April is the fourth month of the year.
Latin (Roman) name: Aprilis
The Roman month of Aprilis is named for Aphrilis, a corruption of name of the Greek Goddess Aphrodite. The Greek Goddess Aphrodite was considered to be the same as the Roman Goddess Venus. Ovid said “I have come to the fourth month, full of honor for you; Venus, you know both the poet and the month are yours.” April was sacred to Venus, Roman Goddess of love.
The earliest Roman months were lunar. According to Roman mythology, the ten month solar calendar aligned to the vernal equinox was introduced by Romulus, the founder of Rome, around 753 BCE. In Romulus’ calendar, April (the second month) had 30 days. Numa Pompilius, the second of the seven traditional kings of Rome, added two more months, for a 12 month year. In Numa’s calendar, April had 29 days. Gaius Julius Caesar, as Pontifex Maximus (supreme bridge-builder, a religious title), reorganized the calendar on the first day of 45 BCE. In Caesar’s calendar (the Julian Calendar), April had 30 days. Caesar’s calendar was calculated by Sosigenes, an Egyptian astrologer/astronomer. In 8 BCE, Augustus Caesar fixed errors by pontiffs after Julius’ death and made other minor modifications, resulting in the modern Western calendar. The modern Gregorian Calendar, named for Roman Catholic Pope Gregory the Thirteenth, was a realignment in 1582.
Meaning of name: “From Aprillis, Roman name for Aphrodite, or Latin aperire, to open.” — SOURCE: Anniversaries and Holidays by Ruth Gregory
Flowers: sweet pea and daisy — SOURCE: Anniversaries and Holidays by Ruth Gregory
Birthstone: diamond — SOURCE: Anniversaries and Holidays by Ruth Gregory
Goddesses: Aphrodite, Ishtar, Artemis [whom the Greeks associated with Bast], Astarte, Eostre [a Germanic Goddess based on Bast], Venus, Terra, Ying-Hua, Erzulie — SOURCE: “Juno Covella, Perpetual Calendar of the Fellowship of Isis” by Lawrence Durdin-Robertson, Cesara Publications, Chicago, ©1982; with additional Goddesses from The Goddess Book of Days by Diane Stein
April 2009
April 2008
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
| April 1 | April 2 | April 3 | April 4 | April 5 | ||
| April 6 | April 7 | April 8 | April 9 | April 10 | April 11 | April 12 |
| April 13 | April 14 | April 15 | April 16 | April 17 | April 18 | April 19 |
| April 20 | April 21 | April 22 | April 23 | April 24 | April 25 | April 26 |
| April 27 | April 28 | April 29 | April 30 |
Books
If you want your book reviewed, please send a copy to: Milo, POB 1361, Tustin, CA 92781, USA.
Anniversaries and Holidays; by Ruth W. Gregory; American Library Association, Chicago; 1983; out of print, but can still be special ordered
The Goddess Book of Days: A Perpetual 366 Day Engagement Calendar; by Diane Stein; The Crossing Press, Freedom, CA; 1992; ISBN 89594-551-7; paperback; out of print, but can still be special ordered
If you want your book reviewed, please send a copy to: Milo, POB 1361, Tustin, CA 92781, USA.
Months of the year
See also: months of the year.
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