The Thelemic Calendar

The Thelemic calendar counts years from 1904 EV (the year Liber AL was received). Each Thelemic year starts on the northern-hemisphere Vernal Equinox, coinciding with the Thelemic holiday called the Feast for the Equinox of the Gods. This is often observed on March 20th of the common calendar but truly occurs at the exact time of the Equinox.

Rather than simply giving the year count from 1904, the Thelemic calendar uses a two-tiered system. The "upper" level gives a count of twenty-two year periods since 1904; the "lower" level gives the years since the start of the current twenty-two year period. Both are zero-based, with nonzero numbers being represented as upper and lower case Roman numerals, respectively. So, for example, the civil year 1996 is (after March 20) Thelemic year IV_iv, because 1904 + (4 x 22) + 4 equals 1996.

Some Thelemites assign the twenty-two years of each cycle to the twenty-two Trumps of the Tarot. The 22-year period numbers themselves are also assigned in this way. Hence, 1996 is doubly linked to Trump IV of the Tarot, the Emperor.

Within each year, dates and times are often expressed by the positions of the Sun and Moon in the Tropical zodiac. For example, May 12, 1996 EV at 6pm PST would be expressed as "IV_iv, Sol 22° Taurus, Luna 29° Pisces." The astrological terms can be replaced with the appropriate symbols if desired. This information specifies the date and time to within about two hours.

The Thelemic Time Server reports that the current Thelemic time is: (See the Library page for a desktop application that performs similar functions.)

When giving dates in the civil calendar, Thelemites will often append "e.v." This is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase "era vulgaris," or "common era."

Thelemic Observed Holy Days

The official holy days of Thelema are set forth in The Book of the Law, Ch. II, v. 36-41. The specific dates attributed to them are given in Crowley's commentaries, and are summarized below:

• The Rituals of the Elements and Feasts of the Times are observed at the Equinoxes and Solstices.
• The Feast for the First Night of the Prophet and His Bride is observed on August 12.
• The Feast for the Three Days of the Writing of the Book of the Law is observed on April 8, 9 and 10, beginning at noon on each day.
• The Feast for the Supreme Ritual (the Invocation of Horus) is observed on March 20, and represents the opening of the Thelemic new year.
• The Feast for the Equinox of the Gods is held on the Vernal Equinox of each year to commemorate the founding of Thelema in 1904.

Three points of passage in the life of each Thelemite are observed. Birth is celebrated in a Feast for Life; puberty is celebrated in a Feast for Fire (for a boy), or a Feast for Water (for a girl); and the death of the individual is commemorated in a Greater Feast for Death.

Various anniversaries commemorating major events and figures in the history of Thelema and O.T.O. are also celebrated informally by some Thelemic groups.