Kathmandu, Jan 1: According to the Gregorian calendar, the New Year 2024 has started. The Gregorian calendar, adopted in most parts of the world, came into effect in 1582 when Pope Gregory XIII issued the papal bull “Inter gravissimas.” This decree marked a modification of and substitution for the Julian calendar.
“The term ‘anno Domini’ (AD) is employed when denoting years in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. This Medieval Latin expression translates to ‘in the year of the Lord.’
Although the original phrase was ‘anno Domini nostri Jesu Christi,’ meaning ‘in the year of our Lord Jesus Christ,’ it is commonly presented in modern usage as ‘anno Domini,’ often expressed as ‘in the year of our Lord.’
It is a common misconception that AD stands for “After Death,” referring to years after the death of Jesus. Before AD, BC was in practice which stands for ‘Before Christ’.
Despite the controversy, AD was introduced in various places during the colonial period, and now it is widely used across the globe. However, Nepal does not use AD (it has its own BS as per lunar calendar).
But English New Year is celebrated in Nepal. ‘New Year eve 2024’ was celebrated on Sunday night to welcome the New Year 2024 across the country including touristic areas in particular which include Thamel and Bouddha in Kathmandu, Nagarkot in Bhaktapur and Pokhara in Kaski.
