February is the month of the year where we celebrate a myriad of events such as Black History Month, the Birthdays to two very famous US Presidents and of course Valentine’s Day. February is also home to a huge variety of special days all month long such as Random Acts of Kindness on February 17th. Again, February is such a unique month and time frame squeezed between the many services and concerts of the several Holiday events of December and then the penitential time of Lent.
January and February were the last two months in the Old Roman Calendar of 713 BC and derived from the Latin word of the Roman month Februarius so named after the Latin term Februm which means purification. This was a purification ritual called Februa always held on February 15th – the full moon in the old Roman Calendar.
The Old Roman Calendar had only 10 months starting in March and ending in December (10th month). When the two winter months of January and February were added the February became the last month of the year with only 28 days with the seasons, the Romans a leap month that they called Intercalaris. This extra month was added just every couple of years. At this time February was shortened to 23/24 days to make room for this 13th month. Later in 46BC Julius Caesar introduced the new calendar Julian and then the Intercalaris was abandoned setting up February to have a Leap year every four years.
Bob Woodworth Jr.
Dean