three planets (Earth, Sun and Moon) are in one straight line.
A full moon is a period during which the Moon looks like a huge shining disk. At this time, the three planets are almost in a straight line.
An eclipse is a phenomenon in which one planet (celestial body) obscures another.
Although there are many theories to answer the question "Why did people worship the Moon?", the most plausible is that the Moon - unlike the Sun - could change its shape. First, the month in the sky turned into a full, round beauty - and then decreased again and came to naught. This was the impetus for the creation of the Lunar calendar.
Lunar calendar: history of origin
What added to the mystery was that this process, controlled by the Moon, was repeated with enviable frequency.
This is how things stood, and subsequently this method of measuring time penetrated into religion.
The Koran, for example, does not recognize the existence of a leap year, which has an extra day, and, moreover, Muslims are convinced that Islamic holidays should always begin at the very moment when the moon can be seen in the sky.
Of course, this means that even in the same region, the holiday can start at different times due to weather conditions - fog, rain, clouds, and so on.
Although it seems strange, Islam is not the only religion that uses the lunar calendar to determine the dates and times of holidays.
The Jewish calendar has always been based on the rising and setting of the moon.
And since the early Christians tried to make their holidays coincide with the Jewish ones, we still find connections with the Moon in many Christian holidays celebrated at different times.
An ideal example of this is Easter, which should be celebrated "on the first Sunday after the full Moon appears in the sky, or on the Sunday following the twenty-first day of March."
If the Moon was the very first keeper of time, then why don't we use its cycle as a clock today? How did we move from the Lunar calendar to the Solar calendar?
So, the ancient Egyptians discovered that although the Moon made it possible to accurately determine time, using the lunar cycle of 29 days it was impossible to accurately determine the duration of the seasons.
This meant that the beginning and end of the season were determined with an error of several days, which was a big problem for the entire civilized world.
Why? Because farmers needed to know when to plant seeds and when to harvest. Merchants needed to know when they could sell their harvest.
There was another, even more important problem (at least for the Egyptians): it was necessary to determine the time of the annual flood of the Nile River.
And all this was impossible without some way that would accurately determine the duration of the seasons.
To solve this problem, the Egyptians consulted with each other and developed a calendar based on solar cycles.
The only change compared to the Lunar calendar was an increase in the length of the calendar year by 11 days, but since it was now possible to determine the beginning and end of the seasons (for which these changes were mainly made), this was accepted easily.
Julius Caesar brought this calendar to Europe approximately 2,000 years ago, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Ancient legends about the moon
There are many legends about the Moon. An example of this is the legend of Khons, the moon god worshiped by the Egyptians.
The Babylonians had Sin as their moon god. Chandra, the Hindu god of the moon, rides across the sky in a silver chariot drawn by a deer with antlers like an antelope.
And of course, there is also Yu-lao, a character in Chinese mythology who predetermines the marriages of people who do not suspect anything about it.
They say that it binds future spouses tightly with an invisible silk thread - a thread so strong that nothing but death can break it.
Be that as it may, in other countries the sex of the Moon is not as important as its role: it provides shelter, saves and restores justice.
For example, residents of Siberia somehow see on the Moon the figure of a girl who escaped there from the danger approaching her - she ran away from a wolf pursuing her.
The Scandinavians see two children there who have taken refuge from an evil and harmful father, whose crime was that he forced them to carry buckets of water all day.
One of the most interesting legends about the Moon belongs to the Maasai tribe from Kenya. It says that the Sun somehow severely beat his wife, the Moon.
To remind him of his sins - and to completely embarrass him - she periodically shows off her black eye and swollen lip to everyone around her.
In addition, there is also a legend about the Virgo Moon, who collects the dreams and desires of every living creature on Earth.
It says that she collects these dreams and desires in a silver cup and mixes them all night, and then drops them on the Earth with dew.
This way, important things don't get lost or forgotten - like everything else, they just change shape.
Other legends about the Moon are more related to gods and goddesses who either live on the Moon or are responsible for changing its phases.
One such myth is associated with the ancient Germanic goddess Holle (sometimes called Frigg), who lives on the Moon and spins human lives.
Another legend tells of the Chinese goddess Chang-e, whose husband was given a drink that made him immortal.
Chang-e wanted to receive this gift herself, stole the drink and flew to the moon to avoid her husband's wrath.
The legend says that now she lives happily there with a local inhabitant - a hare, who gave her shelter.
The following legend says nothing at all about the image of the Moon or the gods, only about the ten-day period following the appearance of the full Moon.
The Legend of the 10 Days of the Moon
This legend tells that each of these days has its own magic, and those who pay attention to their characteristics and use them as indicated below can gain great power.
First lunar day
A wonderful time to start new projects, in particular to found new companies.
This is a particularly auspicious day for the birth of children, as it is believed that such children will live especially long, happy and rich lives.
The only negative characteristic of this day is related to illness, since those who fall ill on this day will take a very long time to recover.
Second lunar day
This day is successful in every sense; it promises a variety of riches. This is a great time to sell various products and make deals. It is said that plants will develop well if planted on this day.
Third lunar day
This is an unlucky day to be born - it is believed that these children will not only be weak, frail and sickly, they will remain like this for the rest of their lives.
Thefts also often occur on this day. The advantage is that thieves, most often, are quickly found - but it’s hard to say whether your things will remain with them!
Fourth lunar day
If you are planning to fix your things, make cosmetic or major repairs in your apartment, the fourth day is the best time for this.
The day is suitable for everything related to construction.
It is also said that children born on this day are likely to enter politics, but to succeed they need to start studying at an early age (it is especially important to explain the difference between good and evil to such children).
Fifth lunar day
This day is called the “weather forecaster”, since for the rest of the month the weather will be the same as on this day. I also learned from my sources that this is the best day to conceive a child.
I'm not sure if this is true or not, but if having a baby isn't in your immediate plans, you may need to take extra precautions!
Sixth lunar day
A wonderful day to rest, relax and do something good for yourself.
The day is suitable for doing something memorable for a long time, and a vacation that begins at this time will turn out to be one of the most enjoyable. It is also considered a good day for hunting, fishing and outdoor sports.
Seventh lunar day
This day gives us a huge number of opportunities to find our other half.
So if you are free and in search, don’t sit still, take advantage of what the day offers you. You have nothing to lose, on the contrary, you can be very lucky!
Eighth lunar day
Pay attention to your health, as it is believed that those who get sick on this day may not recover, and those who recover will feel weak for a long time.
Ninth lunar day
If you want to look good, don't look at the moon on this day. It is better to sleep in a completely dark room, as it is believed that if even one ray of the moon touches your face, the moon will steal all your beauty.
Tenth lunar day
The most important thing now is patience, it is especially important when raising children born on this day. It is said that they are not only overactive, headstrong and stubborn, but also that they have not the slightest respect for authority.
The word "calendar" comes from the Latin word ca-lendae or kalendae, which denoted the first day of any Roman month. The Indo-European root words for the words "moon", "mind", "month" are "mati", "manas", "manna" or "men"; all these words are associated with the menstrual cycle of women and Goddesses. In Greek "mene" means "Moon", while in Latin the Moon is denoted by the words mends and mensura. The same words are the roots of the word "measurement". The presence of the Moon can be traced even in our current calendar. The English word monday means moon day, and the word create comes from the word crescent or new moon. In modern French, this root word is only openly preserved in the word croissant (crescent-shaped bun).
There are three types of calendars: solar, lunar and lunisolar. Calendars serve to accurately set dates, both secular and religious. They help determine the time of the solstice, equinox, eclipses of the Sun and Moon, etc. Calendars divide the annual cycle into times. The very first calendars were lunar calendars compiled as a result of observations of the Moon.
The solar calendar, which is now used by almost the entire world, is a relatively new invention compared to the history of humankind. The results of many archaeological studies, as well as historical documents, indicate that the first civilizations checked time with the Moon and its phases. Many modern holidays are associated with certain phases of the moon. And in some countries the lunar calendar itself has been preserved.
The very first Chinese calendar was based on lunar cycles. It also took into account the results of observations of the Sun and Moon. The twenty-eight parts of the Chinese lunar year were called "houses"; in each “house” lived a warrior - the beloved of the Moon Goddess. The same calendar was used in Japan, Korea and Vietnam. The first Hindu calendar was also lunar; and today Hindus still speak of the "twenty-eight palaces of the moon."
The early Egyptians also had a lunar calendar; Moreover, the hieroglyph for the word “month” was an image of the young Moon. Around 4236 BC, the Egyptians switched to a solar calendar that had twelve months of thirty days each. The Egyptian week consisted of ten days. The last month was followed by five additional days, known as the birthdays of special gods. This calendar was compiled as a result of observations of Sirius (or Sothis, the Dog Star).
The first calendars of Chaldea, Babylon, Mesopotamia, Greece, Rome and the Celtic clans were also lunar. Babylonian priests claimed that the god Marduk counted sacred days and seasons in accordance with the movement of the Moon. The Chaldean “moon worshipers” believed that the movement of the Moon according to the signs of the zodiac determined a person’s destiny. In the Gaulish language the words for "menstruation" and "calendar" were almost identical: miosach and miosachan.
Muslims today still live according to the lunar calendar. Since the Muslim year has only 354 or 355 days, some Muslim religious holidays, such as Ramadan, change from one season to another.
The Jews use a combined lunisolar calendar, in which the year is solar and the months are lunar. Each month begins with the first appearance of the New Moon.
For the inhabitants of the Earth, the Moon has never been a constant form. It changes throughout its entire cycle, which is approximately 29.5 days.
Sometimes it seems that even the size of the Moon is changing. This is explained by the fact that it moves around the Earth in an elliptical orbit. When the Moon is closest to Earth (at perigee), it appears about 15% larger than when it is farthest from Earth (at apogee). If the Moon turns out to be a little closer to the Earth than usual, its size visually increases sharply. The magic of the Moon lies in the fact that at perigee its influence is 25% stronger than at apogee. The growth of its influence is expressed in stronger ebbs and flows, at the same time the magical capabilities of a person are also enhanced.
In addition, being at its zenith, the Moon is at different angles to the Earth at different times. This happens because the Moon's orbit does not exactly line up with the Earth's equator. Common sense dictates that the higher the Moon rises above the Earth, the more sheer its rays or energy, as a result of which spells and rituals can be more powerful. Most people do not use the energy of the Moon, swimming against the psychic current, instead of taking advantage of the beneficial power of this current.
As the seasons change, the energy of the Moon also changes imperceptibly, since the Moon is influenced by the Sun and its position between the Earth and the Sun. To use the moon's energy to its fullest throughout the year, you need to take into account not only the phases of the moon, but also the seasons.
The lunar boat (boat) of the Egyptians, in which the Moon traveled across the sky
I divided my lunar calendar into lunar months in accordance with the solar months, which are more familiar to most of us. However, the thirteenth month, which I decided to insert between October and November, does not consist of twenty-nine days. If I tried to divide the twelve solar months equally into thirteen lunar months, which can begin and end in the middle of the solar month, I would confuse the reader. People have been living in the rhythm of solar time for centuries. Therefore, for convenience, I decided to use such an unusual system.
A Blue Moon, or second full moon, within one month can occur at any time of the year. I decided to insert it in October-November, a time that in Northern Europe is traditionally associated with remembering ancestors and reflecting on the Thin Curtain that separates the worlds (the holiday now known as All Hallows' Eve).
I did not mark all the ancient holidays in my lunar calendar for two reasons: firstly, this information can be found in other sources; secondly, there are insurmountable disagreements about the exact dates of many holidays. In this case, I use the dates that seem most convincing. In addition, I have included in my calendar only those ancient rituals that are of practical importance for modern people and understandable to them.