Koiak
Koiak /ˈkʰɔjæk/ (Coptic: Ⲕⲟⲓⲁⲕ Koiak /ˈkɔjak/ or Ⲕⲓⲁϩⲕ Kiahk /ˈkijaxk/), is the fourth month of the Coptic calendar. It lasts between 10 December and 8 January of the Gregorian calendar. The month of Koiak is also the fourth month of the Season of Akhet (Inundation) in Ancient Egypt, when the Nile floods historically covered the land. They have not done so since the construction of the High Dam at Aswan.
Etymology
The name of the month of Koiak comes from *Kuʔ ḥar Kuʔ 'Soul upon Soul', a name of the Ancient Egyptian sacred Apis Bull.
Coptic tradition
The month of Koiak holds a special place in the rite of the Coptic Orthodox Church. It is known as the Mariam month (The month of Mary) because the Nativity according to the Coptic calendar falls on 29 Koiak. The month is characterized by beautiful midnight praises that commemorate the Lord's Incarnation and venerate His mother the Virgin Mary. The name of the Koiak midnight praise translates into Seven and Four, describing the outline of the praise that consists of 4 Canticles and 7 Theotokia (glorifications of Saint Mary).
It was at the beginning of the month of Koiak that Virgin Mary appeared in churches all over Egypt in Coptic calendar year 1726.[1]
Coptic Synaxarium of the month of Koiak
Coptic | Julian | Gregorian | Commemorations |
---|---|---|---|
Koiak
1 |
November
27 |
December
10 |
|
2 | 28 | 11 |
|
3 | 29 | 12 | |
4 | 30 | 13 |
|
5 | December
1 |
14 | |
6 | 2 | 15 |
|
7 | 3 | 16 |
|
8 | 4 | 17 |
|
9 | 5 | 18 |
|
10 | 6 | 19 |
|
11 | 7 | 20 |
|
12 | 8 | 21 |
|
13 | 9 | 22 |
|
14 | 10 | 23 |
|
15 | 11 | 24 |
|
16 | 12 | 25 | |
17 | 13 | 26 |
|
18 | 14 | 27 |
|
19 | 15 | 28 |
|
20 | 16 | 29 |
|
21 | 17 | 30 |
|
22 | 18 | 31 |
|
23 | 19 | January
1 |
|
24 | 20 | 2 |
|
25 | 21 | 3 |
|
26 | 22 | 4 |
|
27 | 23 | 5 | |
28 | 24 | 6 |
|
29 | 25 | 7 | |
30 | 26 | 8 |
|
Preceded by Hathor |
Coptic calendar days: 30 days |
Succeeded by Tobi |
References
Synaxarium of the month of Kiahk