Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Today, February 29, is a leap day which only occurs once every four years. Some people believe that leap days are unlucky days. Where does this view come from?
To understand the rooted fear of leap days, you need to know its origins. According to The Economic Times, a leap year is needed to mark the change of seasons. Unlike a regular year which consists of 365 days, a leap year adds an extra day to “keep the calendar in sync with the seasons.”
“Earth takes about 365.2422 days to complete one orbit around the sun, which is slightly longer than 365 days. Without leap years, our calendar would gradually become out of sync with the seasons,” reports The Economic Times the.
Although the purpose of a leap year is to keep the calendar in sync with the seasons, many cultures are very careful about timing. One of the many superstitions associated with leap years is about relationships, as written and passed down in Greek and Ukrainian folklore. They believe that getting married in a leap year will ultimately end in divorce.
Quoting the report The Independent, babies born on February 29, or leap day, are said to be unlucky according to Scottish culture. “Leaplings,” a term used for babies born on leap days, are expected to experience a year of “unimaginable suffering.”
In general, Greeks, Scots and Germans consider leap years to be unlucky.
However, not all cultures consider leap days to be unlucky. In the United States, leap years are celebrated. In Anthony, Texas, a four-day festival is held to honor those born on leap days.
In contrast to negative predictions about bad luck for couples marrying in a leap year, Reggio Emilia, a city in Northern Italy, has long believed that leap years are especially lucky for the pope. Because they believe whales only give birth in leap years.
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(hsy/hsy)