Coptic Calendar Converter — Egyptian Christian Calendar & Gregorian
Convert any Gregorian date to the Coptic calendar — the ancient Egyptian Christian calendar still used by the Coptic Orthodox Church today. The result shows the Coptic day, month name in English and Coptic script, and the year in Anno Martyrum (AM). Furthermore, the tool flags when the selected date is 1 Thout — Nayrouz, the Coptic New Year, celebrated by Coptic Christians in Egypt and worldwide.
How to use the Coptic Calendar Converter
The thirteen Coptic months
The Coptic calendar has twelve months of 30 days each plus a 13th short month called Pi Kogi Enavot ("the small month"). Furthermore, this 13th month has 5 days in normal years and 6 days in Coptic leap years. The calendar follows the Julian leap year rule — every 4th year is a Coptic leap year.
| Month | English | Coptic | Gregorian approx. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thout | ⲩⲫουτ | 29 Aug – 27 Sep |
| 2 | Paopi | ⲫαωπι | 28 Sep – 27 Oct |
| 3 | Hathor | ⲫαθορ | 28 Oct – 26 Nov |
| 9 | Pashons | ⲫαχονσ | 25 Apr – 24 May |
| 13 | Pi Kogi Enavot | The small month | 24 Aug – 28 Aug |
Nayrouz — the Coptic New Year
Nayrouz falls on 1 Thout — the first day of the Coptic year. Furthermore, this corresponds to 29 August in the Gregorian calendar (11 September in the older Julian-based calculation). Moreover, Nayrouz is celebrated by Coptic Christians in Egypt and diaspora communities worldwide as the beginning of the ecclesiastical year. The name derives from the ancient Persian word for New Year, reflecting Egypt's historical connection with Persian culture.
How the Coptic calendar works
The Coptic calendar derives from the ancient Egyptian solar calendar, adapted to the Julian framework. Furthermore, the epoch (year 1 AM) begins on 29 August 284 CE — the year Emperor Diocletian came to power. The calendar uses Julian leap year rules, simpler than the Gregorian — drifting 1 day from Gregorian every 128 years.
Days since epoch = current JDN − 1825029
4-year cycle = 1461 days (same as Julian calendar)
Month length = 30 days × 12 months + 5 or 6-day Pi Kogi Enavot
Worked example: Coptic Christmas
Coptic Christmas is celebrated on 29 Koiak in the Coptic calendar. In 2026, what Gregorian date does this correspond to?
| Coptic date | Gregorian equivalent |
|---|---|
| 29 Koiak 1742 AM | 7 January 2026 |
| 1 Thout 1742 AM | 29 August 2025 (Nayrouz) |
| 29 Amshir 1742 AM | 6 March 2026 |
What is the Coptic calendar?
The Coptic calendar is the liturgical calendar of the Coptic Orthodox Church. Furthermore, it derives from the ancient Egyptian solar calendar, adapted to the Julian calendar framework in the 4th century CE. Furthermore, it derives from the ancient Egyptian solar calendar used by the pharaohs, adapted to align with the Julian calendar framework when Egypt became a Christian country in the 4th century CE.
The calendar has 13 months — twelve of 30 days plus Pi Kogi Enavot at year's end. Furthermore, the year begins on 1 Thout (Nayrouz) in late August. Moreover, Egypt's 10 to 15 million Coptic Christians use the Coptic calendar for all religious observances.
The Anno Martyrum era
The Coptic year is counted in the Era of the Martyrs (Anno Martyrum, AM) — from 284 CE when Emperor Diocletian's reign began. Furthermore, Diocletian's persecution of Egyptian Christians was exceptionally severe. Moreover, the Coptic calendar is sometimes called the "Martyrs' Calendar" for this reason.
Why the Coptic calendar matters
Egypt has approximately 10 to 15 million Coptic Christians — the largest Christian community in the Arab world. Furthermore, understanding Coptic observances matters for businesses in Egyptian contexts. Moreover, Coptic Christmas (7 January), Coptic Easter and Nayrouz (Coptic New Year, 29 August) are significant cultural dates for Egyptian Coptic communities globally.
The Coptic language, written in Coptic script, survives almost entirely through the liturgical traditions of the Coptic Orthodox Church. Furthermore, Coptic month names are among the few Coptic words in active daily use. Moreover, the Ethiopian calendar derives directly from the Coptic — making it the ancestral system for Africa's most widely used non-Gregorian tradition.
The Coptic calendar and Coptic Christmas
Coptic Christians celebrate Christmas on 29 Koiak. Furthermore, this corresponds to 7 January in the Gregorian calendar — 13 days after 25 December. The difference arises because the Coptic Christmas date was originally fixed in the Julian calendar (25 December Julian = 7 January Gregorian in the current century). Moreover, the Coptic Church observes a 43-day Advent fast before Christmas.
Frequently asked questions
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