BY STEVE NUBIE It’s all about practical jokes and pranks but also a bit of history. There are numerous theories about the origin of April Fool’s Day. The most common occurrence is related to Pope Gregory the XIII who in 1582 changed the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar. This moved the new year from April 1st to January 1st. Many Catholics immediately accepted this change and Protestants eventually did as well. Those who did not were referred to as “April Fools.” It could also be related to the Roman holiday of “Hilaria” which was celebrated about this time. It’s easy enough to make the connection to the word “hilarious” and it may have brought some sense of humor and hilarity to the time.
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