HOW JANUARY BECAME THE FIRST MONTH

January comes from the Latin word Januarius, which was named after Janus. Janus was an ancient Roman deity who was the guardian god of portals, gates, and doors.

Janus was the patron of beginnings and endings. It is depicted as having two faces, one in front and the other at back.

In the initial Roman calendar, which had only 10 months, the year began in March. In that ancient calendar, January and February were completely missing. The two months were only added in 713 BC.

Despite this addition, March continued to retain its position as the first month of the year until about 153 BC.

Being the patron of beginnings and endings and a deity with two faces, Janus was deemed fit to occupy its present position. It uses one face to say good-bye to the ending year and uses the other to welcome the coming year. January maintained this position in the Julian and Gregorian calendars.

Do you now realize the connection between the ancient Roman culture and the present European and world civilizations? Do you see that no reasonable person disconnects himself or herself from his or her roots?

Do you realize why the academic world no longer tolerates the words pagan, idolatry, fetish, and uncivilized when referring to a culture,religion, or people? Yes, if any culture, religion, or people can be called pagan, idolatry, fetish, or uncivilized, none would escape it.

Imagine that Janus were to be an African deity. I tell you, many African Christians would never celebrate crossover nights because night and darkness have nothing in common.

Yes, many of us who refer to themselves as believers should rightly be called self-haters. We just hate ourselves and anything that has a connection to us. We need to restore our brains to factory settings; otherwise, we are gone.