Coptic calendar
Egyptian liturgical calendar
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Through Gregorian calendar, Roman Empire and Epoch
Origin
This calendar is based on the ancient Egyptian calendar. That calendar contained only 365 days each and every year, so that the date relative to the seasons shifted about one day every four years. To avoid this drift with respect to the seasons, a reform of the ancient Egyptian calendar was introduced at the time of Ptolemy III (Decree of Canopus, in 238 BC), which added an extra day to the calendar every fourth year. However, this reform was opposed by the Egyptian priests, and the reform was not adopted until the Roman Emperor Augustus decreed that Egypt must adopt the system as its official calendar.
The epoch (first day of first year) of the Coptic calendar equates to 29 August 284 AD, the year Diocletian became Roman Emperor. His reign was marked by tortures and mass executions of Christians, especially in Egypt. It is for this reason that the Coptic year numbering is identified by the abbreviation A.M. (for Anno Martyrum or "in the Year of the Martyrs").
To distinguish it from the Ancient Egyptian calendar, which remained in use by some astronomers until medieval times, this reformed calendar is known as the Coptic or Alexandrian calendar. The neighbouring Ethiopian calendar is very similar to the Coptic calendar, except that it has a different epoch (29 August, 8 AD) and different names for the days of the week and months of the year.
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Coptic year
The Coptic year is the extension of the ancient Egyptian civil year, retaining its subdivision into the three seasons, four months each. The three seasons are commemorated by special prayers in the Coptic Liturgy. This calendar is still in use all over Egypt by farmers to keep track of the various agricultural seasons.
The Coptic calendar has 13 months, 12 of 30 days each and a short intercalary month at the end of the year consisting of five days (six days in leap years). The Coptic Leap Year follows the same rules as the Julian Calendar so that the extra month always has six days in the year before a Julian Leap Year.
The year starts on the Feast of Neyrouz, the first day of the month of Thout, the first month of the Egyptian year. For 1900 to 2099 it coincides with the Gregorian Calendar's 11 September, or 12 September before a leap year. For any year, it coincides with the Julian Calendar's 29 August, or 30 August before a leap year. To obtain the Coptic year number, subtract from the Julian year number either 283 (before the Julian new year) or 284 (after it).
Easter
The date of Easter is determined the same way as is done by the Orthodox churches.
Christmas
In Coptic Christendom, the feast of Christmas is observed on 29 Koiak of the Coptic calendar (25 December (Julian), 7 January Gregorian.)
Months
Using the ancient Egyptian calendar months, the following table refers to dates for Coptic years not containing 29 February. Such years are preceded by a Coptic leap day at the end of the preceding year. This causes dates to move one day later in the Julian and Gregorian Calendars from the Coptic New Year's Day until the leap day of the Julian or Gregorian Calendar respectively.