Modern Sabbatarians insist that Saturday be the Sabbath because they believe that the seven-day week has continued without interruption since creation. One reason for this belief is that when the Julian calendar changed to the Gregorian calendar in 1582, the days of the week were not lost. Thursday, October 4, 1582, in the Julian calendar was followed by Friday, October 15, in the new Gregorian calendar. Therefore, it is assumed that because the order of the days of the week was not lost when the calendars passed from Julian to Gregorian, the modern week is identical to the week according to the Scriptures.
This assumption was proven false in the historical facts of the Julian calendar itself.
The calendar of the Roman Republic, like all ancient calendars, was originally based on lunar cycles. Pagan Roman priests, called popes, controlled the calendar by announcing the beginning of the months.
Julius Cæsar
Those popes who could also hold political office shamelessly manipulated the calendar for political reasons, extending extra months to keep their favorite politicians in office longer or, conversely, leaving necessary intercalations in order to shorten the terms of political opponents. By the time of Julius Caesar, calendar dates were completely inconsistent with the seasons. Julius Cæsar exercised his right1 as pontifex maximus2) the so-called high priest and reformed what had become a cumbersome and inaccurate accounting of time.
In the mid-1st century B.C. Julius Cæsar invited Sosigenes, an Alexandrian astronomer, to advise him on calendar reform, and Sosigenes decided that the only practical step was to abandon the lunar calendar altogether. The months must be determined seasonally and a tropical i.e. solar year used, as in the Egyptian calendar. . . .3
Note that Sosigenes’ big innovation was the abandonment of the lunar calendar.
The great difficulty facing any [calendar] reformer was that there seemed to be no possibility of making a change that would allow the months to remain in harmony with the phases of the moon and the years with the seasons. A fundamental break with traditional counting was necessary to develop an effective seasonal calendar.4
Bringing the new calendar back into line with the season required adding an additional 90 days to the year, which later became known as the Year of Confusion. However, the Julian calendar of 45 B.C., even the Julian calendar in the days of the Messiah, did not look like the Julian calendar when Pope Gregory XIII modified it, and therefore did not look like today’s Gregorian calendar. In the original Julian calendar, there was no Saturday and no Sabbath on the seventh day at the end of the week.
The Julian calendar, like the Republic calendar before it, originally had an eight-day cycle. Every eighth day was a nundinæ or market day. The calendars were not constructed in grids like modern calendars, but dates were listed in columns. For example, January began on “A” day and lasted for eight days of the week (A through H), ending the month on “E” day.
Unlike the Hebrew calendar, the Roman calendar had a continuous weekly cycle throughout the year, with minor adjustments at the end of the year. Since January ended on “E” day, February began on “F” day. Likewise, February ending on “A” day began March on “B” day
A k JanF k FebruaryB k MarBG.CCH.DDAEE etc.B etc.F etc:
Pre-Julian calendar from the 1960s BC. found on the site of Nero’s villa in Antium.
This is a reconstruction of the Stanana Fasti, a pre-Julian calendar from the 1960s BC. found on the site of Nero’s villa in Antium. The letter A was painted red to indicate the beginning of the week.
Reconstruction of the Stanana Fasti, the only calendar of the Roman Republic that still exists.5
There are thirteen columns. January on the left begins on “A” day and ends on “E” day. At the bottom of each column are large Roman numerals giving the number of days in that month. The right column is the 13th intercalary month. Additional letters appear next to the letters on weekdays. These indicated what type of business could or could not be conducted on that day. A “K” was painted next to the first day of each month. This meant kalendæ.6
It is important to remember that the Scriptural week as an individual unit of time defined in Genesis chapter 1 consisted of only seven days: six working days, followed by a rest on the Sabbath on the last day of the week. The eight-day cycle of the Julian calendar was used during the time of Yahusha. However, Jews would not observe the Sabbath on the seventh day of the eight-day weekly cycle of the Julian calendar. It would be idolatry for them.
An example of the Julian calendar from the time of Augustus7 (63 BC – A.D. 14) to Tiberius8 (42 BC – 37 AD), is preserved on these stone fragments. The eight-day week is clearly visible to them.
An eight-day week in the time of Yahusha:
The later seven-day Julian calendar, shown in the following drawing of a stick calendar found at the Baths of Titus (built 79 – 81 AD), provides further evidence that the Sabbath of the Holy Scriptures can never be found using the Julian calendar. The central circle contains the 12 zodiac signs, corresponding to the 12 months of the year. Roman numerals on the left and right indicate the days of the month. At the top of the cue calendar appear the seven planetary gods of the pagan Romans.9
Saturday (or dies Saturni – Saturn’s day)10 was the first day of the week, not the seventh. As the god of agriculture, he can be seen in this important position, holding his symbol, the sickle. Then, on the second day of the pagan planetary week, the sun god is seen with rays of light coming from his head. The second day of the week was originally dies Solis (day of the sun – Sunday). The third day of the week shows the moon goddess with a horned crescent moon as a diadem on her head. Her day was dies Lunæ (moon day – Monday). The rest of the days are represented by other planetary gods, ending with dies Veneris (the day of Venus, which in Northern European languages was changed to the Norse goddess and became Friga’s day or Friday).11
Since the entire world has used the Gregorian calendar for hundreds of years, it is often overlooked that in ancient times, not only did different countries use different calendars, but there were also regional differences within countries. Although the seven-day planetary week was popularized in Rome with the rise of the Mithraic cult, it did not become official until Constantine standardized the week at the Council of Nicaea.12
In light of these facts, it is illogical to assume that Gregorian Saturday is the biblical Sabbath of creation. It is true that the Julian calendar passed into the Gregorian calendar without losing the order of days. However, it is also true that the Gregorian calendar, like the Julian calendar before it, is based entirely on the pagan calendar system.
Christopher Clavius (1538-1612)
Jesuit astronomer Christopher Clavius confirmed that the Julian calendar is rooted in pure paganism and has no connection with the calendar of the Scriptures. Clavius is known throughout the world as the architect of the modern Gregorian calendar. Because the Julian calendar is a bit too long, by the 16th century the spring equinox no longer fell on the date arbitrarily assigned to it in the third century: March 21. Pope Gregory XIII entrusted Clavius with the task of reforming the calendar to restore the spring equinox to March 21. 13
In his book, Romani Calendarii A Gregorio XIII P.M. Restituti Explicato, Clavius reveals that when the Julian calendar became the Church’s ecclesiastical calendar at the Council of Nicaea, the Church deliberately rejected the calendar of the Scriptures and instead adopted the pagan calendar. Referring to the different calendar systems used to determine Passover according to the Scriptures compared to the pagan substitute for Easter, Clavius states:
“The Catholic Church never used this [Jewish] rite to celebrate Passover, but always observed the movement of the moon and sun during the celebration, and was thus sanctified by the most ancient and holiest Pontiffs of Rome, but also confirmed by the first Council of Nicaea.”
The “Pantiphus” he speaks of are ancient priests of Roman paganism.
Modern Christians and Messianic Jews have assumed that the Gregorian Saturday is the Sabbath. However, the faithful followers of YHWH who lived during the time when the Julian calendar was enforced by civil legislation had no doubt or confusion on this matter: the “Sabbath” was calculated by the calendar of the Scriptures; and the “Lord’s Day” (Sunday) according to the pagan solar calendar.
As David Sidersky noted: “Under Constantine it was no longer possible to use the old calendar.”15
However, believers in YHWH did not obey the new edict.
At every stage of apostasy, at every stage of adopting forms of sun worship, and against the adoption and observance of Sunday itself, all true followers of YHWH constantly protest. Those who remained faithful to Yahusha and the truth of YHWH’s pure word kept the [Master’s] Sabbath according to the commandment, and according to the word of YHWH, which defines the Sabbath as the sign by which YHWH, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, is distinguished from all other [deities ] Therefore, they protested against every phase and form of sun worship. Others compromised, particularly in the East, observing both the Sabbath and Sunday. But in the west, under Roman influence and under the leadership of the church and bishopric of Rome, Sunday itself was adopted and observed.16
The Council of Nicaea (321-325 A.D.) banned the lunisolar calendar for church use and replaced the Julian calendar in its place, ordering that people everywhere “explain” the 17th day of the Sun.18 Some began to compromise. While many believers faithfully held the original Sabbath
according to the lunisolar calendar, others, along with rabbinical Jews, kept the seventh day of the Julian calendar: Saturday. Still others held on both Saturday and Sunday. This did not satisfy the Church in Rome. He wanted everyone to worship only on Sunday. When the Edict of Nicaea did not have the desired effect on the people, the Council of Laodicea was convened about 40 years later to force the adoption of the “Lord’s Day” in lieu of the lunar Sabbath.
Therefore, in order to achieve its original purpose, it has now become necessary for the church to secure legislation extinguishing all exceptions, and prohibiting the observance of the Sabbath, to suppress this powerful protest [against Sunday worship]. And now . . . “the truly divine commandment” of Constantine and the Council of Nicaea, that “nothing” should be “common with the Jews,” became the basis and authority for legislation, completely destroying [the Master’s] Sabbath observance and establishing Sunday observance only in its place.19
Canon 29 of the Council of Laodicea demanded: “Christians shall not Judaize and be idle on Saturday, but shall work on that day; but on the Lord’s day they will especially worship, and, as Christians, if possible, they will do no work on that day. However, if they are found to be Judaizing, they will be cut off from Christ.”
It is important to know that the word “Saturday” was added in the English translation. According to Catholic Bishop Karl J. von Hefele 20 History of the Councils of the Church based on original documents, the word used was “sabbath” in both Greek and Latin and the word “anathema” (accursed) instead of “shut up”. Latin version it explicitly does not contain any reference to dies Saturni (Saturday), but instead uses Sabbato or “Sabbath”:
“Quod non oportet Christianos Judaizere et otiare in Sabbato, sed operari in eodem die. Preferenes autem in venerale Dominicum diem si vacre voluerint, ut Christiani hoc faciat; quod si reperti fuerint Judaizere Anathema sint a Christo.”
In recent years, even more so, historical facts have been forgotten and Saturday is considered the Sabbath. When the Julian calendar was enforced on Christians for the use of the universal Christian (Catholic) church, no one at that time was confused about dies Saturni (Saturn’s day) with Shabbat. Everyone knew that these were two different days according to two different calendar systems.
A few days before his death, Yahusha made a profound statement that should be considered in the context of the real and fake calendar controversy. He said, “Render therefore to Caesar what is Caesar’s; and Yahuvah is what belongs to Yahuvah.” The Messiah established here an important principle that was to govern every area of life. Worship does not belong to Caesar. It belongs only to the Creator.
An ancient proverb says: “He who controls the calendar controls the world.”
Who controls you? The day you worship, calculated according to the calendar you use, reveals which deity/god controls you. Worship on the true Sabbath is a sign of loyalty to our Creator YHWH. Only the Creator, He who controls the sun, moon and stars, His calendar, has the right to tell His people when to worship Him, and by this right to receive proper worship.
1 Julius Cæsar had been elected Pontifex Maximus in 63 B.C. (James Evans, “Calendars and Time Reckoning,” The History and Practice of Ancient Astronomy, Oxford University Press, 1998, p. 165.)
2 “Pontifex Maximus” is now a title reserved exclusively for the pope. This is very appropriate as the Gregorian calendar now in use is both pagan and papal, being founded upon the pagan Julian calendar and modified by, and named after, a pope.
3 “The Julian Calendar”, Encyclopedia Britannica.
4 Ibid., emphasis supplied.
5 Palazzo Massimo Alle Terme, ed. Adriano La Regina, 1998.
6 “Calendar,” Encyclopedia Britannica online.
7 Cæsar Augustus, first Roman Emperor, is mentioned in the Bible. His levy of a tax led Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem in time for the birth of Christ. See Luke 2:1.
8 Tiberius succeeded Augustus as emperor in 14 A.D., retiring in 35 A.D. (Historic Figures, www.BBC.co.uk/history.)
9 The seven-day planetary week was adopted into the pagan Roman calendar with the rise of the cult of Mithras. (See Sunday in Roman Paganism, by R. L. Odom, Review & Herald Publ. Assoc., 1945.) The planetary gods thus became a permanent part of Julian calendation and pagan Roman culture.
10 For further information on the original planetary week governed by the seven planetary gods, see How Did Sunday Get It’s Name?, by R. L. Odom, at www.4angelspublications.com/books.php. Copyright, 1972, by Southern Publishing Assoc., used by permission.
11 J. Bosworth and T. N. Toller, Frig-dæg, An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, 1898, p.337, made available by the Germanic Lexicon Project. See also “Friday” in Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary, 2nd edition, 1983.
12 See R. L. Odom’s “The Planetary Week in the First Century A.D.”, Sunday Sacredness in Roman Paganism, Review and Herald Publish Assoc., 1944.
13 “When Gregory XIII reformed the calendar, the adjustment was made such that the vernal equinox should occupy the position assigned to it in the Easter tables, viz. March 21. These tables date . . . from about the third century. The important point is that this adjustment placed the vernal equinox on a date that is purely arbitrary and not necessarily related to the date on which the equinox fell when the revision of the calendar by Julius Cæsar was made.” (Letter from Dr. H. Spencer-Jones, Astronomer Royal, Royal Observatory, Greenwich, London, to Grace Amadon, dated Dec. 28, 1938, Collection 154, Box 1, Folder 4, Center for Adventist Research, Andrews University, emphasis supplied.
14 Christopher Clavius, Romani Calendarii A Gregorio XIII P.M. Restituti Explicato, p. 54, as quoted in “Report of Committee on Historical Basis, Involvement, and Validity of the October 22, 1844, Position”, Part V, Sec. B, p. 18, Collection 154, Center for Adventist Research, Andrews University.
15 Astronomical Origin of Jewish Chronology, Paris, 1913, p. 651.
16 A. T. Jones, The Two Republics, A. B. Publishing, Inc., 1891, p. 320-321.
17 Venerate: “to look upon with deep respect and reverence; . . . to regard as hallowed.” Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary, 2nd edition, 1983.
18 “Constantine, Emperor Augustus, to Helpidius: On the venerable day of the sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed. In the country, however, persons engaged in agriculture may freely and lawfully continue their pursuits; because it often happens that another day is not so suitable for grain-sowing or for vine-planting; lest by neglecting the proper moment for such operations, the bounty of heaven should be lost.” P. Schaff’s translation, History of the Christian Church, Vol. III, p. 75.
19 A. T. Jones, The Two Republics, A. B. Publishing, Inc., 1891, p. 321, emphasis supplied.
20 Karl Josef von Hefele (1809-1893), is a credible authority on the original word choice used at the Council of Laodicea. A German scholar, theologian and professor of Church history, educated at Tubingen University, and later bishop of Rottenburg, he had access to the Vatican archives and original documents.
21 See Matthew 22:21.
