The World Calendar improves the future to meet the demands of modern society.  New Year's Day on January 1 in the year of our Lord, 2000 A.D., opened the third millennium of the Christian era.  The next 1,000 years began.  Time, the calendar, is our past, present and future. The New Year hallmark paves the way for future history.  To greet a new decade, or even a century, is monumental.  Important holidays, paychecks, bills, schedules and appointments are governed by our use of the calendar.  Religious beliefs are rigidly embedded into the calendar as holidays and festive occasions.  This thousand year calendar transition has happened only once since Christ.  World wide, the calendar specifies business and commerce needs.  To satisfy many diverse cultures, backgrounds and political structures, our modern calendar must meet demands on a global scale.  A choice to pursue a more appealing time scale is universal. We will have an ultimate, special opportunity to rejoice in the Lord.

The World Calendar advances stability and order.  The World Calendar Proposal is dedicated to the new millennium. A pace we set early in of the millennium provides the cornerstone for the next 1000 years.  A critical point of history is the chance to fix a determined course.

Since antiquity, humanity has sought to measure time correctly. Enhancing the nature and use of time is the purpose of the World Calendar. The World Calendar Proposal supports the future use of time for improved lifestyles. From the onset of day and night in Genesis, time reckoning and the Lord have been as one. Calendars are the special field that bond with the eternal nature of supreme faith and miraculous works. Divisions between whatever has been in the past, and whatever will be in the future are intangible aspects of the calendar. Calendar science and belief set the stage to alter destiny.

Lunar/Solar Calendars

In all the known history of the world there are only about twenty-five different forms of calendars and branches.  About half of these comprise the class of lunar/solar calendars.  Use of the lunar/solar calendar and associated theologies were widespread throughout ancient civilization.  Cultures emerging in the Middle East vicinity embedded specialized holiday celebrations directly into the calendar.  Certain festivals and anniversary commemorations were ordained to become Holy; to divide, and set apart those days for worship.  The sacred seven-day week is our foremost example of calendar operation.

The seven-day week was once observed according to the four prime lunar phases. New moon crescent appearances were employed to count the days per month. Twelve complete lunar moon months make up the lunar year. Since time itself can only be used to count longer periods of time, the span called the solar year is based on different heavenly motions. Any solar year is measured by rising positions of the sun on the horizon, the cardinal points of equinoxes and solstices, and by the course of stars in the heavens. Solar calendars measure greater expanses of time as years. The sun is used to measure our modern solar year that has 365 days, plus a leap day fraction. Most of the world presently uses the solar year in the Common Era to mark time. The remaining half of calendars generally used to reckon world history are solar calendars.

The calendar can best share "His story" by distributing weekdays and months with precision. Spiritual names have traditionally been assigned to weekdays and months that indicate the heavens. For example, Sunday and Monday are named for the greater and lesser lights (Genesis 5:16). Historical figures and events are immortalized. Over 2,000 years ago, an old Roman solar calendar called the Julian Calendar began the Christian era. The Gregorian Calendar namesake we currently use credits Pope Gregory XIII from the year 1582. Our calendar appoints specific times. We coordinate time by defining months, days, hours, minutes and finally seconds.

The Julian Calendar

Julius Caesar desired to further expand Roman control in the Holy Lands and elsewhere.  He invades Egypt and proclaims Cleopatra queen in 47 BCE.  The lack of a universally recognized Roman calendar was problematic to his efforts.  He learns of the Egyptian solar calendar having 365-days and plans its adoption by Rome.  His goal is to extract taxes according to a schedule.  Jewish people were using basically the same version of 19-year lunar/solar calendar.  Some differences were apparent as they sought to synchronize calendars by sighting new moons.  Other regional cultures likewise had issues with consistency.  Julius Caesar employs the Egyptian astronomer Sosigenes to help devise a new 12-month calendar starting 45 BCE.  His namesake Julian calendar reform extends July to 31-days and shortens February from 30-days to 29-days.  

The year 46 BCE became an extra-long year by Julian decree.  Ending a series of irregular years, the "last year of confusion" was extended to 445-days.  The calendar year was reset to start January 1, 45 BCE.  The Roman Republican calendar previously had 10 numbered months and one extra intercalary month added during February.  Februarius had been a purification month since the former lunar/solar calendar had only 355-days during regular years.  Julian adjustments further spread some 10-days more amongst the monthly endings.  A leap month every 2 or 3 years changed into leap day to end the year on February 29.  The ultimate time reckoning shift had occurred.  A new Julian system had replaced the earlier lunar/solar (proleptic) system.

After Caesar’s death in 44 BCE, Octavius appoints himself Augustus, meaning first emperor.  Augustus Caesar (pontifex maximus) continued some Julian policies, including chastity law and calendar enactment.  Augustus felt slighted and decided to extend our current month August from 30 to 31-days.  February gets further shortened to 28-days.  Roman officials were imposing solar calendar reform upon Jewish lunar/solar traditions.  Customary Jewish Passover pilgrimage at this time meant everyone would return to their home city and be counted for impending Roman taxation.

Leap days were the next solar calendar disturbance.  The Decree of Canopus was issued by the pharaoh Ptolemy III, c. 238 BCE.  Egypt was instructed to add an extra day every fourth year.  Egypt was using a 12-month, 365-day solar year in the third century BCE.  Ptolemy III efforts to implement the traditional leap year pattern were largely unsuccessful.  Disagreement amongst Roman leaders lead to improper leap day additions during at least the first 36-years following inception.  Augustus further spread the Julian calendar with modification.  Emperor Augustus successfully instituted a reformed Alexandrian calendar by adopting an Egyptian leap year in 25 BCE.  Augustus skipped three leap days in order to realign the year and correct future leap day routines by 8 AD.  The normal Julian leap year sequence began in AD 4, the 12th year of the Augustan reform; and the Roman calendar was finally aligned to the Julian calendar in 1 BCE.  The first full year of alignment occurred AD 1.

Easter and Christmas Beginnings

Calendars are central to doctrines prescribed by worship. Previous calendars reason that all calendars have been in "past tense." Devotion to mainstay religious convictions is directly embedded in all calendars. Since years are numbered by the solar calendar, and worldwide use of the Gregorian Calendar approaches the year 2,000 A.D., we live in the era that began with the inspired New Testament. The inception of a New Testament to the Holy Bible and a new solar calendar authority is based upon the life of Jesus Christ.

Easter and Christmas became the two most important holidays for religious history recorded by the Julian Calendar. Early church fathers combined the Julian Calendar with Jewish Calendar influence. Declaring Sunday, rather than Saturday, as the Christian Sabbath Day followed the Roman definition of changing the days at midnight.

Easter is the triumphal anniversary festival over darkness for the resurrection of Christ. Eaostre was originally a pagan festival, derived from natural Earth motion. The spring equinox near March 21, marks the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. On the equinox, the hours of daylight are equal to the interval from sunset to sunrise, or night. Eastre was the Anglo-Saxon goddess for the spring equinox. The first Council of Nicaea fixed the date of Easter according to the proclamation of "the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox." Following Emperor Constantine's conversion to Christianity, the Council of Nicaea initiated the important celebration known to Christians in 325 A.D. Constantine also supported a Sunday Christian Sabbath.

The Christmas season honors the Nativity, and the hope of rebirth in eternal life that comes through the birth of Christ. In the fourth quarter of the year, the ancient Egyptians once held a festival called the "Nativity of the Sun's Walking Stick." The failing daylight of the sun suggested the need of a walking stick, or staff, to aid the sun during the last part of transit. Representing the sun - god, the Pharaoh walked around temple walls using a staff.

Significance of the walking staff is visible when the rod of God is displayed before the Egyptian Pharaoh (Exodus 7:10 - 12). Aaron casts the staff given to Moses down before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent. Pharaoh called the magicians of Egypt to cast down their rods. The magicians' rods became serpents, but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods. Solar worship and Egyptian symbolism behind the staff were uniquely related.

Increasing daylight following the winter solstice around December 22, once marked the Roman celebration of Saturnalia. Saturnalia, during December 17 - 24, was devoted to the planetary god Saturn. About 273 A.D., the Roman Emperor Auerlian instituted the "birthday of the unconquered Sun" festival. The seven day week ends with Saturday, reinforcing the idea of Saturnalia ending the year. Pagan ceremonies were changed to Christian in 354 A.D. and the birthday of Christ was declared to be December 25.

The Gregorian Calendar

The Crusades, European Monarchies and evolving Catholicism shared the Julian calendar until more Easter corrections became necessary.  Orthodoxy continued using the Julian calendar with minor variations.  In 1582, the Julian calendar was modified by Pope Gregory XIII.  Calendar reckoning excluded ten days to align the vernal equinox with Easter celebration.  October 4, 1582 was followed the next day by October 15, 1582.  Trends during medieval era Protestantism were fueled by the Gregorian calendar modification.  Apparitions of the Virgin Mary, the inquisition and the turmoil in Europe caused by Protestantism all were manifestations of the Holy Spirit pouring out to past and future.  Once again, the heavens respond to calendar changes.  Calendar amendments again punctured the outer insulation offered by the solar calendar and the eternal realm of God responded.  Further proclaimed in the Gregorian calendar was a leap day alteration.  The previous Julian calendar included a leap day addition every four years.  The vernal spring, celestial equinox was slipping into summer.  The leap day addition modified the end of February.  Gregorian calendar adjustments stipulated that leap day additions would be omitted in those centurial years not evenly divisible by 400-years.  The year 1600 included a normal leap day.  The years 1700, 1800 and 1900 skipped leap day inclusion to further correct the gradual drift of the equinox date into summer.  Our revised Gregorian calendar incorporated a provision to add leap day in the year 2000.

Superimposing the Gregorian calendar over past calendars, striking contrasts can be drawn.  Day and night, count as one day from the beginning until now.  Judaism observes the Sabbath on Saturday and Christians recognize a Sunday Sabbath.  Five days remain in the week for work, business and commerce.  Mesoamerican calendars include many cultural variations of the representative 260-day-Tzolken-sacred-year.  We evenly disperse 260-days separately in the modern calendar year.  Five business days multiply in 52-weeks for 260-days.  Our secular calendar applies 260-days for modern government and commercial matters, excluding holidays.  Saturday and Sunday of each week multiply for 104-days in 52-weeks.  Compared to the 364-day-Ethiopic-calendar, 104-days nearly equal the remaining 105-days left every year.  Twelve months averaged at 30-days each still provide 360-days.  Although a separate 360-day length of year is not present in the Gregorian solar calendar, science and technology perpetuate the 360-degree circle.  Our last week of the year, between Christmas and New Years is a reserved holiday week.  Countless anniversaries recognize every conceivable subject in substitution for ancient numerical matching themes.  Pharaonic Egypt inserted leap days every four years.  We continue this trait in the Gregorian calendar.  The Antediluvian Calendar of Genesis incorporates 400-year-l/s-cycles I synonymously refer to as Mayan 400-year Baktun cycles.  Our modern Gregorian version follows a 400-year pattern that omits three of four leap days during centurial years.  Time itself has not changed, only the methods of calendar layers are different.

Pope Gregory's namesake calendar reform recognized that a solar calendar cycle synchronized once again after completing 400-years. Easter calculations combined religious observation with scientific reasoning to establish a better way of calendar time keeping. A 400-year repeating solar period was understood long ago by ancient people. Mesoamerican Calendars utilized a 400-year-Baktun-cycles in a complex and sacred form of a lunar/solar calendar. Ancient Egyptians were numerically matching days and years according to the stars well before Moses led the Exodus of the Old Testament.  Ages_of_Adam doubles a 400-year count to measure the 800 year Generation Cycle seen for Adam, after he had begotten his son, Seth (Genesis 5:4). The 400 year calendar cycle is the pinnacle of calendar measurement for all time that has ever been, or will ever be. From the earliest Bible times, to the advent of the Christian era and the future, religious use of the calendar prevails.

The present Gregorian version of the calendar is adjusted by the leap day insertion February 29 in the traditional four year pattern. Further refinement is obtained by omitting leap days in those centennial years not evenly divisible by 400. Following the Gregorian reform of 1582, the year 1600 repeated leap day as usual. In the years 1700, 1800, and 1900, leap days were dropped. The year 2000 will contain the first centennial leap day since 1600. While the Gregorian Calendar is very accurate astronomically speaking, in common practice it becomes awkward and confusing. Present calendar application imposes traits which inhibit growth and hamper prosperity. The seven day week, completing 52 even rounds, leaves one and one quarter day at the end of each year. Leap day accounts for the fractional part. Yet, the final day causes a shifting year. The fresh year must be reckoned with on a continuing basis. Planning is far more difficult when the first and last days of the month fall randomly on the days of week. We have 29 different kinds of months, with 24, 25, 26, or 27 weekdays, and four, or five Sundays. Unsymmetrical quarter and half year periods make statistics difficult to interpret. The World Calendar adjusts the present Gregorian Calendar to meet the needs of our 21 st Century.

Gregorian Calendar Inadequacies
•    Unequal quarters and half years.
•    Mixed fixed and floating holidays.
•    Mismatch of weekday names and dates during consecutive years.
•    Leap day falling on February 29 th during Leap Years.
•    Months occur in haphazard order with 28, 30, or 31 days during an ordinary year.
•    Business, government, and financial statistics are cumbersome.
 
The Gregorian Calendar system is inefficient. With minor revisions, the present calendar easily adapts to avoid its common drawbacks. The primary advantage of the World Calendar is the first day and date combination through consecutive years. Calendar improvement discussion has covered 150 years. The most popular ideas are woven into the World Calendar Proposal.

The World Calendar modified the 364 calendar year to became popular about 1930. World Calendar discussion was championed alongside suffrage movements and prohibition efforts. Other calendars were suggested.  The Eastman and Barlow calendars consisted of 13-months of 28-days each, although each lacked substantial favor over the World Calendar. Jewish leaders steadfastly opposed any calendar reforms, citing anti-Semitism. Past World Calendar dialogue is attributed with encouraging Monday Federal holiday rules.

Worldsday and World's Leap Day

The World Calendar Proposal establishes the two most critical holidays to the World Calendar. Worldsday on December 31, and World's Leap Day on June 31 yield new significance to yearly beginnings, endings, and the mid-points of leap years. Worldsday and World's Leap Day are spaced exactly six months apart with the solar year application of the World Calendar. Worldsday is celebrated on New Year's Eve every year. Leap day is moved from February 29 every four year to the end of June. The World's Leap Day insertion extends June from 30 days to 31 days every fourth year. Adding World's Leap Day at the mid-point of leap years finishes the second quarter with 91 days every fourth year. Half years, quarters, and monthly endings are evenly balanced. Annual holidays and other special events are accentuated with identical years. Holding special importance, these two new holidays lend themselves to religious or business preference.

The original World Calendar Association accommodated differing worship days. Given that 52 even weeks account for 364 days, Worldsday and World's Leap Day remain to be assigned weekday names. One option was the Christian preference of a Sunday only namesake. This idea simply adds extra Sundays for Worldsday on December 31 each year. World's Leap Day every four years on June 31 also specifies another Sunday. Two other possibilities came about. An alternate Saturday/Sunday naming sequence for Worldsday and World's Leap Day was optional. A blank weekday name insertion was also offered. Worldsday and World's Leap Day would then be reserved as independent days for private, religious, or civil use. Founder and President of the original World Calendar Association, Elisabeth Achelis left weekday naming assignments for Worldsday and World's Leap Day to individual concerns. The World Calendar Proposal extends the possible weekday naming options to include the concept of cascaded time. All or part of these many choices are suggestions and may be used in conjunction with the others.

The World Calendar is the alternative future for the modern age. The best intentions of the World Calendar Proposal are shown above. Minor adjustments of the present calendar year are needed. The true length of the year and the leap day addition every four years remain intact. World Calendar improvements divide the year into four equal quarters of 91 days each. The monthly sequence is evenly distributed over 31, 30, and 30 days per quarter. Each quarter represents 13 weeks of 7 days, and the half years consist of 26 weeks. Monthly endings are balanced throughout the year. The additional day left at the end of the last quarter will be given to December 31. Worldsday would be celebrated on New Year's Eve, amplifying the effects of New Year's Day to follow. World's Leap Day will occur on June 31 during leap years. February changes to a 30 day month, providing equal quarters and more uniform distribution of time. January is not changed, whereas March will be shortened to 30 days. April is the first month of the second quarter and contains 31 days. May and June are 30 days long during regular years. In the third and fourth quarters, July and October retain 31 days. Changing August to 30 days enables transferring another day to the end of February. September and November continue to have 30 days each.

August is changed to 30 days, facilitating transfer of another day to end of February. September and November continue to have 30 days. The name of Worldsday will be associated with New Year's Eve. The excitement of greeting the new year under a global idea creates a new bond among people. A collective world approach to problems of today and tomorrow might well be the greatest accomplishment in the history of humanity. Unity for a common purpose vastly improves the future of civilization. Generations to follow us rely on our present foresight and planning.

World Calendar Advantages
•    A single, consistent year with weekdays fixed to dates.
•    Each year begins with New Year's Day on Sunday, January 1st.
•    Quarter and half years likewise begin on Sundays and end on Saturdays.
•    Holidays and other annual events reoccur on a specific day and date.
•    Quarter and half years are equalized, with every quarter containing 13 weeks, or 91 days; and half years consist of 26 weeks, or 182 days.
•    Quarter years continue a three month regular sequence of 31, 30 and 30 days.
•    Each of the 12 months has 26 weekdays plus Sundays.
•    Two World Holidays complement New Year's Day. Worldsday, or New Year's Even December 31, and World's Leap Day on June 31 during leap years, divide the years precisely.
•    52 even weeks of 7 days plus Worldsday secure days and dates in consecutive years.



Calendar Versions

In the 21 st Century, the need for a total commitment to the future will be more urgent. Among the many concerns we face are the social aspects of pollution, water and food shortages, nuclear war, energy demand, crime, and the economy. We must respect eternal hope and avoid resigning ourselves to a doomsday end times prophecy. Proactive steps are will guide us toward a better future.

The calendar year transfers the need to circulate wealth. Society depends on national and local governments for stability, commerce for financial operations, and individuals to support nurturing of the human species. Religious trends maintain special variations of the calendar year. The best example of differing calendar systems that represent an international situation is demonstrated in the holiest of cities, Jerusalem. A "New Jerusalem" is often regarded as the center of Christian prophetic worship (Heb. 12:22, Rev. 21:2, Rev. 3:12).
 
The front page of the Jerusalem Post International Edition newspaper contains three dates of three calendars under the title. The date by month, day, and year of the western Gregorian Calendar is given first on the left. The Jewish Calendar date follows in the center according to the day of the month, month, and the number of the Jewish Calendar year. On the right is the day of the month, month, and the number of the Islamic Calendar year. Three religions and three separate versions of past history are combined every day. The World Calendar can unite people who use the same version of the calendar.

The World Calendar issue has been respectfully accepted and endorsed by numerous organizations. The viable resolution offered by the World Calendar is easily implemented. The changing millennia will prophecy and restore that which was lost. The former World Calendar Association offered an open forum for public response.

Jewish Calendar Highlights

Jewish leaders became sensitive to preserving the continuity of the seven day week many years ago. Sacred observance of the Jewish Calendar is fundamental to Judaism at large. The traditional Jewish Calendar is a lunar - solar calendar that uses a 19 year cycle. Lunar months having about 29.5 days each are measured by four complete phases of the moon. The Jewish lunar/solar calendar applies the oldest calendar mechanics in existence. Lunar years of the Jewish Calendar count 12 moon months. Twelve mature lunar months multiply by 29.5 days per lunar month for 354 days to approximate the lunar year.

Time differences between lunar and solar calendar years provide lunar/solar calendar adjustments or intercalations. Subtraction yields 11 days of lunar/solar separation time between the lunar year of 12 moon months, and the solar year of about 365 days. Eleven days of difference every year were the staple for lunar/solar calendars. During 19 years, 11 days of lunar/solar separation time every year multiply this division between lunar years and solar years. Lunar/solar separation time measures 209 days of difference after 19 years have passed. Therefore, the Jewish 19 year lunar-solar calendar incorporates these remaining 209 days of separation as intercalary days in order to catch up the lunar side of the calendar, with the solar side of the calendar. Sabbath days and festival periods such as Rosh Hashanah, Passover, Yom Kippur, and others, are observed according to the 19 year Metonic cycle of the Jewish Calendar.

The Jewish Calendar is the most widely known lunar/solar calendar still in continuous use in our modern times. The Jewish Calendar applies the oldest calendar mechanics in existence. The approximated 209 days of lunar/solar separation time were accumulated through close observation of the moon, sun, and stars during a 19 year cycle. These extra 209 days are divided into seven intercalary months to reinforce the sacred seven day week, and they usually alternate between 29 days and 30 days each in the Jewish Calendar. One extra Veador month is inserted seven different times during 19 years. The Veador month, or second Adar, is added every two or three years.

The Jewish lunar/solar calendar year is symbolically affirmed by establishing the two most critical holidays to the World Calendar Proposal. Worldsday and World's Leap Day are exactly six months apart. Two major Jewish holidays are emphasized with the solar year application of the World Calendar. The evening of Worldsday characterizes the evening prior to Rosh Hashanah. New Year's Day compares with Rosh Hashanah, or the first day of the Jewish New Year. Six months later, the Jewish Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur, is symbolically represented by the use of World's Leap Day on June 31 during leap years. By dividing the solar calendar years in half, two major holidays that were ordained to Moses are represented.

The Jewish Calendar employs a 19 year lunar/solar calendar. Very different from the present Gregorian Calendar, Jewish Calendar months have different names. There is no relation between monthly beginning and ending dates for the different calendar systems. The Gregorian Calendar and the World Calendar intercalate leap days only. The Jewish Calendar intercalates entire months. Christian holidays such as Christmas and Easter are not interfered with in the World Calendar Proposal. Traditional Jewish holidays such as Rosh Hashana and the Passover belong distinctly to the Jewish Calendar and remain intact.

Are you a pastor, educator or a student of the Holy Bible?  Timeemits.com seeks anointed people to review and contribute to the Ages_of_Adam ministry.  Ancient lunar/solar calendars like the Jewish and Mayan calendars provide the background to understanding early time.  Ancient calendars of the Holy Bible use differences between the moon and sun, numerical matching and a 364-day calendar year to describe X-number of days that match with X-number of years.  Ages_of_Adam is a free read at timeemits.

Clark Nelson is webmaster for http://www.timeemits.com/Get_More_Time.htm, author of Ages_of_Adam and sequel, Holy_of_Holies. Copyright 2011 Clark Nelson and timeemits.com  All Rights Reserved. URL http://www.timeemits.com/wcp/World_Calendar_Proposal.htm