
**Why February's Short Stay is All Thanks to Ancient Rituals**
Why February Has 28 Days
February, the shortest month of the year with 28 days, has a surprisingly mundane origin. Its length is based on Roman superstition rather than any scientific principles.
Prior to the Gregorian calendar, the Julian calendar was used, followed by the Roman calendar. The latter originally consisted of 10 months, with the early part of the year being unnamed and considered unimportant due to its barrenness.
Later, the Roman king Numa Pompilius added two new months, January and February, to ensure the calendar covered the entire year. The uneven number of days in the month was due to the Romans' aversion to even numbers.
Julius Caesar reformed the calendar to align it with the movements of the Sun, and Pope Gregory XIII further adjusted it in 1583 to create the modern Gregorian calendar. Despite these changes, February maintained its unique 28-day length, except in leap years when an extra day is added.