MARCH
March  (pronunciation)
(help·info) is the third month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, and one of the seven months which are 31 days long.
March in the Southern Hemisphere is
the seasonal equivalent of September in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Northern
hemisphere, the beginning of the meteorological spring is 1 March. In the Southern hemisphere,
the beginning of the meteorological autumn is 1
March.
The name of March comes from ancient Rome, when March was the first month of
the year and named Martius after Mars, the Roman god of war. In Rome, where the climate is Mediterranean, March was the first month
of spring, a logical
point for the beginning of the
year as well as the start of the military
campaign season. January became the first month of the calendar year either
under King Numa Pompilius (c. 713 BC) or under the Decemvirs about
450 BC (Roman writers differ). The numbered year began on March 1 in Russia until the end of the 15th century. Great
Britain and its colonies continued to use March 25 until 1752, which was
when they ultimately adopted the Gregorian calendar. Many other cultures and
religions still celebrate the beginning of the New
Year in March.
In Finnish, the
month is called maaliskuu, which originates from maallinen kuu,
meaning earthy month, because during maaliskuu, earth finally
became visible under the snow. In Ukrainian, the month is called
березень, meaning birch tree. Historical names for March include
the Saxon
Lentmonat, named after the equinox and
gradual lengthening of days, and the eventual namesake of Lent. Saxons also called March
Rhed-monat or Hreth-monath (deriving from their goddess
Rhedam/Hreth), and Angles called it
Hyld-monath.
March starts on the same day of the week as November every year and February
in common years only. March ends on the same day of the week as June every
year.
- American Dietetic
Association National Nutrition Month (United States)
- American Red Cross Month
- Colorectal Cancer awareness month
- Fire Prevention Month (The Philippines)
- Women's History Month (United
States)
- Mărţişor in Romania and Moldavia, and
Martenitsa in Bulgaria, March 1
- Saint David's Day, (Welsh Holiday)
March 1
- National Reading Day (United States), March 2
- Texas Independence Day, March 2: State holiday in Texas, United States
- The Nineteen Day Fast, part of the Bahá'í Faith, March 2 through March
20
- Mardi Gras (February 3 to March 9 in
regular years, February 4 to March 9 in leap years)
- Ash Wednesday (February 4 to March 10
in regular years, February 5 to March 10 in leap years)
- World Maths Day, the first Wednesday in
March
- International Women's Day,
March 8
- Pluto Planet Day (New Mexico), March 13 (discussed
here)
- White Day (Asia), March 14
- Pi Day, March
14
- Save a Spider Day, March 14
- The Ides of March, the anniversary of the
assassination of Julius Caesar by Brutus, Cassius, Casca and others (March 15)
- Anniversary of the 1848 Hungarian
Revolution, March 15
- Saint Patrick's Day, March 17
- Sun-Earth Day, March 18
- Saint Joseph's Day, March 19
- The equinox, named the vernal or spring equinox in the
northern hemisphere and the autumnal
equinox in the southern hemisphere, occurs on dates varying from March 19 to March 21 (in
UTC)
- Equinox Earth Day (UNO), in the northern
hemisphere, occurs on dates varying from March
19 to March 21
- Nowruz: New Year's Day in Iran and several other countries; also a holiday in Turkey and Central Asian countries as well, celebrated on the
day of the equinox
- Good Friday, a Friday between March 20 and April 23,
being the last Friday before Easter
- Human Rights' Day (South Africa), March 21
- Easter, the first Sunday after the first full
moon on or after March 21, usually, but not always,
occurring in April.
- World Water Day, March 22
- World
Meteorological Organization
- Pakistan Day, March 23
- Day of Polish-Hungarian Friendship,
March 23
- Annunciation, March 25
- Celebration of the Greek War of
Independence, March 25, 1821
- Last day of the Japanese fiscal year and school year,
March 31. Hanami, the
Japanese custom of enjoying the beauty of flowers, starts around this time.
- Prince Kūhiō Day, March 26: state holiday in the State of Hawaii, United States
- Bangladeshi Independence Day, March 26, 1971.
- Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament
- Spring Training for Major League Baseball
- Part of the Year of the Solar
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