Fools' Day

Popularly beloved holidayPopularly beloved holidays have one thing in common – no one knows exactly when they arose and for what reason. Fools' Day is no exception. Some believe that the origin of this day is already in the Bible. In one of these versions, the Day is timed to coincide with the mistake of Noah, when he released a dove on the Ark before the water that flooded the earth slept (since then it is believed that sending pigeons anywhere is useless).

Another version relates its origin to the time when Jesus was sent by Pilate to Herod and back. The phrase “send from Pilate to Herod” (an old turn, meaning to give someone a meaningless commission) was often used as proof of this theory.

But according to one of the most “scientific” versions, Fools’ Day originated from the ancient holiday of the spring equinox (a kind of Halloween in reverse). During the change of seasons, all laws, both natural and social, seemed to lose their force for a time. During this period, normal, judicious behavior was replaced by its complete opposite: the people noisily feasted and allowed themselves all sorts of jokes on superiors, for which at other times they could easily lose their lives. Fool’s Day was a national holiday, and nobility rarely took part in it.