2025 Metu Calendar: A Comprehensive Guide to the Ethiopian Calendar
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2025 Metu Calendar: A Comprehensive Guide to the Ethiopian Calendar
Introduction
The Ethiopian calendar, also known as the Metu calendar, is a unique and ancient timekeeping system that has been used in Ethiopia and Eritrea for centuries. It is a solar calendar, meaning that it is based on the Earth’s orbit around the sun. However, it also incorporates lunar elements, which makes it a lunisolar calendar.
The Metu calendar is composed of 12 months, each of which has 30 days. There is also a 13th month, called Pagume, which has 5 or 6 days. The year begins on September 11th in the Gregorian calendar, and ends on September 10th of the following year.
History of the Metu Calendar
The Metu calendar is thought to have originated in the 4th century AD, during the reign of Emperor Ezana. It is believed that Ezana adopted the calendar from the Coptic Christians of Egypt, who had developed it from the ancient Egyptian calendar.
The Metu calendar has undergone several revisions over the centuries. In the 6th century AD, Emperor Justin I added a 13th month to the calendar. This month, called Pagume, was added to account for the fact that the Metu calendar is shorter than the Gregorian calendar by about 11 minutes.
Structure of the Metu Calendar
The Metu calendar is divided into 12 months, each of which has 30 days. The months are named after the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ.
Month | Name | Meaning |
---|---|---|
1 | Mäskäräm | September |
2 | Tekemt | October |
3 | Hedar | November |
4 | Tahsas | December |
5 | Ter | January |
6 | Yekatit | February |
7 | Megabit | March |
8 | Miazia | April |
9 | Genbot | May |
10 | Sene | June |
11 | Hamle | July |
12 | Nehasie | August |
The 13th month, Pagume, is added to the calendar every four years. This month has 5 days in common years and 6 days in leap years.
Years in the Metu Calendar
The Metu calendar is based on a 4-year cycle. Each year in the cycle is named after one of the four evangelists: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Year | Name | Evangelist |
---|---|---|
1 | Matthew | Matthew |
2 | Mark | Mark |
3 | Luke | Luke |
4 | John | John |
The year 1 of the Metu cycle began on September 11, 8 AD, in the Gregorian calendar. The current year, 2023, is year 9 of the 86th Metu cycle.
Holidays in the Metu Calendar
The Metu calendar includes a number of important holidays, both religious and secular. Some of the most important holidays include:
- Enkutatash (Ethiopian New Year) – September 11th
- Christmas – January 7th
- Epiphany – January 19th
- Easter – Varies
- Meskel – September 27th
The Metu Calendar in Modern Ethiopia
The Metu calendar is still widely used in Ethiopia and Eritrea today. It is used for both religious and secular purposes. The Ethiopian government uses the Metu calendar for official purposes, such as setting the dates for elections and holidays.
The Metu calendar is also used by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The church uses the calendar to determine the dates of religious festivals and holidays.
Conclusion
The Metu calendar is a unique and ancient timekeeping system that has been used in Ethiopia and Eritrea for centuries. It is a lunisolar calendar that is based on the Earth’s orbit around the sun and the phases of the moon. The Metu calendar is still widely used in Ethiopia and Eritrea today, both for religious and secular purposes.
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