The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-31

tians. however. are the anniversaries OF the
resurrection and OF the birth OF Christ. Easter
Sunday would very likely have been made the
Christian New Years day. II II had not been
necessarily connected with the Jewish Pass
over, and. therefore. with the changes OF tho
moon. and 30 have been variable feast II must
be the Sunday following the spring full moon.
the fret full moon a!tor the vernal equinox.
Consequently. II may come on any day betw
March ~ and April %. and the Inference in
date In successive years ia often wide. In spIte
Of The Inconvenience Of max Ing the years differ
In length. however. the custom Of beginning
the year at Easter prevailed through the
greater part OF France down to 1853. and In
many OF the neighboring feudal States and
bshoprics likewise.
Whatever reason the Church had for fixing
on Dec. % az the day OF Chr-ts birth into the
world that date wao accepted early AMI uni
versally. II was used as the begin ming Of the
new year Ivy the FrankIsh EN- perors and by the
Pores at first, aud IL found In all the countries
whore they had power II struck deep root In
Germany where II was the com monest form Of
New Years day far into the sixteenth century.
and lasted In places into the seventeenth. 1t
was used In Italy. Spain. France and England as
we'll
The idea that Chrlsts coming should date
not from His birth hut from the Annuncation
OF His coming to Mary was very prevalent and
lead to New Years day on March %, Annun-
citation Day or Lady Day. nine months. that IL,
before Christmas. 1t had the advantage OF
bringing the beginning VI the year In the
| snrinr. satisfying the craving for n natural
division. that Is noticeable IN tho Roman Begin
ming with March. and the heahcn German re-
spect for May day. and was aso pretty near
Easter IL seems to have spread with the
Normans. Tor II took strong hold OF England.
whore II lasted legally till 1853 and In popular
use till we'll into the present century, and In
| southern Italy. and II was likewise used by the
| Popes. 80 long a. they sought Norman pro-
| teetion. The c sterciau MONKS also began the
year on Lady Day aud carried the reckoning
with them to all parts Of Europe. The count
OF years is complicated by the fact that two
| systems were used-one. that o. Pisa. counted
| from the March 25 before the first Christmas.
| the other. that OF Florence rom the March %
| after that Christina. no that the number OF the
year varies by one according TO the system
| used.
| Other beginnings besides were used. Sept.
| !. rs the leg,nning OF tho fiscal year In the
| byzantine Empire. and after tho thirteenth
| century. as the anniversary Of the beginning
! OF the world. In Russia. where 1t was used TIL
| 100. Before that he Roman beginning, March
! I. was employed In Russia. ami with that day
|
| downfall In 1701
As the result OF the differences In beginnings
| the year. care has to be taken with all dates
| that precede the adoption OF the refo med
calendar In Eng aud. for example. where
Lady Day was the rule. accurate histories
mark the dates with double figures. not
only for the days Of the month to show
tho Old style reckoning In use at the
time as well as our New Style notation.
but also for the trst three months OF the year.
In the year we call lHia. for instance. January.
February and March to the 25th were at tho
time called 1913. March - was New Years
Day Of 1,iiH. and that year continued Til March
- Of what We call 1850 In Frame" the con-
fusion was ended much sooner. and In most
Catholic countries II ended In 1919 or soon
after. with tho Introduction OF the GreGorian
calendar. The counting was more confusing
where Christmas began the year. owing to It's
nearness to January |. and In Frankfort 10
avoid trout they cal ed he week from Christ
mas to New Years between the years" and
refused to sign any documents in that period
| as late ~ the middle OF this century.