The new year 2020 will be a leap year, which means that we will live 1 day more in it - in February, instead of the usual 28 days, there will be 29. The additional 366 day in a leap year on February 29 is due to the fact that the Earth completes its revolution around the Sun in 365 days 5 hours 48 minutes and 46 seconds. To compensate for this difference of almost 6 hours, one day is added to the calendar every 4 years.
Everyone has a different attitude towards the leap year - some consider this period to be the most ordinary year, which does not carry any danger, others are afraid of it and associate many superstitions with this period. In this article we will try to understand all the signs, beliefs and misconceptions associated with the leap year.
Upcoming Leap Years: 2020, 2024, 2028, 2032, 2036, 2040, 2044.
An additional day in a leap year, February 29, is called Kasyanov's day. In Nada, this day is considered one of the most difficult and dangerous. A bad attitude towards a leap year was associated in popular beliefs with a certain Kasyan, about whom there were many legends and beliefs. According to one legend, Kasyan was an Angel who knew all the affairs and plans of God. However, it later turned out that he was a traitor who told all the plans to the demons. For this he was punished - he was beaten on the forehead for 3 years, and for 4 years he was released to Earth, where he already committed evil deeds. According to another legend, Kasyan was a saint, but he broke the law and drank alcohol for 3 years, and stopped for 4 years.
Signs for Leap Year 2020
During the Leap Year, you cannot start anything serious - building a house, major contracts or transactions, purchases, weddings and much more. All this was prohibited. Because nothing good will come of such undertakings - everything will soon fall apart and bring with it many more problems. Also, if possible, you should not change your job or apartment.
In a leap year, it is better not to start building a bathhouse.
A child born in a leap year needs to take blood relatives as godfathers.
If you live in a village and raise geese, then when you slaughter a bird in a leap year, give the third goose for free to relatives or neighbors.
In the spring of a leap year, when you plant seeds and seedlings in the garden for the first time, say: “In a leap year, soot will die.”
If you still decide to get married on a leap year, then before the ceremony say this talisman: “I am crowning with a crown, not a leap end.”
People who get divorced during a leap year should buy a new towel. These towels are then taken to the church and given to the cleaning ladies, saying to themselves: “I pay tribute to the Leap Day, and you, Family Angel, stand next to me. Amen. Amen. Amen.
In a leap year, when leaving home, they say, without crossing the threshold: “I’m going and driving along the leap trail, I’ll bow to the leap year. I left the threshold, and I’ll come back here. Amen.”
At the first thunder in a leap year, they cross their fingers and whisper: “The whole family is with me (the names of your family members). Amen.”
When they hear a dog howling on a leap year, they say: “Go howl, but not to my home. Amen.”
2016 is a leap year with 366 days instead of the usual 365. Leap year was proposed to synchronize calendars. 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? Here are a few facts you may not know about leap year.
1. A leap year is a year in which there are 366 days, rather than the usual 365. An additional day in a leap year is added in February - February 29 (leap day).
An extra day in a leap year is necessary because a full revolution around the Sun takes a little more than 365 days, or rather 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and 46 seconds.
People once followed a 355-day calendar with an additional 22-day month every two years. But in 45 BC. 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 because 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 coined 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 is leap day
3. February 29 is considered the only day when a woman can propose marriage to a man. This tradition began in 5th century Ireland when St. Brigid complained to St. Patrick that women had to wait too long for suitors to propose.
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 offering her a silk dress to soften her 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 could propose to any man she liked on February 29.
She also made 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 suitors in advance, the woman was required 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.
5. Every fifth couple in Greece avoids getting married on a leap year, as it is believed to bring bad luck.
In Italy, it is believed that during a leap year a woman becomes unpredictable, and there is no need to plan important events at this time. So, according to the Italian proverb “Anno bisesto, anno funesto”. (“A leap year is a doomed year”).
6. The chances of being born on February 29th are 1 in 1461. Around the world, about 5 million people were born on Leap Day.
7. For many centuries, astrologers believed that children born on Leap Day have unusual talents, a unique personality and even special powers. Among the famous people born on February 29 are the poet Lord Byron, composer Gioachino Rossini, and actress Irina Kupchenko.
8. In Hong Kong, the official birthday for those born on February 29 is March 1 in normal years, while in New Zealand it is February 28. If you time it right, you can celebrate the longest birthday in the world while traveling from one country to another.
9. The town of Anthony in Texas, USA is the self-proclaimed “Leap Year Capital of the World.” A festival is held here every year, where those born on February 29 gather from all over the world.
10. The record for the largest number of generations born on a leap day belongs to the Keogh family. 
Peter Anthony Keogh was born on February 29, 1940 in Ireland, his son Peter Eric was born on February 29, 1964 in the UK, and his granddaughter Bethany Wealth was born on February 29, 1996.
11. Karin Henriksen from Norway holds the world record for giving birth to the largest number of children on a leap day.
Her daughter Heidi was born on February 29, 1960, son Olav on February 29, 1964, and son Lief-Martin on February 29, 1968.
12. In the traditional Chinese, Jewish and ancient Indian calendars, 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 during a leap year.
Since ancient times, a leap year has always been considered difficult and bad for many undertakings. In popular beliefs, 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 trusted all plans and intentions. But then he went over to the side of the Devil, telling him that God intended to overthrow all satanic power from heaven.
For his betrayal, God punished Kasyan by ordering him to be beaten on the forehead with a hammer for three years, and in the fourth year to be released to earth, where he committed unkind deeds.
There are many signs associated with leap year:
Firstly, you can’t start anything on a leap year. This applies to important matters, business, major purchases, investments and construction.
- A leap year is considered extremely unlucky for marriage. Since ancient times, it was believed that a wedding played in a leap year would lead to an unhappy marriage, divorce, infidelity, widowhood, or the marriage itself would be short-lived.
- This superstition may be due to the fact that in a leap year, girls could woo any young man they liked, who could not refuse the proposal. Often such marriages were forced, and therefore family life did not work out.
- However, you should treat these signs wisely and understand that everything depends on the spouses themselves and how they build the relationship. If you do plan a wedding, there are several ways to mitigate the “consequences”:
- Brides are advised to wear a long dress for their wedding that covers their knees to make the marriage last.
- It is not recommended to give a wedding dress and other wedding accessories to anyone.
- The ring should be worn on the hand, not the glove, since wearing a 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 something to eat from this particular spoon.
What should you not do during a leap year?
- During a leap year, people do not carol at Christmas time, as it is believed that one can lose one’s happiness. Also, according to a sign, a caroler who dresses up as an animal or monster can take on the personality of an evil spirit.
- Pregnant women should not cut their hair before giving birth, as the baby may be born unhealthy.
- During a leap year, you should not start building a bathhouse, which can lead to illness.
- During a leap year, it is not recommended to tell others about your plans and intentions, as luck may change.
- It is not recommended to sell or exchange animals and kittens should not be drowned, as this will lead to poverty.
- You cannot pick mushrooms, as it is believed that they all become poisonous.
- During a leap year, there is no need to celebrate the appearance of a child's first tooth. According to legend, if you invite guests, your teeth will be bad.
- You cannot change your job or apartment. According to the sign, the new place will turn out to be joyless and turbulent.
- If a child is born on a leap year, he must be baptized as quickly as possible, and godparents must be chosen among blood relatives.
- Elderly people should not buy funeral items in advance, as this may hasten death.
- You can’t get a divorce because you won’t be able to find your happiness in the future.
The Salem witch hunt began.
1708
Peter issues a decree on the foundation of the Biysk fortress
1784
Leo von Klenze, the founder of architectural movements based on the principle of “new - slightly rebuilt antique”, was born. And the Marquis de Sade was transferred to the Bastille, where in five years he would write three of his most famous and shocking novels.
1792
Gioachino Rossini is born.
1812
Napoleon appoints commanders in his army. Alexander I is considering a gas lighting project in the capital of his empire.
1816
The Grand Duchess marries - of course, to the prince. The Russian emperor takes care of widows and the country's legislation.
1828
The premiere of Ober's opera “The Mute of Portici” (or “Fenella”) took place.
1832
Charles Darwin explores the Brazilian jungle during the Beagle expedition.
1856
The Crimean War is over.
1860
Herman Cholerite was born.
1880
The St. Gotthard Tunnel was completed.
1888
The Russian Empire is full of cultural events. Performances are performed, writers write letters. In Europe, Engels writes something of little interest to Liebknecht. In America, there is another round of court cases that ultimately dragged on for a quarter of a century and led to changes in the rules of judicial evidence.
1892
An international commission has been created to regulate fur seal fishing. This was one of the first examples of international cooperation in animal conservation.
1896
Talented organizers and creative personalities were born all over the world on this year and day.
1900
According to the Gregorian calendar, 1900 is a non-leap year, and according to the Julian calendar, it is a leap year.
1904
The Russo-Japanese War is one of the first in the 20th century. And in Europe they dance and sing.
1908
Liquid helium was obtained at the Leiden laboratory. The Oryol Central Center has been created in Russia. They play football in Brazil.
1912
Joseph Stalin escapes from exile. Russia is helping to conclude the Serbian-Bulgarian treaty. Workers go on strike in Bodaibo.
1916
Strikes, pogroms, sunken ships, orders and everything that accompanies a world war. In Moscow, poets are self-elected to the Chairmen of the Globe.
1920
The Red Army is pushing back the atamans of Denikin and Annenkov. The first constitution was approved in the Czech Republic. The Kapp putsch began in Germany.
1924
After the civil war, culture revives. Surrogate money is prohibited. Vladimir Kryukov, chairman of the KGB and member of the State Emergency Committee, is born.
1928
The Central Election Commission and Council of People's Commissars of all levels produce documents. Writers write letters. The artists perform. The ships are being built. Celebrities are born.
1932
There is an armed rebellion of fascists in Finland. The last emperor of China is still trying to lead the state.
1936
Niels Bohr proposed a planetary model of the structure of the atom.
1940
Hitler is fooling the American diplomat. Black Hattie McDaniel wins an Oscar.
1944
Soviet troops are successfully advancing in all directions.
1948
The President of Peru criticizes his opponents. Irina Kupchenko was born.
1952
The USSR sends notes to America because of the Katyn affair. A letter about Paulus is sent to Stalin. The Academy of Arts thinks about talented children. Aircraft testing ends and begins. Raisa Smetanina is born in the village of Mokhcha.
1956
Planes are flying. Unfairly accused and executed generals have been rehabilitated. The Islamic Republic of Pakistan was created. The President of Finland resigned. In Korea, articles are published that fully support the opinion of the country's leader.
1960
Largest earthquake in Morocco. Flights of cruise missiles and new aircraft. Film premieres. Writers and at least one serial killer were born.
1964
Launching of a Soviet nuclear submarine. A message from the Americans about the existence of a new strategic fighter aircraft. The Pact of Arab Cultural Unity is signed.
1968
Ships and submarines have been launched. The Il-18D plane crashed.
1972
V. Vysotsky sings in Moscow. In the USA, John Lennon begins to fight for an American visa.
A leap year (Latin bis sextus - “second sixth”) is a year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars, the duration of which is 366 days - one day longer than the duration of a regular, non-leap year. In the Julian calendar, every fourth year is a leap year; in the Gregorian calendar there are exceptions to this rule.
A year is a conventional unit of time, which historically meant a single cycle of seasons (spring, summer, autumn, winter). In most countries, the calendar year is 365 or 366 days. Currently, the year is also used as a time characteristic of the revolution of planets around stars in planetary systems, in particular the Earth around the Sun.
The calendar year in the Gregorian and Julian calendars is 365 days in non-leap years, and 366 days in leap years. The average length of the year is 365.2425 days for the Gregorian calendar and 365.25 days for the Julian calendar.
The calendar year in the Islamic calendar contains 353, 354 or 355 days - 12 lunar months. The average length of the year is 354.37 days, which is less than the tropical year, and therefore Muslim holidays “roam” according to the seasons.
The calendar year in the Hebrew calendar contains 353, 354 or 355 days in a common year and 383, 384 or 385 days in a leap year. The average length of the year is 365.2468 days, which is close to the tropical year.
The length of the tropical year (the time between the two spring equinoxes) is 365 days 5 hours 48 minutes 46 seconds. The difference in the length of the tropical year and the average Julian calendar year (365.25 days) is 11 minutes 14 seconds. From these 11 minutes and 14 seconds, one day is added up in approximately 128 years.
Over the centuries, a shift in the day of the vernal equinox, with which church holidays are associated, was noticed. By the 16th century, the spring equinox occurred about 10 days earlier than March 21, which is used to determine the day of Easter.
To compensate for the accumulated error and avoid such a shift in the future, in 1582 Pope Gregory XIII carried out a calendar reform. To make the average calendar year more consistent with the solar year, it was decided to change the rule of leap years. As before, a year whose number was a multiple of four remained a leap year, but an exception was made for those that were a multiple of 100. From now on, such years were leap years only when they were also divisible by 400.
In other words, a year is a leap year in two cases: either it is a multiple of 4, but not a multiple of 100, or a multiple of 400. A year is not a leap year if it is not a multiple of 4, or it is a multiple of 100, but not a multiple of 400.
The last years of centuries ending in two zeros are not leap years in three cases out of four. Thus, the years 1700, 1800 and 1900 are not leap years, since they are a multiple of 100 and not a multiple of 400. The years 1600 and 2000 are leap years, since they are a multiple of 400. The years 2100, 2200 and 2300 are not leap years. In leap years, an additional day is introduced - February 29. The Catholic world lives according to the Julian calendar. Unlike the Julian calendar, the Gregorian calendar takes into account only one object - the Sun.
Now we live according to the Julian calendar (new style), before the revolution we lived according to the Gregorian calendar (old style). The difference between the old and new styles was 11 days in the 18th century, 12 days in the 19th century, and 13 days in the 20th and 21st centuries. In the 22nd century, this difference will already be 14 days. The Gregorian calendar was introduced under Soviet rule on February 14, 1918 (after January 31, it was no longer February 1, but immediately the 14th). The last leap year was, the next one will be.
1996, 1992, 1988, 1984, 1980, 1976, 1972, 1968, 1964, 1960, 1956, 1952, 1948, 1944, 1940, 1936, 1932, 1928, 1924, 1920, 191 6, 1912, 1908, 1904, Gregorian According to the Julian calendar, 1900 is a leap year. 1896.
Note: For most computer and mobile systems, valid dates are from December 13, 1901, 20:45:54 GMT to January 19, 2038, 03:14:07 GMT. (These dates correspond to the minimum and maximum value of a 32-bit signed integer.) For Windows, valid dates are 01/01/1970 to 01/19/2038.
In the Julian and Gregorian calendars, a leap year is a year that consists of 366 days. Thus, it differs from the usual one by the presence of an “extra” day. In the Julian calendar, every fourth year is a leap year. As for the Gregorian, its approach to determining a leap year is similar, but with a few exceptions.
What are leap years in the Gregorian calendar?
To be considered a leap year, the year number must first be divisible by four. Regarding zero years, from which centuries begin, they are considered leap years only if their number is a multiple of 400. So, for example, the year 2000 is a leap year, while the year 1900 is not.
Regarding the question of how many days are there in a leap year, the most widely used Gregorian calendar in the world contains 366 days. The “extra” day is February 29th. Thus, people born on this day officially celebrate their birthday once every four years. This is an interesting feature of leap years.
Where does the extra day come from?
Our planet constantly revolves around its celestial body - the Sun. The Earth completes a full rotation in 365 days and several hours. This period of time is called a “year”. For ease of calculation, the “extra” few hours are not taken into account for three years. In the fourth year, the additional hours are added up and, as a result, you get an “extra” day, which is usually added to every fourth February.
Leap years: list for the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries
Taking into account the above-mentioned rules for determining leap years, it is possible to form a list of them over the past centuries. So, in the 19th century these were: 1804, 1808, 1812, 1816, 1820, 1824, 1828, 1832, 1836, 1840, 1844, 1848, 1852, 1856, 1860, 1864, 1868, 1872, 1876, 1880, 1884, 1888, 1892, 1896.
In the 20th century, leap years, respectively, were 1904, 1908, 1912, 1916, 1920, 1924, 1928, 1932, 1936, 1940, 1944, 1948, 1952, 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1980, 1984 , 1988, 1992, 1996.
As for the 21st century, in which we are all lucky to live, the leap years were 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012. The next leap year will be 2016.
The mysticism of leap year
Despite the fact that the origin and features of leap years have long been studied and are absolutely clear, many people are wary of their arrival. It just so happens that a leap year is considered something strange and in some places even dangerous. However, if you analyze history, in ordinary years there were no fewer different kinds of cataclysms and negative events than in leap years. Therefore, you should not attach any special significance to leap years.