Ethiopian calendar

The Ethiopian calendar or Ethiopic calendar is the principal calendar used in Ethiopia. It is based on the old Alexandrian calendar, which is the even older Egyptian calendar, but like the Julian calendar adds a leap day added every four years without exception, and begins the year on 29 or 30 August in the Julian calendar.

Related Topics:
Ethiopia - Alexandrian calendar - Egyptian calendar - Julian calendar - 30 August

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Like the Alexandrian and Coptic calendars, the Ethiopian calendar has twelve months of 30 days each plus five or six epagomenal days (usually called a thirteenth month), but with Amharic names. The sixth epagomenal day is added every four years on 29 August in the Julian calendar, six months before the Julian leap day. Thus the first day of the Ethiopian year, 1 Maskaram, is usually 29 August (Julian), but is 30 August (Julian) six months before the Julian leap day. For Gregorian years between 1901 and 2099 inclusive, the equivalent Gregorian dates are 11 September and 12 September.

Related Topics:
Coptic calendar - Epagomenal - Amharic - 29 August - 30 August - 11 September - 12 September

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Enkutatash, the Ethiopian new year, occurs on 11 September in the Gregorian calendar, except during leap years. 1998 on the Ethiopian calendar began on 11 September, 2005.

Related Topics:
Enkutatash - New year - 11 September - Gregorian calendar - 2005

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To indicate the year, the Ethiopians primarily uses the Incarnation Era, which dates the Incarnation of Jesus to 25 March, AD 9 (Julian) (chosen by Annianus of Alexandria at the beginning of the fifth century), thus its first civil year began seven months earlier on 29 August, 8 (Julian). This causes the Ethiopian year number to be eight years less than the Gregorian year number from 1 January until 10 or 11 September, then seven years less for the remainder of the Gregorian year.

Related Topics:
Incarnation - Jesus - 25 March - 9 - Annianus of Alexandria - Fifth century - 29 August - 8 - 1 January - 11 September

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In the past a number of other eras have been used. One is the Alexandrian Era (Anno Mundi = in the year of the world), which fixed the date of creation in late 5493 BC. Another was the Era of Martyrs, whose first year began in late AD 284. Two other known methods for indicating the date, which are not fixed to an Era, are: Year of Grace, which is based on the 532-year medieval Easter cycle, whose first year began in lats AD 360; and a four-year repeating series of years named after the Evangelists in the order Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.1

Related Topics:
Era - Anno Mundi - Date of creation - 5493 BC - Era of Martyrs - 284 - Easter - 360 - Matthew - Mark - Luke - John - 1

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