Eastern Orthodox calendar: -14? - 13?

[Edward M Dumanis]

The E. Orthodox Calendar is based on the Julian calendar which adds an
extra day every leap year (divisible by four) having 366 days instead of
365 to compensate the deviation of the calendar time from the exact time
of the period of the Earth's motion around the sun (the time of 365 days
is less than this period). However, it does not provide the exact
compensation. Every century the deviation becomes around 3/4 of a day
ahead of that period. To correct it, a new compensation is necessary.
In 1752, the required compensation was about 12 days, and the Gregorian
calendar provided it by skipping 12 days in that year. To keep the further
deviation at bay, the Gregorian calendar skips a leap year in its final
year (divisible by 100) every 3 centuries out of 4. A century that
keeps a leap year count in its final year is called a leap century. So,
a leap century has one day more than the others, and this is why it is
called leap. The year of 2000 was the last year of the 20th century. Since
20 is divisible by 4, and, a result, it was a leap century of the
Gregorian calendar keeping its February 29. 

Sincerely,

Edward Dumanis <dumanis at buffalo.edu>


On Sun, 25 Feb 2007, Prof Steven P Hill wrote:

> Dear colleagues:
> 
> Once upon a time, studying Russian history, I learned (or seem to recall 
> learning) that in the 19th century the Eastern Orthodox calendar ran 
> 12 days behind the West European (Catholic) calendar, and that in the 
> 20th century the E Orthodox calendar ran 13 days behind.  So far, so good.
> 
> So my expectation was that in the 21st century the E Orthodox calendar 
> would run 14 (fourteen) days behind.  But I've encountered some indications 
> that even in this 21st century the "time lag" is still 13 (thirteen) days.
> 
> If I was wrong, where did I go wrong?
> 
> Gratefully,
> Steven P Hill,
> University of Illinois.
> __ __ __ __ __ __ __ ___
> 
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
>  Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
>   options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
>                     http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
                    http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------