FUN WITH MAPS – ISSUE 2022-009 DAILY FEATURE:

By Steve Kovacs (Introduction by Chuck Gibson)

LOVELAND, OH (January 14, 2022) – In Issue 2022-009 of Steve Kovacs Fun with Maps, the  New Year begins again.

OLD NEW YEAR

Today is the beginning of the New Year according to the Orthodox calendar.

Currently we use the Gregorian calendar, but Russia, the old USSR areas, and parts of the Middle East where the Eastern/Russian Orthodox religion is practiced still celebrate New Year according to the “old” or Julian calendar.  So essentially those people get two New Year celebrations, one on January 1st with the modern world and one on January 14th when their church calendar begins.

The Julian calendar was introduced by Julius Caesar and was the official way of marking time until 1582 when Pope Gregory XIII adjusted the calendar to the solar year and the seasons.

Russia used the “old calendar” until 1918 when Lenin brought the country into sync with the rest of the world, and away from anything associated the Church.

The European portion of Russia is shown in this Laurie & Whittle map from 1810.

Steve Kovacs and his wife Theresa reside in Loveland, Ohio where they raised their two children. He is a passionate collector of antique maps.

Visit his antique map boutique world-on-paper online. Watch for his daily feature Steve Kovacs: Antique Maps & Fun Facts here on Loveland Beacon