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The New Year celebration is called Enkutatash, which means 'gift of jewels' and marks the return of the Queen of Sheba from her visit to King Solomon in Jerusalem
Ethiopia is all set to celebrate the new year on September 11. However, while the rest of the world lives in 2024, Ethiopia is still in 2016.
There is a discrepancy in the dates and Ethiopia will welcome 2017 on September 11. This arises because they do not follow the Gregorian calendar and are 7-8 years behindother countries.
What calendar does Ethiopia follow?
Ethiopia follows the Ge'ez calendar, which draws from the ancient Coptic calendar. This calendar has 13 months, 12 months of 30 days each and an intercalary month known as Pagumē, which usually has 5-6 days depending on whether it's a leap year.
The Ethiopian Calendar begins on Meskerem 1, which according to the Gregorian calendar is September 11 in a non-leap year.
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The Ethiopian calendar lags behind the Gregorian one because of the difference in the computation of dates of the birth of Jesus Christ.
Pope Gregory XIII established the Gregorian calendar in 1582. This was derived from calculations by Dionysius Exiguus. On the other hand, the Ethiopian calendar relies on calculations from the Coptic Church (7 BC).
Why Ethiopians don't follow the Gregorian calendar like the rest of the world?
Ethiopians don't follow the Gregorian calendar like the rest of the world because having their calendar is a sense of pride for them and an important part of their culture. Following the Ge'ez calendar sheds light on the fact that Ethiopia has succeeded in safeguarding its identity from globalisation and colonial influence.
The Ethiopian and the Gregorian calendars coexist in social and business contexts, particularly in international and metropolitan settings. The calculations might confuse many, but Ethiopians have aced the navigation between the two calendars.
New Year Celebrations in Ethiopia
Ethiopia welcomes the New Year on Meskerem 1, or September 11 for the rest of the world. The New Year celebration is called Enkutatash, which means 'gift of jewels' and marks the return of the Queen of Sheba from her visit to King Solomon in Jerusalem.
(With inputs from agencies)
