Coptic Calendar

The coptic calendar is based on the ancient Egyptian calendar and is used by the Coptic Orthodox Church for its liturgical readings and determination and commemoration of dates for fasts and feasts. The calendar has 13 months, 12 months of 30 days each and and one month of  5-6 days, depending on whether the year is a leap year or not. The coptic year starts on 11th 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. image

Coptic Feasts and Fasts

Everyday, we celebrate our salvation and the life of victory in Christ our Good Savior. Every Sunday, the Church celebrates Christ’s birth, suffering, death, and Resurrection. The Church has 14 Feasts for the Lord, 7 major ones and 7 minor ones. On average the Church commemorates 3 martyrs every day of the year.  

The Seven Major Feasts of the Lord:

  1. Annunciation (Barmahat 29)
  2. Nativity / Christmas (Koiak 29/ January 7)
  3. Epiphany (The Revelation of the Divinity of the Lord) (Tobi 11/January 19)
  4. Palm Sunday (Floats)
  5. Resurrection (Easter – Floats)
  6. Ascension (40 days after resurrection)
  7. Pentecost (50 days after Resurrection)

The Seven Minor Feasts of the Lord:

  1. Circumcision (Tobi 6/January 14)
  2. Entering the Temple (Meshir 8)
  3. Visit to Egypt (Pashons 24)
  4. The Wedding at Canna of Galilee (Tobi 13)
  5. Transfiguration (Mesori 13)
  6. Maundy / Covenant Thursday (Floats)
  7. Thomas Sunday (First Sunday after Easter Sunday)

The Feasts of the Cross:

  1. The Discovery of the Cross (Thout 17,18,19)
  2. The Appearance of the Cross (Baramahat 10)

Other prominent Feasts include:

  1. The Virgin Mary’s Entrance to the temple (dedication) (Koiak 3)
  2. The departure / dormition of the Virgin Mary (Tobi 21)
  3. The Ascension of the Virgin Mary’s body (Mesori 16)
  4. Archangel Michael (Hathor 12) 
  5. Archangel Gabriel (Koiak 22)
  6. Archangel Rafael (Nessi 3)
  7. The Four Incorporeal Beasts (Hathor 8)
  8. The 24 Priests (Hathor 24)
  9. The Martyrdom of John the Baptist (Thout 2)
  10. Apostles / Peter and Paul (Epip 5, July 12)
  11. Nayrouz / the Coptic New Year (Thout 1st, September 11th/12th)
  12. St. Mark (Baremoude 30) 

The Church commemorates the Annunciation, Nativity and Resurrection of our Lord on the 29th day; the Virgin Mary on the 21st day; and the Archangel Michael on the 12th day of each coptic month.

These are the dates for the Feasts and Fasts of the Coptic Orthodox Church that change every year. 

 Year 

 Jonah’s Fast

 Start of Lent

Resurrection

Ascension 

Pentecost  

Start of Apostles’ Fast 

 2022/
1738
 13-15 Feb  28 Feb  24 April  2 June  12 June  13 June
 7-9 Meshir  21 Meshir  16 Baremoude  25 Pashons  5 Paoni  6 Paoni
 2023/
1739
 6-8 Feb  20 Feb  16 April  25 May  4 June  5 June
 29 Tobi – 1 Meshir  13 Meshir  8 Baremoude  17 Pashons  27 Pashons  28 Pashons
 2024/
1740
 26-28 Feb  11 Mar  5 May  13 June  23 June  24 June
 18-20 Meshir  2 Baremhat  27 Baremoude  96 Paoni  16 Paoni  17 Paoni
 2025/
1741
 10-12 Feb  24 Feb  19 April  28 May  7 June  8 June
 2-4 Meshir  16 Meshir  11 Baremoude  20 Pashons  30 Pashons  1 Paoni
 2026/
1742
 2-4 Feb  16 Feb  12 April  21 May  31 May  1 June
 25-27 Tobe  8 Meshir  4 Baremoude  13 Pashons  23 Pashons  24 Pashons
 2027/
1743
 22-24 Feb  8 March  2 May  10 June  20 June  21 June
 15 Meshir  29 Meshir  24 Baremoude  3 Paoni  13 Paoni  14 Paoni

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