Coptic calendar
The Coptic Calendar , also called the Alexandrian Calendar , is a calendar used by the Coptic Orthodox Church . It is based on the ancient Egyptian calendar . As with the Julian calendar , every fourth year is a leap year . The beginning of the year is August 29th or 30th of the Julian calendar; currently (up to the year 2099 AD) this is September 11 or 12 according to the Gregorian calendar . The year of the Coptic calendar consists of twelve months of 30 days each and an additional five (six in leap years) insertion days at the end of the year, the so-called epagomens . The yearly counting begins with the year 284 AD.
Origins
The Coptic calendar goes back to the ancient Egyptian calendar . It is one of the oldest (after reforms) still in use calendar systems in the world.
Year counting
The year counting of the Coptic calendar follows the era of Diocletian , also Diocletian era or Diocletian calendar . Its epoch is August 29, 284 AD in the year of the accession to the throne of the Roman Emperor Diocletian , which took place on November 20, 284. The 12th September 2015 corresponds to the 1st tout 1732 A.M. (Anno Martyrum = in the year of the martyrs). The last persecution of Christians took place under Diocletian . After the emperor's voluntary abdication, the count was continued in the empire, but after the introduction of Christianity as the state religion, it was no longer named after him, but after his sacrifices as an era of martyrs . It was incorporated into the Coptic calendar in the fifth through seventh centuries AD . Christian- Nubian monuments and documents are also dated according to this era.
Beginning of the year
The Coptic year begins with the festival of Nairuz ( Arabic عيد النيروز, DMG ʿīd an-nairūz ), the first day of the month Thout . The date corresponds to September 11th in the Gregorian calendar or, if the following Gregorian year is a leap year (e.g. 2015 ), September 12th.
Leap days
Every fourth year of the Coptic calendar is a leap year , the first leap year was the year 3 A.M. (286/287 AD). As in the Julian calendar , the additional rule in the Gregorian calendar does not apply to omit a leap year three times in 400 years. In the Julian calendar, the Coptic New Year always falls on August 29 or August 30 before a leap year.
The Coptic leap day currently always takes place 171 days before the Gregorian leap day (September 11, 2007 / February 29, 2008). Within this period, which recurs every four years, the beginning of the month in Coptic is shifted by one day in relation to the Gregorian calendar.
The year is our calendar |
Remainder of the division year (our chronology) |
Beginning of the year | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Remainder 0 | Remainder 1 | Remainder 2 | Remainder 3 | Coptic Years 1. Thout |
Ethiopian years 1. Mäskäräm |
|
Julian | 29 Aug | 29 Aug | 29 Aug | 30 Aug | 1-1299 | 1-1575 |
1583-1699 | 8 Sep | 8 Sep | 8 Sep | Sep 9 | 1300-1416 | 1576-1692 |
1700-1799 | Sep 9 | Sep 9 | Sep 9 | Sep 10 | 1417-1516 | 1693-1792 |
1800-1899 | Sep 10 | Sep 10 | Sep 10 | Sep 11 | 1517-1616 | 1793-1892 |
1900-2099 | Sep 11 | Sep 11 | Sep 11 | Sep 12 | 1617-1816 | 1893-2092 |
2100-2199 | Sep 12 | Sep 12 | Sep 12 | 13 Sep | 1817-1916 | 2093-2192 |
2200-2299 | 13 Sep | 13 Sep | 13 Sep | Sep 14 | 1917-2016 | 2193-2292 |
Remainder 1 | Remainder 2 | Remainder 3 | Remainder 0 | Cop. + 283 = UZ | Eth. + 7 = UZ | |
Divisional remainder of the year (Coptic and Ethiopian calendars) |
For the Ethiopian calendar see below .
The Coptic Church is currently considering keeping the Coptic New Year's Day on the Gregorian September 11th or 12th in the future through an exceptional common year in 1815 AM (2098/99 AD), and later in accordance with Gregorian rules . (See web link.)
Month names
The Coptic month names and their beginning from 1900 to 2099 - the last column applies to the period from September before a (Gregorian) leap year to February of a leap year:
Modern pronunciation | Days | Beginning | Start before / in the leap year |
|
---|---|---|---|---|
Thout | Ⲑⲱⲟⲩⲧ | 30th | September 11 | 12th September |
Paopi | Ⲡⲁⲟⲡⲓ | 30th | October 11th | October 12th |
Hathor | Ϩ ⲁⲑⲱⲣ | 30th | November 10th | November 11th |
Koiak | Ⲕⲟⲓⲁⲕ | 30th | 10th of December | 11th December |
Tobi | Ⲧⲱⲃⲓ | 30th | January 9th | 10. January |
Meshir | Ⲙⲉ ϣ ⲓⲣ | 30th | February 8 | February 9 |
Paremhat | Ⲡⲁⲣⲉⲙ ϩ ⲁⲧ | 30th | March 10th | |
Paremoude | Ⲡⲁⲣⲙⲟⲩⲧⲉ | 30th | 9th April | |
Paschons | Ⲡⲁ ϣ ⲟⲛⲥ | 30th | May 9 | |
Paoni | Ⲡⲁⲱⲛⲓ | 30th | 8th June | |
Epip | Ⲉⲡⲓⲡ | 30th | 8th of July | |
Mesori | Ⲙⲉⲥⲱⲣⲓ | 30th | August 7th | |
Pi Kogi Enavot | Ⲡⲓⲕⲟⲩ ϫ ⲓ ⲛ̀ⲁ̀ⲃⲟⲧ | 5 or 6 | September 6th |
Related calendar
The only difference between the Ethiopian calendar and the Coptic calendar is that it is 276 years ahead of it. The first Tout 1724 AM (September 12, 2007) therefore corresponds to the first Mäskäräm 2000 ዓ.ም . This difference arises because the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church also counts the years from the birth of Christ. Unlike in the west, however, it sets this against the year 6 a . Z. on.
Calculation of the day of the week
Determination of the Sunday letter . Years marked with * are leap years.
The first digits of the year | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Coptic calendar | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4th | 5 | 6th | ||||
1st Thout 1 = 1st Mäskäräm 277 | 7th | 8th | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | ||||
= Friday, August 29th 284 | 14th | 15th | 16 | 17th | 18th | 19th | 20th | ||||
Ethiopian calendar | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4th | ||||||
1. Mäskäräm 1 | 5 | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9 | 10 | 11 | ||||
= Wednesday, August 29th 8 | 12 | 13 | 14th | 15th | 16 | 17th | 18th | ||||
19th | 20th | 21st | 22nd | 23 | 24 | 25th | |||||
Years | |||||||||||
00 | 28 | 56 | 84 | D. | E. | F. | G | A. | B. | C. | |
01 | 29 | 57 | 85 | C. | D. | E. | F. | G | A. | B. | |
02 | 30th | 58 | 86 | B. | C. | D. | E. | F. | G | A. | |
03 | 31 | 59 | 87 | A * | B * | C * | D * | E * | F * | G* | |
04 | 32 | 60 | 88 | F. | G | A. | B. | C. | D. | E. | |
05 | 33 | 61 | 89 | E. | F. | G | A. | B. | C. | D. | |
06 | 34 | 62 | 90 | D. | E. | F. | G | A. | B. | C. | |
07 | 35 | 63 | 91 | C * | D * | E * | F * | G* | A * | B * | |
08 | 36 | 64 | 92 | A. | B. | C. | D. | E. | F. | G | |
09 | 37 | 65 | 93 | G | A. | B. | C. | D. | E. | F. | |
10 | 38 | 66 | 94 | F. | G | A. | B. | C. | D. | E. | |
11 | 39 | 67 | 95 | E * | F * | G* | A * | B * | C * | D * | |
12 | 40 | 68 | 96 | C. | D. | E. | F. | G | A. | B. | |
13 | 41 | 69 | 97 | B. | C. | D. | E. | F. | G | A. | |
14th | 42 | 70 | 98 | A. | B. | C. | D. | E. | F. | G | |
15th | 43 | 71 | 99 | G* | A * | B * | C * | D * | E * | F * | |
16 | 44 | 72 | E. | F. | G | A. | B. | C. | D. | ||
17th | 45 | 73 | D. | E. | F. | G | A. | B. | C. | ||
18th | 46 | 74 | C. | D. | E. | F. | G | A. | B. | ||
19th | 47 | 75 | B * | C * | D * | E * | F * | G* | A * | ||
20th | 48 | 76 | G | A. | B. | C. | D. | E. | F. | ||
21st | 49 | 77 | F. | G | A. | B. | C. | D. | E. | ||
22nd | 50 | 78 | E. | F. | G | A. | B. | C. | D. | ||
23 | 51 | 79 | D * | E * | F * | G* | A * | B * | C * | ||
24 | 52 | 80 | B. | C. | D. | E. | F. | G | A. | ||
25th | 53 | 81 | A. | B. | C. | D. | E. | F. | G | ||
26th | 54 | 82 | G | A. | B. | C. | D. | E. | F. | ||
27 | 55 | 83 | F * | G* | A * | B * | C * | D * | E * |
Determination of the day of the week with the help of the Sunday letter
A. | B. | C. | D. | E. | F. | G | Thout Mäskäräm |
Paopi Ṭəqəmt |
Hathor Ḫədar |
Koiak Taḫśaś |
Tobi Ṭərr |
Meshir Yakatite |
Coptic Ethiopian |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
So | Sat | Fr. | do | Wed | Tuesday | Mon | 1 | 8th | 15th | 22nd | 29 | 6th | 13 | 20th | 27 | 4th | 11 | 18th | 25th | 2 | 9 | 16 | 23 | 30th | 7th | 14th | 21st | 28 | 5 | 12 | 19th | 26th | ||||||||||
Mon | So | Sat | Fr. | do | Wed | Tuesday | 2 | 9 | 16 | 23 | 30th | 7th | 14th | 21st | 28 | 5 | 12 | 19th | 26th | 3 | 10 | 17th | 24 | 1 | 8th | 15th | 22nd | 29 | 6th | 13 | 20th | 27 | ||||||||||
Tuesday | Mon | So | Sat | Fr. | do | Wed | 3 | 10 | 17th | 24 | 1 | 8th | 15th | 22nd | 29 | 6th | 13 | 20th | 27 | 4th | 11 | 18th | 25th | 2 | 9 | 16 | 23 | 30th | 7th | 14th | 21st | 28 | ||||||||||
Wed | Tuesday | Mon | So | Sat | Fr. | do | 4th | 11 | 18th | 25th | 2 | 9 | 16 | 23 | 30th | 7th | 14th | 21st | 28 | 5 | 12 | 19th | 26th | 3 | 10 | 17th | 24 | 1 | 8th | 15th | 22nd | 29 | ||||||||||
do | Wed | Tuesday | Mon | So | Sat | Fr. | 5 | 12 | 19th | 26th | 3 | 10 | 17th | 24 | 1 | 8th | 15th | 22nd | 29 | 6th | 13 | 20th | 27 | 4th | 11 | 18th | 25th | 2 | 9 | 16 | 23 | 30th | ||||||||||
Fr. | do | Wed | Tuesday | Mon | So | Sat | 6th | 13 | 20th | 27 | 4th | 11 | 18th | 25th | 2 | 9 | 16 | 23 | 30th | 7th | 14th | 21st | 28 | 5 | 12 | 19th | 26th | 3 | 10 | 17th | 24 | |||||||||||
Sat | Fr. | do | Wed | Tuesday | Mon | So | 7th | 14th | 21st | 28 | 5 | 12 | 19th | 26th | 3 | 10 | 17th | 24 | 1 | 8th | 15th | 22nd | 29 | 6th | 13 | 20th | 27 | 4th | 11 | 18th | 25th | |||||||||||
A. | B. | C. | D. | E. | F. | G | Paremhat Mägabit |
Paremoude Miyazya |
Paschon's Gənbot |
Paoni sane |
Abib Ḥamle |
Mesori sewing nose |
PKE Ṗagumen |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
So | Sat | Fr. | do | Wed | Tuesday | Mon | 3 | 10 | 17th | 24 | 1 | 8th | 15th | 22nd | 29 | 6th | 13 | 20th | 27 | 4th | 11 | 18th | 25th | 2 | 9 | 16 | 23 | 30th | 7th | 14th | 21st | 28 | 5 | |||||||||
Mon | So | Sat | Fr. | do | Wed | Tuesday | 4th | 11 | 18th | 25th | 2 | 9 | 16 | 23 | 30th | 7th | 14th | 21st | 28 | 5 | 12 | 19th | 26th | 3 | 10 | 17th | 24 | 1 | 8th | 15th | 22nd | 29 | 6 * | |||||||||
Tuesday | Mon | So | Sat | Fr. | do | Wed | 5 | 12 | 19th | 26th | 3 | 10 | 17th | 24 | 1 | 8th | 15th | 22nd | 29 | 6th | 13 | 20th | 27 | 4th | 11 | 18th | 25th | 2 | 9 | 16 | 23 | 30th | ||||||||||
Wed | Tuesday | Mon | So | Sat | Fr. | do | 6th | 13 | 20th | 27 | 4th | 11 | 18th | 25th | 2 | 9 | 16 | 23 | 30th | 7th | 14th | 21st | 28 | 5 | 12 | 19th | 26th | 3 | 10 | 17th | 24 | 1 | ||||||||||
do | Wed | Tuesday | Mon | So | Sat | Fr. | 7th | 14th | 21st | 28 | 5 | 12 | 19th | 26th | 3 | 10 | 17th | 24 | 1 | 8th | 15th | 22nd | 29 | 6th | 13 | 20th | 27 | 4th | 11 | 18th | 25th | 2 | ||||||||||
Fr. | do | Wed | Tuesday | Mon | So | Sat | 1 | 8th | 15th | 22nd | 29 | 6th | 13 | 20th | 27 | 4th | 11 | 18th | 25th | 2 | 9 | 16 | 23 | 30th | 7th | 14th | 21st | 28 | 5 | 12 | 19th | 26th | 3 | |||||||||
Sat | Fr. | do | Wed | Tuesday | Mon | So | 2 | 9 | 16 | 23 | 30th | 7th | 14th | 21st | 28 | 5 | 12 | 19th | 26th | 3 | 10 | 17th | 24 | 1 | 8th | 15th | 22nd | 29 | 6th | 13 | 20th | 27 | 4th |
See also
literature
- Wolfgang Kosack : The Coptic calendar of saints. German - Coptic - Arabic based on the best sources, revised and completely published with Index Sanctorum Coptic Saints, Index of Names in Coptic, Coptic Patriarchal List, Geographical List . Christoph Brunner, Berlin 2012, ISBN 978-3-9524018-4-2 .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ On calendars: Hans-Ulrich Keller: Das Himmeljahr 2005 . ISBN 3-440-09792-7 , p. 15