One of the many ways that Copts remain the indigenous group of Egypt is by maintaining, preserving, and celebrating Ancient Egyptian practices today. One of these methods is through the continued use of the Coptic calendar, which is a continuation of the Ancient Egyptian Calendar. Today (7th August) is the first day of the Coptic month Misra (or Mesori), which is Ⲙⲉⲥⲱⲣⲓ in Coptic. This will last until the 5th September of the modern standard calendar (Gregorian). Misra is the twelfth month of the Coptic calendar.
So what is special about the month of Misra – Ⲙⲉⲥⲱⲣⲓ?
Misra is in tune with the Nile, marking where the Nile flood begins to overflow the riverbank, irrigating the canals. To mark this, Copts traditionally say:
“Misra tirji fiha kull israh”/ “During Misra, the water runs into every dry canal”
Traditionally, Misra is the month for planning rice, radishes, carrots, onions, tomatoes, turnips, and figs. It is ripe season with an abundance of cucumbers, watermelon, figs, melons, and grapes – all of the perfect summer foods! Misra is the fourth month of the season of Shemu (Harvest).
The fruit of the month of Misra is grapes!
Misra in Ancient Egypt
Misra has its etymological roots in Ancient Egypt, specifically tied to the birth of the Ancient Egyptian sun god, Ra. The first rising of the sun, God, Ra, was also the moment of his birth, which is called Mesori, and is the occasion of his first appearance. Mesori comes from the word Mes-o-ri, literally translating to the Ancient Egyptian word for ‘Birth of Sun’. This month was originally the last lunar month of the year and named for the heliacal rising of Sirius (Sothis). During the Twentieth Dynasty and the Ptolemaic era, Ra’s name became more predominant, as it was best known for the Birth of the Solar Disk. Prior to this, though, Ra was celebrated conjointly with Sirius (Sothis).
What is the Coptic Calendar?
The Coptic calendar has 13 months; 12 of these months have 30 days, apart from the final thirteenth month, which has only five days (or six days in a leap year). This thirteenth month is called ‘epagomenai’.
The Coptic calendar was originally used by the Ancient Egyptians for agriculture. Ancient Egyptians divided the calendar months into three main seasons, each nomenclature to honour the God who controlled the agricultural climate of that season. This is divided into one season for the flood of the Nile, what we would presently understand as natural irrigation (Tute to Kiakh); a season for growing crops (Tubah to Baramoudah); and a season for harvesting the crops (Bashans to Misra). The Coptic church has continued this traditional calendar used by the Ancient Egyptians by sacrilising it to memorialise saints and/or their martyrdom for each day of the month. (This has been documented and used by the Copts in the Coptic Synaxarium.
You can also read more about the Coptic Calendar in general here.
Yet, why should we care about the Coptic calendar today?
Our iPhones are synced to the normal calendar, we can’t use it in work schedules, even if we told a friend to meet them on the first day of Misra it would be meaningless.
So… what’s the point?
Perhaps deeper than one would expect.
Whilst the calendar has historical continuity with the Ancient Egyptians, it is also emblematic of our history as Copts. In November 284 AD, it was the first year when Emperor Diocletian’s was elected by the military and began to rule. This marked the last major persecution against Christians within the Roman Empire. Emperor Diocletian’s persecution was significant, labelled ‘the Great Persecution’, and was the last and most severe persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire, which included the Copts in Egypt. This marked for Copts the ‘Era of the Martyrs’. Our Church in Alexandria would go on to use the first day of Diocletian’s persecution to mark the first calendar day for the Copts. When Diocletian ascended to his throne over the Empire on the 20th November 284 AD, it was the first day of the Coptic calendar year 1 Toth (Coptic New Year), which is the 29th August 284 AD. The Coptic calendar’s exegesis is not only to remember the great persecution Copts suffered, but to remind us of the continued faith of generations of our ancestors.
You can read more about the importance of the Coptic calendar to our indigenous identity here.
In the meantime – welcome to the month of Misra/Mesori (Ⲙⲉⲥⲱⲣⲓ)!
