Months & Weekdays

Weekdays

Beginning in Spring, our calendar follows the Divine Drama of the Mother and Her Daughter through thirteen months and five seasons. The week is still made up of seven days, but has no fixed start: the beginning of the week changes every year. Each day is named after one of the Seven Janyati, using the French form of the word 'day' (that's the 'di' you see at the end):

• Candrëdi (Sai Candrë)/Monday
• Vikhëdi (Sai Vikhë)/Tuesday
• Matidi (Sai Mati)/Wednesday
• Thamëdi (Sai Thamë)/Thursday
• Sucridi (Sai Sushuri)/Friday
• Rhavëdi (Sai Rhavë)/Saturday
• Rayadi (Sai Raya)/Sunday 
  

Clan Jana, or the Janites, renamed the days of the week, using these instead:

• Sunnadi (Sun)/Sunday
• Lunadi (Moonday)/Monday
• Rosadi (Roseday)/Tuesday
• Stelladi (Starday)/Wednesday
• Abaldi (Appleday)/Thursday
• Columbadi (Doveday)/Friday
• Foradi (Solar Cross day)/Saturday

While the first day of the week changes each year, it is also different between hemispheres: the southern hemisphere and northern hemisphere will have a different first day of the week and ruling Janya every year. Traditionally, the Calendar is adjusted to fit the hemisphere it is in so that the new year always falls in spring. This leads to the northern hemisphere new year being celebrated on March 21 and on September 23 in the southern hemisphere. Rarely (if ever) do these dates land on the same weekday.

For example: in the northern hemisphere, the first day of the week of 3338 (2018) was Matidi (Wednesday). The next year, 3339 (2019), Thamëdi (Thursday), became the first day of the week, but watch out -- leap years will move the beginning weekday forward two days instead of one. The week began on Rhavëdi (Saturday) in 3340/2020.

In the same years in the southern hemisphere, the first day of the week of 3338 (2018) was Rayadi (Sunday). The next year, 3339 (2019), was Candrëdi (Monday), and the leap year caused 3340/2020 to begin on Matidi (Wednesday).

Another way to discover the beginning of the week is to find that year's Janya. An explanation of the Janyati of the year, and a list of dates for easy reference, is located on the Janyati page.

Seasons

Each season in our Calendar consists of three, 28-day months as follows, with the exception of Moura: the fifth season, which lasts only a month (also called Moura).

The calendar moves to sync with the season in the hemisphere it is in. This means that when the Northern Hemisphere is celebrating Lady Day, the Southern Hemisphere is preparing to celebrate the Festival of Divine Life; and when the Southern Hemisphere is celebrating Rosa Mundi, the Northen Hemisphere is in the midst of Nativity celebrations. Both the month names and the holidays are moved to fit the season. Columbina/Culverine begins in September in the Southern Hemisphere, not March.

Dates are marked NH (Northern Hemisphere) or SH (Southern Hemisphere)

Please note: In the Northern Hemisphere, a secular leap year is immediately absorbed by adding an extra day to Hiatus. I.E.: When February has an extra day, Hiatus comes in March and is observed for two days instead of the usual one, which means that the rest of the months in the year do not have to be adjusted.
In the Southern Hemisphere where Hiatus falls in September, all months occurring after February in a leap year will begin on a different secular date, but are otherwise unchanged.

Many thanks to the beautiful work done by Brythwen Sinclair in her book "A Year with Dea" for the below correspondences. 

Spring

begins on the Festival of Eastre 21 March NH / 23 September SH

• Culverine -- 21 March NH / 23 Sept SH
  after the dove: a symbol of the Mother
• Maia -- 18 April NH / 21 Oct SH
  after the spinner of fate and Janya (angel) of manifestation
• Hera -- 16 May NH / 18 Nov SH
  for heroines and saints

Summer

• Rosea -- 13 June NH / 16 Dec SH
  for the roses of the season
• Kerea -- 11 July NH / 13 Jan SH
  for the grain; from the Roman name for Demeter (Ceres)
• Vaskaras -- 8 Aug NH / 10 Feb SH
  for the long nights of summer

Autumn
begins 5 September NH / 10 March SH (except in Leap Years [LY], where the date moves forward by one day)

• Abolan -- 5 Sept NH / 10 Mar SH (9 Mar in LY)
  the apple-month
• Vois -- 3 Oct NH / 7 Apr SH (6 Apr LY)
  for the speech of Janyati (angels)
• Werdë -- 31 Oct NH / 5 May SH (4 May LY)
  for fate

Winter

• Astraea -- 28 Nov NH / 2 June SH (1 June LY)
  for the Nativity Star
• Herthe -- 26 Dec NH / 30 June SH (29 June LY)
  for the Janya (angel) of the hearth & home
  
• Brighe -- 23 Jan NH / 28 July SH (27 July LY)
  for the Janya (angel) of bridges & gateways

Moura
20 February -- 19 March NH
25 August -- 21 September SH (24 Aug -- 20 Sept LY)
 
Hiatus
20 March NH most years; 19 & 20 March in leap years
22 September SH; 21 & 22 September in leap years
"Day out of Time" not marked on our calendars; a full day after the end of the year and before the beginning of the year, in which the Daughter is slain and fallen. We do not mark time on this day and we veil our images of the Goddess in mourning. The New Year then begins the following day on Eastre -- the 1st of Culverine. (In leap years on the secular calendar, there are two days of Hiatus to ensure the New Year begins on the same day -- March 21 NH / Sept 23 SH -- every year.)

 

The Janite Deanic calendar again renamed the months as follows:

 Spring
beginning 21 March NH / 23 September SH

• Columbina (Little Dove)
• Maia (Great)
• Flora (Flower)

Summer
beginning 13 June NH / 16 December SH

• Rosa (Rose)
• Ceres (Grain)
• Vespera (Evening Star)

Autumn
beginning 5 September NH / 10 March SH

• Abalon (Appleland, from Old Welsh)
• Ourania (Heavenly, Cosmic: Cosmic Order)
• Samhain (Summer’s End)

Winter
beginning 28 November NH / 2 June SH

• Astrea (Star Maiden)
• Hestia (of the Hearth)
• Brighe (Exalted One)

Moura
(meaning Dark, Destiny)
20 February -- 19 March NH
25 August -- 21 September SH

 
Hiatus
(day out of time)
20 March NH most years; 19 & 20 March in leap years
22 September SH most years; 21 & 22 September in leap years