In Ethiopia, time truly feels like it stands still in a fascinating way. This beautiful East African country follows its own unique calendar, which has 13 months in a year.
While most of the world uses the Gregorian calendar, Ethiopia sticks to the Ethiopian calendar, an ancient system that sets the country about seven to eight years behind the rest of the world. That’s right – if it’s 2024 globally, it’s only 2016 in Ethiopia! This difference surprises visitors, adding to the country’s mystery.
Why does Ethiopia have 13 months?
Ethiopia’s calendar comes from the Coptic calendar, which is based on ancient Egyptian timekeeping. Unlike the Gregorian calendar, which has 12 months of varying lengths, the Ethiopian calendar has 12 months with 30 days each and a 13th month called Pagumē, which has only five or six days, depending on whether it’s a leap year.
The Ethiopian Orthodox Church plays a big role in maintaining this calendar, as it aligns closely with religious celebrations. This way of counting months has been in use for centuries and remains a proud part of Ethiopian heritage.
Why is Ethiopia “seven years behind”?
The Ethiopian calendar calculates the birth of Jesus Christ differently from the Gregorian calendar, leading to the seven or eight-year difference. While the rest of the world follows the Gregorian timeline introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582, Ethiopia never adopted it, holding onto its own system instead.
This means Ethiopians celebrate New Year’s Day, or Enkutatash, on September 11 (or September 12 in leap years) according to the Gregorian calendar. It’s a celebration filled with flowers, music, and traditional food.
How does this affect daily life?
For Ethiopians, their calendar is just a part of everyday life. Schools, businesses, and government offices operate using it. However, when dealing with the outside world, like international trade or travel, Ethiopians need to switch between the Ethiopian and Gregorian calendars, which can sometimes get a bit confusing.
Tourists visiting Ethiopia may find it intriguing to celebrate two New Year’s Days – their own and Ethiopia’s.
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