MOTHERING-SUNDAY (ROSH CHODESH NISAN AND ZULHIJAH)

Did you know that there is an ancient relationship between Mothering Sunday and Rosh Chodesh Nisan? Well there is!

Because of their origin among repentant Sadducees, Messianic Noahides outside of Jewish areas should use the Hasmonean calendar preserved at the Council of Nicea rather than the Orthodox Jewish Calendar established by Hillel II at Tiberias in 358–359 CE. 

According to the earlier Hasmonean system, the Sunday of the Week of the New-moon closest to the Spring Equinox is always equivalent to the 1st of Aviv, the First day of the Year (hence the fist Sunday after the Full-moon after the Spring Equinox is always Yeaster). The Jewish tradition of Rosh Chodesh being a special holiday for Women was preserved only on the first of the first of the months by the Sadducees and hence evolved into Mothering Sunday!

The 1st of Nisan on Hillel's calendar also used to always correspond to the start of the Muslim month of Zulhijah before the Islamic calendar was changed by Umar.

So just remember, the first day of the week of the New-moon closest to the Spring Equinox is the First Day of the First Month of the year according to the Hasmonean Calendar. It is preserved in modern times as Mothering Sunday.

Nicene Calendar 2024-25 (a 55 week 385 day Leap Year)

First Quarter:

1. Month Aviv (4 weeks):

   • Week 1: March 10 - March 16
   • Week 2: March 17 - March 23
   • Week 3: March 24 - March 30 (Pesakh)
   • Week 4: March 31 - April 6 (Yeaster)

2. Month 2 (5 weeks):

   • Week 5: April 7 - April 13
   • Week 6: April 14 - April 20
   • Week 7: April 21 - April 27
   • Week 8: April 28 - May 4
   • Week 9: May 5 - May 11

3. Month 3 (4 weeks):

   • Week 10: May 12 - May 18 (Pentecost)
   • Week 11: May 19 - May 25
   • Week 12: May 26 - June 1
   • Week 13: June 2 - June 8

Second Quarter:

1. Month Tammuz (4 weeks):

   • Week 14: June 9 - June 15
   • Week 15: June 16 - June 22
   • Week 16: June 23 - June 29 (The 3 Weeks)
   • Week 17: June 30 - July 6

2. Month Av (5 weeks):

   • Week 18: July 7 - July 13
   • Week 19: July 14 - July 20
   • Week 20: July 21 - July 27
   • Week 21: July 28 - August 3
   • Week 22: August 4 - August 10

3. Month Elul (4 weeks):

   • Week 23: August 11 - August 17
   • Week 24: August 18 - August 24
   • Week 25: August 25 - August 31
   • Week 26: September 1 - September 7

Third Quarter:

1. Month Tishrei (4 weeks):

   • Week 27: September 8 - September 14 (Trumpets)
   • Week 28: September 15 - September 21
   • Week 29: September 22 - September 28 (Sukkot)
   • Week 30: September 29 - October 5

2. Month 8 (5 weeks):

   • Week 31: October 6 - October 12
   • Week 32: October 13 - October 19
   • Week 33: October 20 - October 26
   • Week 34: October 27 - November 2
   • Week 35: November 3 - November 9

3. Month 9 (4 weeks):

   • Week 36: November 10 - November 16
   • Week 37: November 17 - November 23
   • Week 38: November 24 - November 30
   • Week 39: December 1 - December 7 (Nicene Hanukah starts on Dec 4th)

Fourth Quarter:

1. Month Tevet (4 weeks):

   • Week 40: December 8 - December 14
   • Week 41: December 15 - December 21
   • Week 42: December 22 - December 28 (Kalenda)
   • Week 43: December 29 - January 4, 2025

2. Month 11 (5 weeks):

   • Week 44: January 5 - January 11, 2025
   • Week 45: January 12 - January 18, 2025
   • Week 46: January 19 - January 25, 2025 (Yashan)
   • Week 47: January 26 - February 1, 2025
   • Week 48: February 2 - February 8, 2025

3. Month 12 (7 weeks):

• Week 49: February 9 - February 15, 2025
• Week 50: February 16 - February 22, 2025
• Week 51: February 23 - March 1, 2025 (Purim)
• Week 52: March 2 - March 8, 2025
4. Week 53: March 9 - March 15, 2025
5. Week 54: March 16 - March 22, 2025
6. Week 55: March 23 - March 29, 2025