Sweden Dates and Calendars

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Sweden

Dates and Calendars

Online Resources

• Sweden Feast Day Calendars
  • See also Genealogical Feast Day Calendars

Background

Pre-11th Century

• Runic Calendars Early Swedes, much like their Viking counterparts, relied on runic calendars. These calendars, likely based on lunar cycles and agricultural seasons, were etched onto wooden staves and served both practical and religious purposes.
• Influence from Abroad: As trade and cultural exchange with the Roman and Christian world increased, the Julian calendar, a solar calendar with 12 months, began to make its way into Sweden. However, its adoption wasn't widespread initially, with regional variations persisting.

Christianization and the Julian Calendar (11th-18th Centuries)

• Christian Conversion (11th Century): With the arrival of Christianity, the Julian calendar gained prominence as the official system for both religious and secular purposes. Feast days and saints' days became integral parts of timekeeping, reflected in detailed church calendars.
• Feast Day Calendars: The church year, with its fixed and movable feast days, became another important timekeeping system. These calendars were regularly used in church records, and some church events were occasionally recorded using feast days, such as "3 söndagen före påsk" (the 3rd Sunday before Easter).
• Julian Calendar Discrepancy: Over time, the Julian calendar's slight inaccuracy, lacking leap years for years divisible by 100 but not 400, caused dates to drift from the actual seasons. This discrepancy led to a need for reform in the later centuries.

Adopting the Gregorian Calendar (18th Century)

• 1699: Sweden decides to adopt the Gregorian calendar in 1700, but instead of a one-time correction, they opt for a gradual 11-year adjustment, removing a day per year (except for 1701-10). This creates a unique "Old Style + 1 day" calendar, causing communication chaos with other countries.
• Swedish Calendar 1700-1712: Between February 29, 1700 (Julian) and February 29, 1712 (Julian), the Swedish government used its own "Swedish Calendar". As part of the transition from the Swedish Calendar back to the Julian calendar in 1712, the month of February in 1712 has 30 days.
• 1740 & 1844: Sweden adopts German Protestant methods for Easter dating and later, in 1844, finally aligns with Gregorian Easter rules.
• Adoption of the Gregorian Calendar (1753): The Swedish government began using the Gregorian calendar on February 18, 1753. Prior to that, they used the Julian calendar. Thus, 18 Feb 1753 became 1 Mar 1753 in the new Gregorian calendar.
• Challenges and Transition: Some rural areas, particularly those with strong traditional ties, initially resisted the change to the Gregorian calendar, clinging to older practices for some time. Over the centuries, Sweden's calendar continued to evolve, with holidays and observances being added or removed. Today, the country uses a standardized version of the Gregorian calendar, similar to most of the world.