"Unraveling the Quirks and Significance of Leap Day in the Calendar"

The leap day falls on February 29 due to the Romans' backward counting system, where they added a "bissextile day" on February 24. This practice continued into the Middle Ages and was taught in monastic classrooms to calculate religious feasts like Easter correctly. For medieval churchmen, including the Anglo-Saxon scholar Byrhtferth of Ramsey, the correct reckoning of time was crucial for honoring God's role in the creation of the universe. This tradition has persisted for nearly 1,600 years to ensure that the extra day is inserted before the spring equinox and Easter celebrations are kept on track.