What are the important events that happened on December 20? Here are historical events, facts, and some myths about this day.
December 20: Facts & Myths About This Day
December 20 is the 355th day of the year 2024 in the Gregorian calendar. There are 11 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Friday.
Under the Julian calendar, this day is December 7, 2024 – a Friday. Both day of the week are the same but did you notice the difference with the Gregorian calendar?
When this day started, 481,848 hours has elapsed since midnight of January 1, 1970 – the Unix epoch.
Strange as it may, if we name this day after a polygon then it will be called ‘trihectapentacontapentagon’ day.
Sagittarius is the zodiac sign of a person born on this day. Turquoise is the modern birthstone for this month. Onyx is the mystical birthstone from Tibetan origin that dates back over a thousand years.
According to the lunisolar Chinese calendar, there are 40 days remaining before the start of the next Chinese New Year.
The ancient Maya civilization believes that the end of the world will happen on December 21, 2012. There are now 4,382 days since this fabled cataclysmic event.
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December 20 Historical Events
217 –
The papacy of Zephyrinus ends. Callixtus I is elected as the sixteenth pope, but is opposed by the theologian Hippolytus who accuses him of laxity and of being a Modalist, one who denies any distinction between the three persons of the Trinity.
1803 –
The Louisiana Purchase is completed at a ceremony in New Orleans.
1915 –
World War I: Last Australian troops evacuated from Gallipoli.
1917 –
Cheka, the first Soviet secret police, is founded.
1924 –
Hitler is released from Landsberg Prison
1968 –
The Zodiac Killer kills Betty Lou Jenson and David Faraday in Vallejo, California.
1995 –
NATO begins peacekeeping in Bosnia.
1999 –
Macau is handed over to the People’s Republic of China by Portugal.
2005 –
In Durrës, Albania was founded Aleksander Moisiu University.
2007 –
Elizabeth II becomes the oldest ever monarch of the United Kingdom, surpassing Queen Victoria, who lived for 81 years, 7 months and 29 days.
Who were born on December 20?
1537 –
King John III of Sweden (d. 1592)
1901 –
Robert J. Van de Graaff, American physicist and inventor (d. 1967)
1942 –
Rana Bhagwandas, Former Pakistani Chief Justice
1949 –
Oscar Gamble, American baseball player
1950 –
Arturo Marquez, Mexican composer
1951 –
Gilbert Montagné, French musician
1960 –
Kim Ki-duk, Korean filmmaker
1963 –
Infanta Elena of Spain
1978 –
Geremi Njitap, Cameroon footballer
1980 –
Fitz Hall, English footballer
Who died on December 20?
217 –
Pope Zephyrinus
910 –
Alfonso III of Leon (b. 848)
1524 –
Thomas Linacre, English scholar and physician (b. 1460)
1786 –
Hannah Ocuish, Native American convicted murderer (b. 1774)
1989 –
Kurt Böhme, German bass (b. 1908)
1994 –
Dean Rusk, American diplomat (b. 1909)
2001 –
Foster Brooks, American actor and comedian (b. 1912)
2006 –
Shi Yuejun, Chinese serial killer (b. 1970)
2009 –
Arnold Stang, American comic actor (b. 1918)
2009 –
Jack Hixon, English football talent scout (b. 1921)
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