Public Holidays
Public Holidays
Jan 7 2005* Ethiopian Christmas. Jan 19* Timket (Epiphany). Jan 21 Eid-al Adha (Arafat). Mar 2 Battle of Adowa. Apr 21 Mouloud (Birth of the Prophet). Apr 25* Ethiopian Good Friday. May 2* Ethiopian Easter. May 28 Downfall of the Dergue. Sep 11* Ethiopian New Year (Enkutatash). Sep 27* Finding of the True Cross (Meskel). Nov 3-5 Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan). Jan 7 2006* Ethiopian Christmas. Jan 10 Eid-al Adha (Arafat). Jan 19* Timket (Epiphany). Mar 2 Battle of Adowa. Apr 11 Mouloud (Birth of the Prophet). Apr 14* Ethiopian Good Friday. Apr 17* Ethiopian Easter. May 28 Downfall of the Dergue. Sep 11* Ethiopian New Year (Enkutatash). Sep 26* Finding of the True Cross (Meskel). Oct 22-24 Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan).
Note
(a) *Indicates Coptic holidays. (b) Ethiopia still uses the Julian calendar, which is divided into 12 months of 30 days each, and a 13th month of five or six days at the end of the year; hence the date for Christmas. The Ethiopian calendar is seven years and eight months behind our own. (c) Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Eid al-Fitr, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted. Some disruption may continue into Eid al-Fitr itself. Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha may last anything from two to 10 days, depending on the region. For more information, see the World of Islam appendix.
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