March is the third month of the year in both the Julian calendar, Julian and Gregorian calendars. It is the second of seven months to have a length of 31 days. In the Northern Hemisphere, the Meteorology, meteorological beginning of Spring (season), spring occurs on the first day of March. The March equinox on the 20 or 21 marks the astronomical beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere and the beginning of autumn in the Southern Hemisphere, where September is the seasonal equivalent of the Northern Hemisphere's March.

Origin

The name of March comes from ''Martius (month), Martius'', the first month of the earliest Roman calendar. It was named after Mars (mythology), Mars, the List of Roman deities, Roman god of war, and an ancestor of the Roman people through his sons Romulus and Remus. His month ''Martius'' was the beginning of the season for warfare, and the Roman festivals, festivals held in his honor during the month were mirrored by others in October, when the season for these activities came to a close. ''Martius'' remained the first month of the Roman calendar year perhaps as late as 153 BC, and several Religion in ancient Rome, religious observances in the first half of the month were originally new year's celebrations. Even in late antiquity, Roman mosaics picturing the months sometimes still placed March first. March 1 began the numbered year in Russia until the end of the 15th century. Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and its colonies continued to use March 25 until 1752, when they finally adopted the Gregorian calendar (the fiscal year in the UK continues to begin on 6 April, initially identical to 25 March in the former Julian calendar). Many other cultures, for example in Iran, or Ethiopia, still celebrate the beginning of the New Year in March. March is the first month of spring in the Northern Hemisphere (North America, Europe, Asia and part of Africa) and the first month of fall or autumn in the Southern Hemisphere (South America, part of Africa, and Oceania). Ancient Roman observances celebrated in March include Agonalia#Agonium Martiale, Agonium Martiale, celebrated on March 1, March 14, and March 17, Matronalia, celebrated on March 1, Junonalia, celebrated on March 7, Equirria, celebrated on March 14, Mamuralia, celebrated on either March 14 or March 15, Hilaria on March 15 and then through March 22–28, Argei, celebrated on March 16–17, Liberalia and Bacchanalia, celebrated March 17, Quinquatria, celebrated March 19–23, and Tubilustrium, celebrated March 23. These dates do not correspond to the modern Gregorian calendar.

Other names

In Finnish language, Finnish, the month is called ''maaliskuu'', which is believed to originate from ''maallinen kuu''. The latter means ''earthy month'' and may refer to the first appearance of "earth" from under the winter's snow. In Ukrainian language, Ukrainian, the month is called ''березень''/''berezenʹ'', meaning ''birch tree'', and březen in Czech. Historical names for March include the Old English, Saxon ''Lentmonat'', named after the March equinox and gradual lengthening of days, and the eventual namesake of Lent. Saxons also called March ''Rhed-monat'' or ''Hreth-monath'' (deriving from their goddess ''Rhedam''/''Hreth''), and Angles called it ''Hyld-monath''. In Slovene language, Slovene, the traditional name is ''sušec'', meaning the month when the earth becomes dry enough so that it is possible to cultivate it. The name was first written in 1466 in the Škofja Loka manuscript. Other names were used too, for example ''brezen'' and ''breznik'', "the month of birches". The Turkish language, Turkish word ''Mart'' is given after the name of ''Mars (mythology), Mars'' the god.

March symbols

* March's birthstones are Beryl#Aquamarine and maxixe, aquamarine and Heliotrope (mineral), bloodstone. These stones symbolize courage. * Its birth flower is the daffodil. * The zodiac signs for the month of March are Pisces (astrology), Pisces until approximately March 20 and Aries (astrology), Aries from appproximately March 21 onward.. Signs in UT/GMT for 1950–2030.

Observances

''This list does not necessarily imply either official status nor general observance.''

Month-long

* In Catholic tradition, March is the Month of Saint Joseph. * List of commemorative months#March, Endometriosis Awareness Month (International observance) * National Nutrition Month (Canada) * Season for Nonviolence: January 30 – April 4 (International observance) * Women's History Month (Australia, United Kingdom, United States)

American

* List of commemorative months#March, Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month * Irish-American Heritage Month * Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month * National Association for Music Education, Music in our Schools Month * List of commemorative months#March, National Athletic Training Month * List of commemorative months#March, National Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month * National Celery Month * National Frozen Food Month * List of commemorative months#March, National Kidney Month * American Dietetic Association, National Nutrition Month * National Association of Social Workers, National Professional Social Work Month * List of commemorative months#March, National Reading Awareness Month * Youth Art Month

Non-Gregorian, 2020

''(All Baha'i, Islamic, and Jewish observances begin at the sundown prior to the date listed, and end at sundown of the date in question unless otherwise noted.)'' *List of observances set by the Bahá'í calendar *List of observances set by the Chinese calendar *List of observances set by the Hebrew calendar *List of observances set by the Islamic calendar *List of observances set by the Solar Hijri calendar

Movable, 2020

*List of movable Eastern Christian observances *List of movable Western Christian observances *National Corndog Day (United States): March 21 *Equal Pay Day (United States): March 31

First Sunday: March 1

*Children's Day#New Zealand, Children's Day (New Zealand)

First week, March 1 to 7

*Global Money Week

School day closest to March 2: March 2

* Read Across America, Read Across America Day

First Monday: March 2

* Casimir Pulaski Day (United States)

First Tuesday: March 3

* National Grandparents Day#France, Grandmother's Day (France)

First Thursday: March 5

* World Book Day (UK and Ireland) * World Maths Day

First Friday: March 6

*Employee Appreciation Day (United States, Canada)

Second Sunday: March 8

*International Women's Day, International Women’s Day *Daylight saving time begins (United States and Canada)

Week of March 8: March 8–14

*Women of Aviation Worldwide Week

Monday closest to March 9, unless March 9 falls on a Saturday: March 9

*Baron Bliss#Baron Bliss Day, Baron Bliss Day (Belize)

Second Monday: March 9

* Canberra Day (Australia) * Commonwealth Day (Commonwealth of Nations)

Second Wednesday: March 11

*Public holidays in Liberia, Decoration Day (Liberia) *No Smoking Day (United Kingdom)

Second Thursday: March 11

*World Kidney Day

Friday of the 13th of month: March 13

*Friday the 13th

Friday of the second full week of March: March 13

*World Sleep Day

Third week in March: March 15–21

*National Poison Prevention Week (United States)

Third Monday: March 16

* Public holidays in Mexico, Birthday of Benito Juarez (Mexico)

March 19th, unless the 19th is a Sunday, then March 20: March 19

* Saint Joseph, Feast of Joseph of Nazareth (Western Christianity) **Father's Day (Spain, Portugal, Italy, Honduras, and Bolivia) **Falles, Las Fallas, celebrated on the week leading to March 19. (Valencia) **Mission San Juan Capistrano, "Return of the Swallow", annual observance of the American cliff swallow, swallows' return to Mission San Juan Capistrano in California.

Third Wednesday: March 18

*Arbor Day#Netherlands, National Festival of Trees (Netherlands)

March equinox: March 20

*Nowruz, The Iranian peoples, Iranian new year. (Observed Internationally) *Chunfen (East Asia) *Dísablót (some Asatru groups) *Earth Day#History of the Equinox Earth Day (March 20), Earth Equinox Day *Thelema#Holidays, Equinox of the Gods/New Year (Thelema) *Higan (Japan) *International Astrology Day *Mabon (Wicca), Mabon (Southern Hemisphere) (Neo-paganism) *Ostara (Northern Hemisphere) (Neo-paganism) *Shunbun no Hi (Japan) *Ásatrú holidays#The Troth, Sigrblót (The Troth) *Ásatrú holidays#Asatru Free Assembly, Summer Finding (Asatru Free Assembly) *Sun-Earth Day (United States) *Vernal Equinox Day/Kōreisai (Japan) *World Storytelling Day

Fourth Monday: March 23

*Public holidays in Christmas Island, Labour Day (Christmas Island, Australia)

Fourth Tuesday: March 24

*American Diabetes Association#American Diabetes Alert Day, American Diabetes Alert Day (United States)

Last Saturday: March 28

*Earth Hour (International observance)

Last Sunday: March 29

*Daylight saving time, European Summer Time begins

Last Monday: March 30

*Seward's Day (Alaska, United States)

Fixed

* March 1 **Baba Marta (Bulgaria), **Prohibition in Iceland#Beer Day, Beer Day (Iceland) **Commemoration of Mustafa Barzani's Death (Iraqi Kurdistan) **Francisco Solano López, Heroes' Day (Paraguay) **Independence Day (Bosnia and Herzegovina) **Mărțișor (Romania and Moldavia) **List of food days#March, National Peanut Butter Day (United States) **National Pig Day (United States) **Remembrance Day (Marshall Islands) **Saint David's Day (Wales) **Samiljeol (South Korea) **Self-injury Awareness Day (International observance) **World Civil Defence Day * March 2 **List of food days#March, National Banana Creme Pie Day (United States) **National Reading Day (United States) **Obama, Fukui#Traditions, Omizu-okuri ("Water Carrying") Festival (Obama, Fukui, Obama, Japan) **Public holidays in Burma, Peasant's Day (Burma) **Texas Independence Day (Texas, United States) **Public holidays in Ethiopia, Victory at Adwa Day (Ethiopia) * March 3 **Hinamatsuri (Japan) **Public holidays in Bulgaria, Liberation Day (Bulgaria) **Martyrs' Day#Malawi, Martyr's Day (Malawi) **Public holidays in Georgia, Mother's Day (Georgia) **List of food days#March, National Canadian Bacon Day (United States) **Public holidays in Egypt, Sportsmen's Day (Egypt) **Thomas Roy, What if Cats & Dogs Had Opposable Thumbs Day **World Wildlife Day * March 4 **National Grammar Day (United States) **St Casimir's Day (Poland and Lithuania) * March 5 **Custom Chief's Day (Vanuatu) **Public holidays in Azerbaijan#Other observances, Day of Physical Culture and Sport (Azerbaijan) **Learn from Lei Feng Day (China) **List of food days#March, National Absinthe Day (United States) **List of food days#March, National Cheez Doodle Day (United States) **St Piran's Day (Cornwall) * March 6 **European Day of the Righteous () **Foundation Day (Norfolk Island) **Independence Day (Ghana) * March 7 **Liberation of Sulaymaniyah (Iraqi Kurdistan) **List of food days#March, National Crown Roast of Pork Day (United States) **Teacher's Day (Albania) * March 8 **International Women's Day ***International Women's Collaboration Brew Day ***Mother's Day (primarily Eastern Europe, Russia, and the former Soviet bloc) **List of food days#March, National Peanut Cluster Day (United States) **List of food days#March, National Potato Salad Day (United States) * March 9 **List of food days#March, National Crabmeat Day (United States) **List of food days#March, National Meatball Day (United States) **Thomas Roy, Panic Day **Teachers' Day (Lebanon) * March 10 **Harriet Tubman Day (United States, United States of America) **Holocaust Memorial Days, Holocaust Remembrance Day (Bulgaria) **Hote Matsuri (Shiogama, Miyagi, Shiogama, Japan) **List of food days#March, National Blueberry Popover Day Day (United States) **National Mario Day (United States) **AIDS.gov, National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (United States) **Tibetan Uprising Day (Tibetan independence movement) * March 11 **Day of Restoration of Independence of Lithuania **Johnny Appleseed Day (United States) **Moshoeshoe I#Legacy, Moshoeshoe Day (Lesotho) **List of food days#March, Oatmeal Nut Waffles Day (United States) * March 12 **Arbor Day#China, Arbor Day (China) **Arbor Day#Taiwan, Arbor Day (Taiwan) **Aztec New Year **Scouts' Day#Dates celebrated by country, Girl Scout Birthday (United States) **List of food days#March, National Baked Scallops Day (United States) **National Day (Mauritius) **Arbor Day#North Macedonia, Tree Day (North Macedonia) **World Day Against Cyber Censorship **Youth Day (Zambia) * March 13 **Public holidays in Vatican City, Anniversary of the election of Pope Francis (Vatican City) **Kasuga Matsuri (Kasuga Grand Shrine, Nara, Nara, Nara, Japan) **L. Ron Hubbard's birthday (Scientology) **Public holidays in Iraq, Liberation of Duhok City (Iraqi Kurdistan) **List of food days#March, National Coconut Torte Day (United States) * March 14 **National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week March 14 to March 20 (United States) **Pi Day **White Day (Asia) *March 15 **Hōnen Matsuri (Japan) **International Day Against Police Brutality **J. J. Roberts' Birthday (Liberia) **Thomas Roy, National Brutus Day (United States) **National Day (Hungary) **Thomas Roy, True Confessions Day **World Consumer Rights Day **World Contact Day **World Day of Muslim Culture, Peace, Dialogue and Film **World Speech Day **Youth Day (Palau) *March 16 **Lithuanian book smugglers, Day of the Book Smugglers (Lithuania) **Remembrance day of the Latvian legionnaires (Latvia) **Public holidays in Iraq, Halabja Day (Iraqi Kurdistan) **Thomas Roy, Lips Appreciation Day **Saint Urho's Day (Finnish Americans and Finnish Canadians) *March 17 **Children's Day#Bangladesh, Children's Day (Bangladesh) **Evacuation Day (Massachusetts) (Suffolk County, Massachusetts) **Saint Patrick's Day (Ireland, Irish diaspora) *March 18 **Public holidays in Mexico, Anniversary of the Oil Expropriation (Mexico) **Flag Day (Aruba) **Thomas Roy, Forgive Mom and Dad Day **Gallipoli Memorial Day (Turkey) **Men's and Soldiers' Day (Mongolia) **Teacher's Day (Syria) *March 19 **Kashubian Unity Day (Poland) **Flag flying days in Finland#Days on which flying the Finnish flag is an established custom, Minna Canth's Birthday (Finland) *March 20 **Thelema#Holidays, Feast of the Supreme Ritual (Thelema) **Farm Animal Rights Movement#Great American Meatout, Great American Meatout (United States) **International Day of Happiness (United Nations) **Independence Day (Tunisia) **International Francophonie Day (''Organisation internationale de la Francophonie''), and its related observance: ***UN French Language Day (United Nations) **Public holidays in Iraq, Liberation of Kirkuk City (Iraqi Kurdistan) **AIDS.gov#External links, National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (United States) **World Sparrow Day *March 21 **Arbor Day#Portugal, Arbor Day (Portugal) **Fiestas Patrias (Mexico)#Natalicio de Benito Juárez, Birth of Benito Juárez, a Fiestas Patrias (Mexico) **Harmony Day (Australia) **Human Rights Day (South Africa) **Independence Day (Namibia) **International Colour Day (International observance) **International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (International observance) **International Day of Forests (International observance) **Mother's Day (most of the Arab world) **Arbor Day#Lesotho, National Tree Planting Day (Lesotho) **Truancy, Truant's Day (Poland, Faroe Islands) **World Down Syndrome Day (International observance) **World Poetry Day (International observance) **World Puppetry Day (International observance) **Youth Day (Tunisia) *March 22 **Thomas Roy, As Young As You Feel Day **Emancipation Day#Puerto Rico, Emancipation Day (Puerto Rico) **World Water Day *March 23 **Day of the Sea (Bolivia) **Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Day (Azerbaijan) **List of food days#March, National Chips and Dip Day (United States) **Pakistan Day (Pakistan) **Promised Messiah Day (Ahmadiyya) **World Meteorological Day *March 24 **Public holidays in the United States#Northern Mariana Islands, Commonwealth Covenant Day (Northern Mariana Islands, United States) **Day of Remembrance for Truth and Justice (Argentina) **Day of National Revolution (Kyrgyzstan) **Óscar Romero, International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims (United Nations) **National Tree Planting Day (Uganda) **Scientology holidays, Student Day (Scientology) **World Tuberculosis Day *March 25 **Anniversary of the Arengo and the Feast of the Militants (San Marino) **Cultural Workers Day (Russia) **Empress Menen's Birthday (Rastafari) **EU Talent Day (European Union) **Feast of the Annunciation (Christianity), and its related observances: ***Lady Day (United Kingdom) (see Quarter Days) ***International Day of the Unborn Child (international) ***Mother's Day (Slovenia) ***Waffle Day (Sweden) **Freedom Day (Belarus) **International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade **International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members (United Nations General Assembly) **Maryland Day (Maryland, United States) **Revolution Day (Greece) **Struggle for Human Rights Day (Slovakia) **Tolkien Reading Day (Tolkien fandom) *March 26 **Independence Day (Bangladesh) **Thomas Roy, Make Up Your Own Holiday Day **Public holidays in Mali, Martyr's Day or Day of Democracy (Mali) **Prince Kūhiō Day (Hawaii, United States) **Purple Day (Canada and United States) *March 27 **Armed Forces Day#Myanmar, Armed Forces Day (Myanmar) **International whisk(e)y day **Thomas Roy, Quirky Country Music Song Titles Day **World Theatre Day (International observance, International) *March 28 **Sen no Rikyū, Commemoration of Sen no Rikyū (Schools of Japanese tea ceremony) **Serfs Emancipation Day (Tibet Autonomous Region, Tibet) **Teachers' Day (Czech Republic and Slovakia) *March 29 **Boganda Day (Central African Republic) **Commemoration of the 1947 Rebellion (Madagascar) **Day of the Young Combatant (Chile) **Youth Day#Taiwan, Youth Day (Taiwan) *March 30 **Land Day (Palestine (region), Palestine) **National Doctors' Day (United States) **Spiritual Baptist/Shouter Liberation Day (Trinidad and Tobago) **List of food days#Global or International, World Idli Day *March 31 **César Chávez Day (United States) **Public holidays in the Federated States of Micronesia, Culture Day (Public holidays in the Federated States of Micronesia) **Public holidays in Azerbaijan#Other observances, Day of Genocide of Azerbaijanis (Azerbaijan) **Freedom Day (Malta) **International Transgender Day of Visibility **Public holidays in Thailand#National observances, King Nangklao Memorial Day (Thailand) **List of awareness days#March, National Backup Day (United States) **List of food days#March, National Clams on the Half Shell Day (United States) **Thomas Mundy Peterson, Thomas Mundy Peterson Day (New Jersey, United States) **Transfer Day (United States Virgin Islands, US Virgin Islands)

References

External links

Answers article on the seasons
{{Authority control March, Months, *03