According to the Georgian calendar, which is used over most of the world today, June is the sixth month.

On the Roman calendar, it was considered the fourth month and only had 29 days. Julius Ceasar gave the month 30 days in 46BC, when he reformed the Roman calendar.

Spring ends and summer begins on 21 June in the northern hemisphere where the weather turns warm; in the southern hemisphere, winter begins in June, and it brings cold, rainy weather to this part of the world.

Bees move from flower to flower, gathering nectar. Baby birds of some species have hatched in some regions and their parents are kept busy bringing them food.

From early Roman times, June was believed to be the best time for marriages. It is still a popular month for weddings.

June symbols

The gems for June are the pearl, alexandrite and moonstone. The rose is the flower for the month of June.

Father’s Day

Father’s Day is celebrated during this month. It is a day when many people of many countries express gratitude and appreciation for their fathers by giving them gifts or greeting cards. In most countries, Father’s Day falls on the third Sunday in June.

Important dates

• Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, born 10 June 1921.

• George Bush, 41st President of the United States, born in Milton, Massachusetts, 12 June 1924.

• Continental Congress adopted the Flag of the United States, 14 June 1777.

• Ford Motor Company founded 16 June 1903.

• Charles Goodyear was granted a patent for rubber vulcanisation, 15 June 1844.

• Kentucky became the 15th state, 1 June 1792.

• Tennessee became the 16th state, 1 June 1796.

Special days in Malta and abroad

• Sweden celebrates Flag Day, its national holiday, on 6 June.

• Sette Giugno – 7 June is a national holiday in Malta in remembrance of the incidents of 7 June 1919. This day is a remarkable day in the history of Malta.

• The Philippines’ Independence Day is on 12 June.

• The United States celebrates Flag Day on 14 June, commemorating the day in 1777 when the Continental Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes as the flag of the United States. It then had only 13 stars, to match its 13 stripes. It was first observed to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the selection of the flag. President Harry S. Truman officially recognised 14 June as Flag Day by signing the National Flag Day Bill.

• Finland’s flag day is the Saturday closest to 24 June.

• Feast of St Peter and St Paul in Malta celebrated on 29 June. Known in Maltese as Mnarja, it is a traditional folkloristic event. The word Mnarja is derived from Luminarja (illumination), when Mdina, Malta’s medieval capital, was illuminated by bonfires for the occasion.