Samdech Sangha Reach Chuon Nath

I. Biography

Samdech Sangha Reach Chuon Nath (Born: March 11, 1883 – Die: September 25, 1969) was a Cambodian monk of Gana Mahanikaya Supreme Patriarch of Cambodia. Among his accomplishments is his work to preserve the Khmer language in the form of the Khmer dictionary. His contributions to the country included the conservation of Khmer identity and history in the form of the national hymn, "Nokor Reach," and "Pongsavotar Khmer." His ashes were placed at Phnom Penh's Wat Ounalom. Samdech Sangha Reach Jhotano Chuon Nath is his full honorific title.

According to Haris I. (2015), Samdech Sangha Reach Chuon Nath was born in Kong Pisei, Kampong Speu Province. He was brought to the temple to learn when he was 12 years old, as was customary for Khmer boys at the time. He entered the monastery as a novice monk in 1897 and was fully ordained in 1904 at the age of 21.He took the Pali exam for monks in 1913 and received the best mark among those who took the examination that year. He passed the second exam two years later and was hired as a lecturer at Phnom Penh's Senior Pali High School (now Preah Soramrith Buddhist High School). Louis Finot invited him and another monk, Huot Tat, to study Sanskrit at the École française d'Extrême-Orient in Hanoi, French Indochina, in 1922. 

II. Acheivement 

Cambodia National Anthem, Norkor Reach - Listen

National Hymn, Pongsavotar Khmer - Listen

Cambodian Dictionary - Download

 

History of Month of the Year

 

The Roman calendar was originally a lunar calendar, with 10 months and 304 days. The year began in March and ended in December. The months were named Martius (March), Aprilis (April), Maius (May), Junius (June), Quintilis (July), Sextilis (August), September (September), October (October), November (November), and December (December).

In 713 BC, the second king of Rome, Numa Pompilius, reformed the calendar. He added two new months, January and February, to the beginning of the year. He also changed the length of some of the months. Martius, Maius, Quintilis, Sextilis, and October were each given 31 days, while Aprilis, Junius, September, November, and December were each given 30 days. February was given 28 days, but every other year it was given 29 days. This system of adding an extra day to February every other year is called a leap year.

In 46 BC, Julius Caesar reformed the Roman calendar again. He made the year 365 days long, with a leap day added every four years. He also renamed Quintilis to July and Sextilis to August. July was named after Julius Caesar, and August was named after Augustus Caesar.

In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII reformed the Julian calendar. He made the year 365.2425 days long, with a leap day added every four years, except for years that are divisible by 100 but not by 400. He also added the month of February to the end of the year. This system of leap years is called the Gregorian calendar, and it is the calendar that is used in most countries today.

There have been other times in history when new months have been added to the calendar. For example, the French Revolutionary Calendar had 12 months, each with 30 days. There were also five feast days, which were not part of any month. The French Revolutionary Calendar was used from 1793 to 1806.

In conclusion, there have been a few times in history when new months have been added to the calendar. These changes have been made to keep the calendar in line with the solar year and to honor important people and events.