Coptic Calendar 1.0.35

The Coptic calendar, also known as the Alexandrian calendar, is utilized by the Orthodox Church in Egypt and has its origins in the modifications made to the ancient Egyptian calendar during the Ptolemaic period. This calendar underwent significant changes in 238 BC under Ptolemy III, who aimed to reform the Egyptian calendar by extending the year. However, resistance from Egyptian priests ultimately led to the abandonment of his project. It was not until 25 BC, when Emperor Augustus implemented a complete overhaul of the Egyptian system to align it with the Julian calendar—an ancestor of the modern Gregorian calendar—that the Coptic calendar as we know it today began to take shape, differentiating itself clearly from its Pharaonic predecessor.

Interestingly, remnants of the ancient Egyptian calendar persisted among astronomers well into the Middle Ages. This lingering influence contributed to the development of the Ethiopian calendar, which mirrored certain aspects of its Egyptian counterpart, particularly concerning the structure of months.

The conceptualization of the Coptic calendar traced back to 4241 BC, during the forty-third century BC. Ancient Egyptians meticulously observed astronomical phenomena related to agricultural cycles, such as the heliacal rising of specific stars and seasonal flooding of the Nile. By marking these events and measuring intervals between them, they established a year comprising 365 days—divided into three seasons: flood, seed, and harvest. Each of the twelve months contained thirty days, supplemented by an additional five and a quarter days designated as a 'small month' in leap years. The agricultural society rightfully held this solar calendar in high esteem due to its alignment with farming activities and continues to adhere to it today.

The inaugural month of this calendar is Tut, named after the ancient astronomer credited with developing it and introducing writing. Tut was born in Mantoot, a village still recognized today within Upper Egypt's Abu Qurqas Center in Minya Governorate.

Renowned Egyptologist James Henry Breasted posited that this significant calendrical system was introduced to Rome by Julius Caesar, where it gained recognition as a superior method for timekeeping. Dr. Isaac Obeid echoes this in his work "The Wisdom of the Egyptians," acknowledging this calendar as humanity's first scientific solar calendar, serving as a foundation from which subsequent systems—like the Gregorian—were derived.

The term 'Coptic' underscores its connection with solar cycles essential for agricultural scheduling, distinct from lunar calendars like those employed by Hebrew societies that traditionally focused on pastoralism rather than agriculture. This aspect is often overlooked in contemporary discourse within Egypt that promotes an Arab-centric identity while neglecting its rich historical roots.