An April Fool's Tale?
April Fool's Day
During the 16th century, the calendar had become so inaccurate that Pope Gregory VIII decided to order a recalculation of the correct dates. As part of this reform, he decreed that the celebration of the new year would no longer begin on April 1, as had been the custom, but instead should be celebrated on January 1.
Most of Europe adopted the change, as it corrected significant errors in the planting season, shipping, commerce, and religious dates. However, due to ongoing tensions between Catholics and Protestants, many Protestants rejected the new calendar ordered by the Catholic Pope and continued to observe the new year on April 1. These people became known as "April fools."
As a result, many Europeans began sending out invitations to fake New Year's Eve parties and engaging in other forms of trickery and foolery aimed at the Protestants. This marked the beginning of the custom of April Fools' pranks, a tradition that continues to this day, along with the widespread use of the Gregorian calendar.
