COPTIC CALENDAR                                                                                       

Quick Facts:

The Coptic calendar has 13 months, 12 of 30 days each and an intercalary month at the end of the year of 5 or 6 days depending whether the year is a leap year or not. The year starts on 11 September in the Gregorian Calendar or on the 12th in the year before (Gregorian) Leap Years. The Coptic Leap Year follows the same rules as the Gregorian so that the extra month always has 6 days in the year before a Gregorian Leap Year. The names of the months and their starting dates are as follows:

 Coptic Month Name Arabic Pronunciation Start Date Start Date Leap Year
 Tout

توت

 11 September             12 September
 Baba

بابه

 11 October 12 October
 Hator

هاتور

 10 November 11 November
 Kiahk

 كيهك

 10 December 11 December
 Toba

 طوبه

 9 January 10 January
 Amshir

أمشير

 8 February 9 February
 Baramhat

برمهات

 10 March

 --

 Baramouda

برموده

 9 April

 --

 Bashans

بشنس

 9 May

 --

 Paona

بوؤنه

 8 June

 --

 Epep

أبيب

 8 July

 --

 Mesra

مسرى

 7 August

 --

 Nasie

الشهر الصغير

 6 September

 --


Feasts of 2008:

7 Major Feasts

Christmas            January 7

Epiphany            January 20

Annunciation      April 7

Palm Sunday       April 20

Easter                 April 27

Ascension           June 5

Pentecost           June 15

7 Minor Feasts

Circumcision of our Lord        January 15

Entrance into the Temple      February 16

Holy Thursday                         April 24

Entrance into Egypt               June 1

Transfiguration                     August 19

Other Special Events

Fast of Ninevah                  February 18

Great Lent                           March 3

Good Friday                        April 25

Apostle's Feast                  July 12

St Mary's Fast                    August 6

St Mary's Feast                  August 22

Christmas Fast                  November 26