THE HIBBERT ASSEMBLY

January

Named after Janus, the Italian god of beginnings and of gateways. He is usually portrayed as having two faces, looking both ways.

February

Named after the Roman festival of Februa which was held in the middle of the month.

March

Named after Mars, the Roman god of war.

April

Comes from a word meaning "opening" because this is the time of year when the earth seems to open up to allow all the flowers to grow.

May

The name is again about growing. The month is named after Maia, the goddess of the spring.

June

The origin of the name is uncertain. The month may have been named after Juno whom the Romans regarded as the Queen of Heaven. Or the name may have been adopted after the Roman family name Junius.

July

This month used to be called Quintilis, or the fifth month. But it was renamed July in honour of Julius Caesar who reformed the Roman calendar.and whose birthday was in July

August.

The Romans originally named the month Sextilis or the sixth month. But in 8BC it was renamed after Augustus Caesar, the nephew of Julius Caesar. Augustus was the Roman emperor at the time that Jesus was born. He is referred to in the Gospel according to St.Luke, chapter 2 verse 1: "In those days a decree was issued by the Emperor Augustus for a general registration throughout the Roman world".

September

No gods or great men here. The name just means the seventh month. When March was counted as the beginning of the year, it was the seventh, just as July was the fifth.

October

The eighth month

November

The ninth month

December

The tenth month

Follow this link to find out more about the origins of the Calendar