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Comparing calendars
Coptic vs Ethiopian
The Coptic and Ethiopian calendars are very nearly the same calendar — both descend from ancient Egypt, both keep twelve thirty-day months and a little thirteenth — differing mainly in the era they count from.
| Attribute | Coptic | Ethiopian |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Solar (Alexandrian) | Solar (Alexandrian) |
| Origin | Egyptian Christian tradition, from the ancient Egyptian calendar | Ethiopian (Geʼez) tradition, from the ancient Egyptian calendar |
| Year | 13 months — twelve of 30 days and one of 5 or 6 | 13 months — twelve of 30 days and one of 5 or 6 |
| Months | 13 (twelve of 30 days, plus a short month) | 13 (twelve of 30 days, plus Pagumē) |
| Week | 7 days | 7 days |
| Leap rule | One leap day every 4 years (Julian-style) | One leap day every 4 years, with no century exception |
| Counts years from | The Era of the Martyrs, 284 CE (AM) | The Ethiopian era of the Incarnation — 7 to 8 years behind |
| Where it’s used | The Coptic Orthodox church in Egypt | Ethiopia and Eritrea; the Ethiopian Orthodox church |
See this moment on each: Coptic calendar · Ethiopian calendar. Or convert a specific date into both.