Countries that skipped more than ten days when transitioning from Julian to Gregorian calendar

• The Gregorian calendar, introduced in 1582, replaced the Julian calendar to correct its inaccuracies, particularly the overly frequent leap years
• This change required skipping several days to realign with astronomical events, such as the vernal equinox
• The transition from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar was gradual, taking over 300 years and involving varied adjustments across different countries

Legit.ng journalist Basit Jamiu has over 5 years of experience covering education, history and current affairs in Nigeria and beyond.

A recalibration of time itself took place many centuries ago.

In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII introduced a new calendar, the Gregorian calendar, to replace the Julian system, which had been in use since 45 BCE.

Countries that lost over ten days after switching to Gregorian calendar. Photo credit: Jobe43 via Getty Images
Source: Getty Images

This transformation, while seemingly mundane, was a profound correction to align human chronology with the cosmos.

Gregorian calendar history

The Julian calendar's addition of a leap day every four years, while ingenious for its time, proved too frequent.

It failed to accurately measure the tropical year—the true time it takes the Earth to orbit the Sun.

The Gregorian calendar, known today as the Western or Christian calendar, offered a more precise leap year calculation, shedding the drift that had misaligned the Julian system with celestial events.

Julian to Gregorian calendar switch

As the centuries wore on, the Julian calendar's errors compounded, moving sacred days like the vernal equinox further from their intended seasons.

In a bold move to realign the calendar, Pope Gregory XIII decreed that ten days be dropped.

When the British Empire, including its North American colonies, adopted the new calendar in 1752, they skipped from September 2 directly to September 14, eliminating 11 days to rectify the drift.

Full list of lost days and countries

The initial papal bull of 1582 mandated a ten-day adjustment, but only five countries—Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and most of France—adopted the new system immediately.

As more countries transitioned over the following centuries, the number of days skipped varied to correct the accumulated discrepancies.

The United States, Canada, and the UK dropped 11 days in 1752, while Japan, switching in 1872, cut 12 days. Russia, Greece, and Turkey, who converted in the early 20th century, each omitted 13 days.

Switch took over 300 years

This calendar reform was not universally swift.

It took more than 300 years for the Gregorian calendar to be adopted globally, from its inception in 1582 to its final adoption in Turkey in 1927.

This prolonged transition caused a period of calendar chaos, where different countries followed different systems, leading to conflicting leap year rules and anachronisms.

Public holidays Nigerians will observe in 2024

Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that it lists the public holidays in Year 2024, helping you plan accordingly.

Monday, January 1, was the New Year's Day public holiday. It helped Nigerians to take time off work as they celebrated the crossover from 2023 to 2024.

Source: Legit.ng