It cannot be said that on the eve of the New Year, everyone, except children, is in a good high spirits. Last year turned out to be too full of sad and sad incidents. It does not add joy and the fact that next year will be a leap year. However, it is not recommended to celebrate the holiday with such a gloomy mood, so let's try to think rationally about how real our fears are when trying to consider the near future. It is possible that thanks to this, the coming 12 months will not seem so gloomy.

Leap year - what does it mean, is it good or bad?

If the second month of winter has 29 days instead of 28, then the year is called a leap year. It appears due to a small discrepancy in our astronomical calendar of the number of days with the actual time during which our planet makes a complete circuit around the Sun. Since this happens in 365 days and 6 hours, the “tail” that does not fit scientific world it was decided to take into account in the "extra" day of February.

A leap year means that February of that year is one day longer.

In fact, the extra day in the year has no effect on the world, since its appearance is a tribute to convention. If negative changes took place in the lives of people, countries on the eve of a leap year, then the educated tendency, if countermeasures are not taken, will continue due to circumstances and further, and not because of an “extra” day.

However, people who are distrustful of any changes in life tend to "look for an elephant in every fly" and expect bad things at every opportunity. Due to this in leap year many see social and political troubles. It is logical to assume that with such an attitude, the execution of any large-scale affairs for many will be carried out with insufficient zeal and, as a result, the standard of living will definitely decrease from this. As a result, the leap year will be blamed for the worsened state of affairs, and not their carelessness.

wedding during this period

In the old days, in a leap year, professional matchmakers were left without work, because the girls were given the right to independently choose a spouse. It is possible that this is precisely why the expression “you cannot marry” was born - as an indication of the fact that when a family was formed, the initiative was transferred to women. Over time, the essence of the tradition was lost, but a warning rule appeared that did not recommend starting a family in a year whose February has 29 days. Since it was believed that a married couple was expected:

• unstable financial situation,
• unhappy life together.

Interestingly, divorce in a non-standard year is also not recommended. According to forecasts, such couples are guaranteed a lack of personal happiness in the future. But for the most determined connoisseurs of traditional recommendations, a loophole has been left:

If a spouse released from marital obligations comes to church with a towel and utters the cherished words “I pay tribute to the leap year, and you, family angel, stand next to me.”

That is, there is a chance that the one who performed the rite will still be able to find his true "native" soul mate.

Even for those who get married in the church, a verbal amulet has been invented, which must be pronounced by the priest performing the ceremony. It sounds like this: "I crown with a crown, and not with a leap end."

Birth of a child

Superstition favors newborns in a leap year, promising a good fate in all respects. So you need boldly, then two.

What does it mean to be born in a long year?

Omens regarding people born in a leap year, oddly enough, are very favorable. Such people are prophesied luck in business, an easy fate. Those who were born on a rare day in February are credited with beyond possibility: the gift of divination.

For those born on a “strange day”, this actually means that every three years in a row, legal name days will have to be celebrated either on February 28 or March 1.

What can and cannot be done in a year with 29 days in February?

You cannot do:

• For a taboo on a haircut (In order not to harm the health of the unborn child).
• Those planning new events, business projects, talk about plans. (However, if the intentions cannot be notified to the partners, then what business will get off the ground?).
• To drown the kittens. (No comments).
• Sell ​​any domestic animals (Then the livestock farmers will definitely seem hungry for a year).
• Caroling. (Otherwise, a person may be exposed to circumstances under the influence of which he will change greatly).
• Lay the foundation of the house, build a bath. Otherwise, everything erected will soon become unusable or disappear due to fire. (Apparently, in some cities for a decade the leap year has firmly established itself and is not going to leave).
• Change place of residence, source of income.
• Celebrate the "First Tooth" holiday. (As a punishment for non-compliance with the recommendation, you can get bad teeth for life).
• Go out on a quiet hunt for mushrooms. (Experienced connoisseurs say that myceliums are renewed every four years, which negatively affects the quality of even good mushrooms - they become unsuitable for food. However, on which stump can you read in what years the local mycelium experienced a rejuvenation process?).
• Prepare funeral equipment for the future.
• Travel far from home. If you can’t get away from the journey, you need to pronounce a special conspiracy. Or just wish yourself a mental quick and safe return to the same house - if there is a desire to return to it.

You can and should do:

• Burn the old slippers, and put a new pair in their place. It is recommended to burn your used slippers, pronouncing phrases with the wish to burn in the observed fire to all troubles and misfortunes.
• Thank you at new year's eve the forces of the Cosmos for all the good things that happened in the past year, household members, luck in business.
• Hearing a dog howl at any distance from you, you need to say: "Go howl, but not to my house."
• Planting a garden with seedlings, sowing seeds, say something like: “I plant, but I won’t go into the ground.” (Maybe it's better not to spend everything in the garden free time and give yourself a break sometimes?).

What is dangerous this year?

In fact: what you want, that's what you expect.

People who believe in the unfavorable aura of a leap year are preparing to receive from it:

1. complications in the life of the country and a person in particular (due to political or religious instability, which, as a rule, is reflected in the everyday level of citizens of the state and the world);
2. crop problems (unpredictable frosts, problems with precipitation, excessive solar activity, migration of crop-damaging insects);
3. difficulties in concluding partnership agreements, delays in terms of previously concluded agreements;
4. health problems, reduced immune forces.

It is dangerous because, having succumbed to the influence of superstitions, a person will begin to lead a less active position. Because of this, even when he can refuse a good career offer, business project, partnership or marital relationship. And good chances in any field don't happen all that often.

Therefore, it is up to you to choose: to build your life with an eye on ancient superstitions that can exist today in the form of concepts that distort the real essence, or to approach the solution of existing problems in an adult way.

Considering the growing popularity of all kinds of negative predictions during periods of financial crises, with the intensification of political confrontations on the world stage, it can be assumed that next year many of the people around will fall into a kind of somnambulistic state and will show low social activity.

The following benefits can be derived from this:

Take a better look at the environment: employees, associates and partners who will make fateful decisions without making allowances for the superstitious restrictions that exist for 2016 are the main driving backbone of your business.

Such people do not draw conclusions on the basis of unsubstantiated conclusions, but are guided by purely facts. An exception can be made only for people - if there are such people in your circle - who really have super abilities and pump the necessary information, as they say, “out of thin air”. Although in reality they are most likely just great analysts.

Concluding contracts with new partners, first try to find out their ins and outs in their personal lives. If it turns out that a person is superstitious by nature, then:

1. you can take on the role of a superbeing and make sure that the desired partner now and then catches the eye of “signs” indicating great benefits for him in cooperation with you;
2. be prepared for the fact that a change in the terms of the agreements may occur unexpectedly, since the representative on the other side will dream something wrong, dream.

05.08.2017 18:25 878

We all know that a year is divided into 12 months. Each month has 30 or 31 days, except for February, which usually has 28 days. The total number of days in a year is 365. But every four years this figure changes, increasing to 366. In February, it becomes one more day, and we see the 29th number on the calendar. Why is this happening?

In 45 BC, astronomers from Alexandria compiled a calendar on the orders of the ancient Roman general Gaius Julius Caesar. In this calendar, the year consists of 365 days and 6 hours. Exactly during this period, the Earth goes all the way around the Sun. To make up for this difference of six hours, an extra day is added every 4 years in February.

Checking if a year is a leap year or not is very simple. It is necessary to divide its number by 4. The answer should be in the form of a number without a remainder.

Some people find the leap year difficult and unlucky. Where did this superstition come from? Fasting ended at the beginning of March, and in a leap year it increased by one day. Therefore, people thought that the year would be difficult. Another superstition was reinforced by the Kasyanov Day holiday, which is celebrated on February 29. According to one of the folk tales, Kasyan was an angel who knew a lot about what God was doing. But he turned out to be a traitor and told everything he knew to the demons. As punishment, he was beaten every three years on the forehead, and in the fourth year he was released to Earth. There he committed various atrocities. There is also a version that Kasyan was a saint. Violating the ban, he drank alcohol every 3 years, and finished on the fourth. Therefore, people believed that in a leap year you can’t do any important things, build a house, get married. But Orthodox Church denies all these superstitions, arguing that the leap year, according to statistics, does not differ from the usual.

A leap year occurs once every four years. But why then was 1904 a leap year, 1900 was not, and 2000 was again?

In a leap year, the Summer Olympics are held - where did this order come from? And why do we need any special "extended" years? How are they different from normal ones? Let's figure it out.

Who introduced leap years into the calendar?

Ancient Roman astronomers were well aware that a year on Earth lasts 365 days and a few more hours. Because of this, the calendar year, which then consisted of a constant number of days, did not coincide with the astronomical one. The surplus of hours gradually accumulated, turning into days. Calendar dates gradually shifted and deviated from natural phenomena like the equinoxes. A group of astronomers led by Sosigenes, who worked at the court of Julius Caesar, proposed to correct the calendar. According to the new chronology, every fourth year was extended by one day. This year is called bis sextus which in Latin means "second sixth" . In Russian, this word has been transformed into "leap year" That's what we call it to this day.

By order of Julius Caesar, a new calendar was introduced starting from the year 45 BC. After the death of the emperor, there was a failure in the calculation of leap years, and the countdown began again from the 8th year of our era. Therefore, in our time, even years are leap years.

It was decided to add a day to the last, shortest month of the year, which already "did not have enough days." IN Ancient Rome New Year was celebrated on March 1, so an extra 366th day was added to February. The new calendar began to be called "Julian" in honor of Caesar. By the way, the Orthodox and some other churches still live according to the Julian calendar - this is a tribute to tradition.

And again the calendar changes

Astronomical observations continued, methods became more and more accurate. Over time, astrologers realized that the duration of the earth's year is not 365 days and 6 hours, but a little less. (It is now known that a year lasts 365 days 5 hours 48 minutes and 46 seconds).


The use of the Julian chronology led to the fact that the calendar began to be late from the real flow of time. Astronomers have noticed that the spring equinox occurs much earlier than the day allotted for it according to the calendar, that is, March 21. There was a need to correct the calendar, which was done by decree of Pope Gregory XIII in 1582.

To compensate for the discrepancy, we decided to set leap years according to a new rule. It was necessary to reduce their number, which was done. From that moment on, all years divisible by 4, except those that are divisible by 100, are still considered leap years. For even more accurate chronology, years that are divisible by 400 are still considered leap years.

This is why 1900 (like 1700 and 1800) was not a leap year, but 2000 (like 1600) was.

The new calendar was named in honor of the Pope Gregorian - it is currently used by all countries of the world. The Julian calendar is used by a number of Christian churches, including the Russian Orthodox Church.

Rule for determining leap years

So, leap years are determined by a simple algorithm:

If a year is divisible by 4 but not divisible by 100, it is a leap year;

If a year is divisible by 100, it is not considered a leap year;

If a year is divisible by 100 and also by 400, it is a leap year.

How is a leap year different from others?

Only one - it has 366 days, and an additional day is assigned to February. Despite the fact that the year now starts on January 1, which means that the last month of the year is December, we still give an extra day to February. He is the shortest - we will regret him!

And we will rejoice for those who were born on February 29 in a leap year. These "lucky ones" celebrate their birthday every four years, which makes this event more long-awaited and desired than other people.

What happens in a leap year?

Leap years were chosen to host the main sporting event of mankind - the Olympics. Now, in leap years, only the Summer Games are held, and the Winter Games are held with a two-year shift. The sports community adheres to the oldest tradition, which was established by the first Olympians - the ancient Greeks.


It was they who decided that such a grandiose event should not take place too often - once every four years. The four-year cycle coincided with the alternation of leap years, so the modern Olympics began to be held in leap years.

For centuries, mankind has created history that has been passed down from generation to generation. The myths or reality about the leap year that have come down to our days make everyone think about this inexplicable fact.

What is a leap year?

The term "leap year" Latin has a digital value - 2nd/6th. It represents, from a scientific point of view, the fourth year in excess of the standard number of days (366).

Historical leap year period

During the reign of J. Caesar, there was an additional repeated day in the Roman calendar, with one number (the twenty-fourth of February).

The Romans counted days, years, looking into the "Julian calendar".

In the Julian calendar, every fourth year was considered a leap year, and the last two days of February were the same number.

After the death of the Roman ruler, the priests deliberately began to call the third year a leap year. There was a shift in the annual time and people, for this reason, lived for twelve whole leap years.

Thanks to the decree of the new emperor in Rome - Augustus Octavian, everything fell into place. It took a whole sixteen years to establish the correct "leap time".

After sixteen centuries, the Orthodox Church again introduced new changes in the calendar.

The head of the Catholic Church, Pope Gregory XIII, made a proposal to calculate the calendar according to the new rules. He proposed introducing an additional day in February with a different date (February 29). At the general meeting, before the upcoming Easter, the idea of ​​the head of the Catholic Church was successfully accepted. The Roman calendar had a new chronology. In honor of the ruler of the Catholic Church, it became known as "Gregorian".

The modern concept of a leap year

It is a well-known fact that a year consists of 365 days. The next fourth year is considered a leap year. It is one day longer.

In a leap year in February, not twenty-eight days, but twenty-nine, but this phenomenon occurs once every four years.

Leap year omens and superstitions

Our Slavic ancestors thought that the leap year was a mystical, superstitious year. Probably, the reason lies in the distant story of St. Kasyan.

Saint Kasyan served in the Galilean monastery monastery, and was its founder. He became famous thanks to his writing, writing twenty-four essays on the "Interview", based on a moral, Christian attitude to faith.

The main flaw in the life of Saint Kasyan was that the date of his birth fell on the last day of February, and even at the end of the year.

According to Slavic belief, the last day of the year was considered the end of a harsh winter. For this reason, the holy monk acquired a bad reputation.

Superstitious Slavs considered the last day of a leap year the most difficult. They believed in evil and evil spirits. Hence the fear of people before the leap year.

Signs of a leap year were associated with St. Kasyan:

• If Kasyan approached the people, the disease attacked them.
• Kasyan was next to the animals - their death is inevitable.
• Wherever Kasyan's gaze falls, there will be trouble, devastation.
• Unsuccessful Kasyanov year is approaching - barren.

According to the belief in a leap year, a lot of things do not need to be done, for example:

• play wedding
• Plan pregnancy, have children
• Create new projects
• Go to the forest for mushrooms
• Cut hair
• File for divorce
• Borrow money
• Plant new seeds
• Make repairs indoors
• Pursue the purchase of real estate

Leap year approaching modern society causes controversy. One part of society believes in his negative actions, the other does not.

Negative side of a leap year:

1. Natural disasters
2. catastrophes
3. Military conflicts
4. Frequent accidents
5. Lost
6. fires

Positive side of a leap year

People born in a leap year are creative and talented. Endowed with bright charisma, strong character, love of life (Julius Caesar, Leonardo da Vinci, Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Gauguin).

Today, a leap year is perceived as a year of disasters, wars, catastrophes. After all, the most terrible events occurred during this period.

People are subject to something to believe, and most often bad. A leap year is perceived as a time of loss, disappointment, sadness. Is it so? It's worth asking yourself.

Did you know that not every 4th year is a leap year? Why is a leap year considered unlucky, and what signs are associated with it?

What does leap year mean?

1. A leap year is a year with 366 days instead of 365 as usual. An extra day in a leap year is added in February - February 29 (leap day).
The extra day in a leap year is necessary because it takes just over 365 days to complete one revolution around the Sun, or rather 365 days, 5 hours, 48 ​​minutes and 46 seconds.
Humans once followed a calendar of 355 days with an extra month of 22 days every two years. But in 45 B.C. Julius Caesar, together with the astronomer Sosigenes, decided to simplify the situation, and the Julian 365-day calendar was developed with an extra day every 4 years to compensate for the extra hours.
This day was added in February as it was once the last month in the Roman calendar.
2. This system was supplemented by Pope Gregory XIII (who introduced the Gregorian calendar), who introduced the term "leap year" and declared that a year that is a multiple of 4 and a multiple of 400, but not a multiple of 100, is a leap year.
So according to the Gregorian calendar, 2000 was a leap year, but 1700, 1800 and 1900 were not.

What are leap years in the 20th and 21st centuries?

1904, 1908, 1912, 1916, 1920, 1924, 1928, 1932, 1936, 1940, 1944, 1948, 1952, 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, 2024, 2028, 2032, 2036, 2040, 2044, 2048, 2052, 2056, 2060, 2064, 2068, 2072, 2076, 2080, 2084, 2088, 2092, 2096

February 29 - leap day

3. February 29 is considered the only day when a woman can propose marriage to a man. The tradition began in 5th century Ireland when Saint Brigid complained to Saint Patrick that women had to wait too long for a proposal from worshipers.
Then he gave women one day in a leap year - the last day in the shortest month, so that the fair sex could propose to a man.
According to legend, Brigitte immediately knelt down and proposed to Patrick, but he refused, kissing her on the cheek, and offered her a silk dress to soften the refusal.
4. According to another version, this tradition appeared in Scotland, when Queen Margaret, at the age of 5, announced in 1288 that a woman can propose to any man she likes on February 29th.
She also made it a rule that those who refused had to pay a fine in the form of a kiss, a silk dress, a pair of gloves, or money. To warn fans in advance, a woman was supposed to wear trousers or a red petticoat on the day of the proposal.
In Denmark, a man who refuses a woman's marriage proposal must provide her with 12 pairs of gloves, and in Finland, fabric for a skirt.

Leap year wedding

5. One in five couples in Greece avoid getting married on a leap year, as it is believed to bring bad luck.
In Italy, it is believed that in a leap year a woman becomes unpredictable, and at this time there is no need to plan important events. So, according to the Italian proverb "Anno bisesto, anno funesto". ("Leap year is a doomed year").

February 29

6. The chances of being born on February 29 are 1 in 1461. Around the world, about 5 million people were born on a leap day.
7. For many centuries, astrologers believed that children born on a leap day have unusual talents, a unique personality, and even special powers. Among famous people born on February 29, one can name the poet Lord Byron, the composer Gioachino Rossini, the actress Irina Kupchenko.
8. In Hong Kong, the official birthday for those born on February 29th is March 1st in normal years, while in New Zealand it is February 28th. If you time it right, then traveling from one country to another, you can celebrate the longest birthday in the world.
9. The city of Anthony in Texas, USA is the self-proclaimed "leap year capital of the world." A festival is held here every year, where those who wish from all over the world, born on February 29, gather.
10. Record largest number generations born on a leap day belongs to the Keogh family.
Peter Anthony Keogh was born February 29, 1940 in Ireland, his son Peter Eric was born February 29, 1964 in the UK, and his granddaughter Bethany Wealth was born February 29, 1996.

11. Karin Henriksen from Norway holds the world record for having the most children on a leap day.
Her daughter Heidi was born on February 29, 1960, her son Olav on February 29, 1964, and her son Lief-Martin on February 29, 1968.
12. In the traditional Chinese, Jewish and ancient Indian calendar, not a leap day is added to the year, but a whole month. It is called the "intercalary month". It is believed that children born in a leap month are more difficult to raise. In addition, it is considered unlucky to start serious business in a leap year.

Leap year: signs and superstitions

Since ancient times, a leap year has always been considered difficult and bad for many undertakings. In folk beliefs, the leap year is associated with Saint Kasyan, who was considered evil, envious, stingy, unmerciful and brought misfortune to people.
According to legend, Kasyan was a bright angel to whom God entrusted all plans and intentions. But then he went over to the side of the Devil, telling him that God intends to overthrow all satanic power from heaven.
For betrayal, God punished Kasyan, ordering him to be beaten on the forehead with a hammer for three years, and in the fourth year he was released to the ground, where he committed unkind deeds.
There are many signs associated with a leap year:
First, you can't start anything on a leap year. This applies to important matters, business, major purchases, investments and construction.
Also, in a leap year, it is not recommended to change anything, as this will not bring the desired result and can even become disastrous. During such a period, you should not plan to move to a new house, change jobs, divorce or marriage.

Is it possible to get married or get married on a leap year?

A leap year is considered extremely unlucky for marriage. Since ancient times, it was believed that a wedding played on a leap year would lead to an unhappy marriage, divorce, infidelity, widowhood, or the marriage itself would be short-lived.
Such a superstition may be due to the fact that in a leap year, girls could woo any young man they liked who could not refuse an offer. Often such marriages were forced, and therefore family life was not set.
However, it is worth treating these signs wisely and understanding that everything depends on the spouses themselves and on how they build relationships. If you still planned a wedding, there are several ways to mitigate the "consequences":
Brides are advised to wear a long wedding dress that covers the knees to make the marriage last.
The wedding dress and other wedding accessories are not recommended to give to anyone.
The ring should be worn on the hand, not the glove, as wearing the ring on the glove will cause the spouses to take the marriage lightly
To protect the family from troubles and misfortunes, a coin was placed in the shoes of the bride and groom.
The bride must keep the spoon from which the groom ate, and on the 3rd, 7th and 40th day after the wedding, the wife had to give her husband to eat from this spoon.

What can not be done in a leap year?

· In a leap year, they do not carol at Christmas time, as it is believed that you can lose your happiness. Also, according to a sign, a caroler who dresses in an animal or a monster can take on the personality of evil spirits.
· Pregnant women should not have their hair cut before childbirth, as the child may be born unhealthy.
In a leap year, you should not start building a bathhouse, which can lead to ailments.
· In a leap year, it is not recommended to tell others about your plans and intentions, as luck may turn away.
· It is not recommended to sell or exchange animals and you should not drown kittens, as this will lead to poverty.
· Do not collect mushrooms, as they are believed to become poisonous.
In a leap year, there is no need to celebrate the appearance of the first tooth in a child. According to the sign, if you invite guests, your teeth will be bad.
You can not change jobs or apartments. According to you, the new place will turn out to be bleak and restless.
· If a child was born in a leap year, he should be baptized as soon as possible, and godparents should be chosen among blood relatives.
· Elderly people should not buy things for the funeral in advance, as this may hasten death.
You can not get divorced, because in the future you will not be able to find your happiness.