ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Coptic calendar

Imagine you have a big chart that helps you keep track of the days in the year. You use it to know when your birthday is going to happen, when it's time for school to start or your favorite holiday to come around. This chart is called a calendar.

Now, the Coptic Calendar is like a special chart that is used by people who live in Egypt and also by Christians who belong to the Coptic Orthodox Church. It helps them keep track of the holy days and events that are important to their religion.

The Coptic Calendar is different from the calendar most of us are used to, which is called the Gregorian calendar. The main difference is that the Coptic calendar has different names for the months and is made up of 13 months instead of 12.

The first month of the Coptic calendar is called Thout, and it usually starts around the end of August or early September. The 13th month is called Nasi, and it has 5 days that are considered sacred.

The Coptic calendar also has special days and periods that are important to the Coptic Orthodox Church. For example, the period of Lent, which is the time leading up to Easter, is longer in the Coptic Calendar than in the Gregorian calendar. This means that Coptic Christians fast for a longer period of time during this period.

So, in short, the Coptic Calendar is like a special chart that helps people in Egypt and the Coptic Orthodox Church keep track of the important events and holy days in their religion. It is different from the calendar most of us are used to, with different month names and 13 months instead of 12.
Related topics others have asked about: