The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-03-08
REFORM OF THE CALENDAR
DIFFICULTIES IN HAVING A FIXED
DATE FOR EAsTER-FATHER
NAHAPETIAN's PROJECT.

At intervals during the last two or
three years one has read of projects
for new reform of the calendar.
The last attempt of the kind was
tried at the French Revolution when
it was inspired by fanatical zeal for
the decimal system and an insane
hatred Of religion. Fortunately no
such motives are to be traced in the
present agitation (if such mild and
academic debate can be called an agi-
tation), which is being carried on
partly in the interests of religion and
mainly, apparently, by priests.
All the writer's seem to be agreed
that the reform should come from the
Catholic Church, which has given us
our present Gregorian Calendar, but
they hardly dwell sufficiently on the
present day necessity of having the
reform accepted almost unanimously
by modern states. Some of the en-
thusiasm for the reform has been due
to the reforming zeal of Plus x, who
has reformed the Roman Congrega-
tons, Tribunals and Offices, the dis
cipline of Communion, the Canon
Law of the Church, and the Breviary.
Indeed the constitution "Divino af-
flatu," of November 1, 1911, is regard
ed as particularly hopeful sign by
the advocates of reform Of the cal
endar. We hardly know with how
much reason, but it is a fact that
the Congregation of Rites has con-
sidered the question (not very defin-
itely, or very closely, or very eagerly,
it is true) and has so far in no way
condemned the idea Of reform Of
the kind.
The Congregation of Rites would
naturally be consulted on such a sub
ject, because one of the chief objects
of the projected change is to render
fixed, not only for the day of the
month but for the day of the year
the great religious feasts. OF course
that reason alone would not be suf-
ffcient to induce the whole non-Cath-
Ole world to adopt new calendar,
but it is not difficult to find many
persuasive arguments to win the as
sent of industrial and social interests
Without venturing to pronounce
whether the reform is practicable, or
necessary-or even advisable, or
prophesying whether it is destined to
come in our time, our readers may
be interested in the project which has
been devised by the learned Mechitar-
list priest, Father Gebriele Nahapetian
Of Venice.
The persuasion which, he says, has
now became general that under the
Pontificate OF Plus x a great reform
of the calendar may be attained, has
made the question a practical one,
and therefore he adds his contribu-
ton to the subject. He divides the
year into $50 instead of 365 days
(that is the way he puts it-perhaps
for want Of better, but you cannot
divide the year into $50 solar days
when there are 365 of them), and
then into IL months of 80 days each.
He finds himself naturally with five
days on his hands, and he disposes of
four of these by adding one to the
last month OF each quarter; March,
June, September, December. The re-
naming day is not to belong to any
month or any week-he explains low
er down what he does with 1t.
Starting with New Years Day, the
Feast of Circumcision, he places it on
q Sunday. Christmas Day win, there
fore, also fall on a Sunday. It win
be found that the first day OF each
quarter viii always fall on a Sunday,
and April LIST he fixes as Palm Sun
day. April 9Th would, therefore, be
Easter Sunday lin perpetuum,D and
March 25th, the Feast Of the Annun-