|
Calendar Facts
The
Days of the week:
All
of the days of the week were
named
after pagan gods and
goddesses.
Here are the English
names
for the days of the week
with
their origin.
SUNDAY-
the sun god.
MONDAY-
the moon goddess
TUESDAY-
Tiw, the Norse god of
war.
WEDNESDAY-
Wodin (or Odin), the
chief
Norse god.
THURSDAY-
Thor, Norse god of thunder.
FRIDAY-
Frigg, Norse goddess of love.
SATURDAY-
Saturn, Roman god of
harvest.
The Names of the Months:
January-
Named after the Roman god Janus.
February-The
name comes either from the old-Italian god Februus or else from februa,
signifying the festivals of purification celebrated in Rome during this
month.
March-Named
after the Roman god of war, Mars.
April-Called
Aprilis, from aperire, "to open". Possible because it
is the month in which the buds begin to open.
May-Named
after Maiesta, the Roman goddess of honor and reverence.
June-
Nnamed in honor of the goddess Juno.
July-
It was the month in which Julius Caesar was born, and named
Julius in his honor in 44 BCE.
August-
Named in honor of the first of the Roman emperors,
Augustus.
September-The
name comes from septem, "seven".
October-The
name comes from octo, "eight"
November-The
name comes from novem, "nine".
December-The
name comes from decem, "ten".
|
