Why Is Ethiopian New Year Celebrated in September? Understanding the Ge'ez Calendar

Discover why Ethiopian New Year, Enkutatash, falls in September due to Ethiopia's unique Ge'ez calendar with 13 months.

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Ethiopian New Year falls in September because Ethiopia follows the Ge'ez calendar, which is slightly different from the Gregorian calendar used by most of the world. This calendar has 13 months: 12 months of 30 days each, and a 13th month called Pagumē with 5 or 6 days, depending on whether it's a leap year. The New Year, called Enkutatash, typically falls on September 11th (or September 12th in a leap year). This difference is due to the calendar counting years in the Anno Mundi era, aligning closely with Julian calendar calculations.

FAQs & Answers

  1. What is the Ge'ez calendar? The Ge'ez calendar is a traditional Ethiopian calendar system with 13 months, including 12 months of 30 days each and a 13th month called Pagumē, having 5 or 6 days depending on the leap year.
  2. Why does Ethiopian New Year fall in September? Ethiopian New Year falls in September because Ethiopia uses the Ge'ez calendar, which differs from the Gregorian calendar and starts the year in September, typically on September 11 or 12.
  3. What is Pagumē in the Ethiopian calendar? Pagumē is the 13th month in the Ethiopian Ge'ez calendar consisting of 5 days, or 6 days during a leap year.

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