What are the important events that happened on February 24? Here are historical events, facts, and some myths about this day.

February 24: Facts & Myths About This Day

February 24 is the 55^th day of the year 2025 in the Gregorian calendar. There are 310 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Monday.

Under the Julian calendar, this day is February 11, 2025 – a Monday. Both day of the week are the same but did you notice the difference with the Gregorian calendar?

When this day started, 29,005,920 minutes 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 ‘pentacontapentagon’ day.

Pisces is the zodiac sign of a person born on this day. Amethyst is the modern birthstone for this month. Bloodstone is the mystical birthstone from Tibetan origin that dates back over a thousand years.

According to the lunisolar Chinese calendar, there are 358 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 4,448 days since this fabled cataclysmic event.

February 24: This Day In History

By Roman custom, February 24 is the day added to a leap year in the Julian calendar. The Mensis Intercalaris began on this day or the following day in intercalary years in the pre-Julian calendar. This custom still has some effect around the world; for example, with respect to name days in Hungary.

February 24 Historical Events

• 1303 –
  Battle of Roslin, of the First War of Scottish Independence.
• 1387 –
  King Charles III of Naples and Hungary is assassinated at Buda.
• 1607 –
  L'Orfeo by Claudio Monteverdi, one of the first works recognized as an opera, receives its première performance.
• 1822 –
  The 1st Swaminarayan temple in the world, Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Ahmedabad, is inaugurated.
• 1917 –
  World War I: The U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom is given the Zimmermann Telegram, in which Germany pledges to ensure the return of New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona to Mexico if Mexico declares war on the United States.
• 1976 –
  Cuba: national Constitution is proclaimed.
• 1980 –
  The United States Olympic Hockey team completes their Miracle on Ice by defeating Finland 4-2 to win the gold medal.
• 1996 –
  The last occurrence of February 24 as a leap day in the European Union and for the Roman Catholic Church.
• 1999 –
  The State of Arizona executes Karl LaGrand, a German national convicted of murder during a botched bank robbery, in spite of Germany’s legal action to attempt to save him.
• 2011 –
  Final Launch of Space Shuttle Discovery (OV-103).

Who were born on February 24?

• 1842 –
  Arrigo Boito, Italian composer (d. 1918)
• 1919 –
  Betty Marsden, English comedy actress (d. 1998)
• 1921 –
  Gaston Reiff, Belgian athlete (d. 1992)
• 1943 –
  Kent Haruf, American novelist
• 1951 –
  Debra Jo Rupp, American actress
• 1964 –
  Andy Crane, British children’s television presenter
• 1966 –
  Ben Miller, English comedian, director and actor
• 1971 –
  Brian Savage, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1974 –
  Bonnie Somerville, American actress and singer
• 1982 –
  Klára Zakopalová, Czech tennis player

Who died on February 24?

• 616 –
  King Ethelbert of Kent
• 1588 –
  Johann Weyer, Dutch physician and occultist
• 1666 –
  Nicholas Lanier, English composer (b. 1588)
• 1732 –
  Colonel Francis Charteris, known as “The Rape-Master General”. (b. 1675)
• 1781 –
  Edward Capell, English critic (b. 1713)
• 1986 –
  Tommy Douglas, Canadian politician (b. 1904)
• 1987 –
  Jim Connors, American radio personality (b. 1940)
• 1999 –
  Andre Dubus, American writer (b. 1936)
• 2002 –
  Leo Ornstein, Russian-born composer and pianist (b. 1912)
• 2006 –
  John Martin, Canadian broadcaster (b. 1947)