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 55th day of the year 2024 in the Gregorian calendar. There are 311 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Saturday.
Under the Julian calendar, this day is February 11, 2024 – a Saturday. Both day of the week are the same but did you notice the difference with the Gregorian calendar?
When this day started, 474,648 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 ‘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 340 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 4,082 days since this fabled cataclysmic event.
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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
- 303 –Diocletian, Roman Emperor, publishes his edict that begins the persecution of Christians in his portion of the Empire.
- 1582 –Pope Gregory XIII announces the Gregorian calendar.
- 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.
- 1944 –Merrill’s Marauders: The Marauders begin their 1,000 mile journey through Japanese occupied Burma.
- 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.
- 1999 –A China Southern Airlines Tupolev TU-154 airliner crashes on approach to Wenzhou airport in eastern the People’s Republic of China, killing 61.
- 2006 –Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declares Proclamation 1017 placing the country in a state of emergency in attempt to subdue a possible military coup.
- 2011 –Final Launch of Space Shuttle Discovery (OV-103).
Who were born on February 24?
- 1709 –Jacques de Vaucanson, French inventor (d. 1782)
- 1885 –Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz, Polish writer and painter (d. 1939)
- 1943 –Pablo Milanés, Cuban musician
- 1948 –Tim Staffell, English singer
- 1956 –Paula Zahn, American journalist
- 1958 –Mark Moses, American actor
- 1958 –Sammy Kershaw, American musician
- 1970 –Jonathan Ward, American television and movie actor
- 1970 –Kienast quintuplets, American quintuplets
- 1981 –Mauro Rosales, Argentinian footballer
Who died on February 24?
- 1525 –Guillaume Gouffier, seigneur de Bonnivet, French soldier
- 1732 –Colonel Francis Charteris, known as “The Rape-Master General”. (b. 1675)
- 1777 –King Joseph I of Portugal (b. 1714)
- 1953 –Gerd von Rundstedt, German field marshal (b. 1875)
- 1982 –Virginia Bruce, American actress and singer (b. 1910)
- 1994 –Jean Sablon, French singer (b. 1906)
- 2001 –Theodore Marier, KCSG, American composer, founder of the Boston Archdiocesan Choir School (b. 1912)
- 2004 –John Randolph, American actor (b. 1915)
- 2006 –Octavia Butler, American author and MacArthur Foundation Fellow (b. 1947)
- 2009 –C. R. Johnson, American freestyle skier (b. 1983)
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