View source for Mesori

{{Contains special characters|Coptic}}
{{Infobox month
| native_name = {{langx|cop|Ⲙⲉⲥⲱⲣⲓ}}
| calendar    = [[Coptic calendar]]
| num         = 12
| days        = 30
| season      = 
| gregorian   = August–September
| holidays    = 
| prev_month  = [[Epip]]
| next_month  = [[Thout]]
}}
'''Mesori''' ({{langx|cop|Ⲙⲉⲥⲱⲣⲓ}}, ''Masōri'') is the twelfth month of the ancient [[Egyptian calendar|Egyptian]] and [[Coptic calendar]]s. 

It is identical to '''Nahase''' ({{langx|am|ነሐሴ}}, ''Nähase'') in the [[Ethiopian calendar]].

{{anchor|Etymology|Names}}

==Name==
{{hiero|{{nowrap|Fourth Month of [[Season of Low Water|Low Water]]}}<br/>IV ''[[Transliteration of ancient Egyptian|Šmw]]''{{efn|For variant hieroglyphic spellings of ''Šmw'', see [[Season of the Harvest]].}}|<hiero>N11:Z1*Z1*Z1*Z1-N37-N35A-N5</hiero>|align=right|era=egypt}}
{{hiero|{{nowrap|Opening of the Year{{efn|Alternative representations of the Opening of the Year include <small><hiero>F13:Q3*X1-M4-X1:Z1</hiero></small>, <small><hiero>F13:X1*Z1-M4-X1:Z1</hiero></small>, <small><hiero>F14-W3</hiero></small>, <small><hiero>F14-W3:N5</hiero></small>, <small><hiero>F15-W3</hiero></small>, <small><hiero>M4-F13:N5</hiero></small>, <small><hiero>M4-F13:W3</hiero></small>, and <small><hiero>M4-F13:X1</hiero></small>.<ref name=vygus>{{citation |last=Vygus |first=Mark |date=2015 |title=Middle Egyptian Dictionary |url=http://www.pyramidtextsonline.com/documents/VygusDictionaryApril2015.pdf }}.</ref>}}}}<br/>''[[Transliteration of ancient Egyptian|Wpt Rnpt]]''|<hiero>F15</hiero>|align=right|era=egypt}}
{{hiero|{{nowrap|Birth of the [[Ra (god)|Sun]]|era=egypt}}<br/>''[[Transliteration of ancient Egyptian|Mswt Rꜥ]]''|<hiero>F31-S29-G43-X1-B3-N5:Z1</hiero>|align=right|era=egypt}}
The ancient and Coptic month is also known as '''Mesore'''{{sfnp|Parker|1950|p=41}} ({{langx|grc|Μεσορή}}, ''Mesorḗ'').

In [[ancient Egypt]], the months were variously described. Usually, the months of the lunar calendar were listed by their placement in the seasons related to the [[flooding of the Nile]], so that Mesori is most commonly described as the fourth month of the [[season of the Harvest]] (''4 [[Transliteration of ancient Egyptian|Šmw]]''),{{sfnp|Jauhiainen|2009|p=67}}{{sfnp|Parker|1950|p=45}} variously transliterated as {{nowrap|'''IV Shemu'''}} or '''Shomu'''. These lunar months were also named after their most important feasts,{{sfnp|Jauhiainen|2009|p=67}}{{sfnp|Parker|1950|pp=31 & 43}} so that Mesori was also known as the "Opening" or "Opener of the Year"{{sfnp|Jauhiainen|2009|p=74}} (''[[Transliteration of ancient Egyptian|Wp Rnpt]]'') or {{nowrap|'''Wep Renpet'''}}.{{efn|The confusion arising over the same name applying to the Egyptian New Year and the celebration of the king's birthday{{sfnp|Parker|1950|p=33}} is known as the "Brugsch Phenomenon" after its 1870 description by [[Heinrich Brugsch]].{{sfnp|Depuydt|1997|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=2LBjMEmWYSoC&pg=PA61 61]}}}} The month was also personified as the deity of its festival,{{sfnp|Parker|1950|p=43}} which in late sources is given as [[Ra-Horakhty]] (''[[Transliteration of ancient Egyptian|Rꜥ Ḥr Ꜣḫty]]'', "[[Ra (god)|Ra]]–[[Horus]] of the [[Akhet (hieroglyph)|Horizons]]").{{sfnp|Parker|1950|p=45}}{{sfnp|Jauhiainen|2009|p=76}}

The solar civil calendar borrowed the festivals of the earlier lunar calendar, though sometimes under other names.{{sfnp|Parker|1950|p=43}} These festival names are increasingly attested after [[Persian Egypt|Egypt's Persian occupation]].{{sfnp|Jauhiainen|2009|p=67}} The most common name continued to be the "Opening of the Year", although its little-attested synonym "Birth of the [[Ra (god)|Sun]]"  (''[[Transliteration of ancient Egyptian|Mswt Rꜥ]]'') or {{nowrap|'''Masut Ra'''}} became the namesake of the Ptolemaic Greek and Coptic month.{{sfnp|Depuydt|1997|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=2LBjMEmWYSoC&pg=PA81 81]}}{{sfnp|Jauhiainen|2009|p=83}}{{efn|Owing to its influence, the minimal attestation for ''Mswt Rꜥ'' in the hieroglyphic record is thought to be an accident of survival.{{sfnp|Depuydt|1997|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=2LBjMEmWYSoC&pg=PA81 81]}} The "Birth of Ra–Horakhty" (''Mswt Rꜥ Ḥr Ꜣḫty'') is attested by the [[20th Dynasty]], but only as a synonym for the New Year's Day festival and not as a month name.{{sfnp|Jauhiainen|2009|p=82}} A single source from the 20th Dynasty refers to the fourth month of the season of the Harvest as the "Month of the Going Forth of [[Horus]]" (''{{lang|egy|Pꜣ Šmt n Ḥr}}'').{{sfnp|Jauhiainen|2009|p=83}}}}

In [[Egyptian Arabic]], the Coptic month is known as '''Misra'''<ref name=a2z>{{harvp|Gabra|2008}}.</ref> or '''Mesra'''<ref>{{citation |contribution=The Coptic Calendar of Martyrs |contribution-url=http://www.copticchurch.net/easter.html |publisher=St Mark Coptic Church |location=Jersey City |last=Wassef |first=Medhat R. |accessdate=5 February 2017 |title=Coptic Orthodox Church Network |url=http://www.copticchurch.net }}.</ref> ({{langx|ar|مسرا}}, {{lang|ar-Latn|Masrá}}).

The Ethiopian month is sometimes also [[transliteration of Amharic|transliterated]] '''Nehase''',<ref>{{citation |contribution=Ethiopian Calendar |contribution-url=http://www.selamta.net/Ethiopian%20Calendar.htm |title=Selamta |url=http://www.selamta.net/index.htm |date=2015 }}.</ref> '''Nehasa''',{{sfnp|Shinn & al.|2013}} or '''Nehasie'''.<ref>{{citation |title=Encyclopedia of Time: Science, Philosophy, Theology, & Culture, ''Vol. I'' |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b3ddWSxmi9cC |editor=H. James Brix |display-editors=0 |publisher=Sage |location=Los Angeles |date=2009 |contribution=Ethiopian Calendar |last=Mebratu |first=Belete K. |page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=b3ddWSxmi9cC&pg=PA128 128] |isbn = 9781412941648}}.</ref>

==Egyptian calendars==
===Ancient===
{{further|Egyptian calendar}}
Until the {{nowrap|4th century BC,}} the beginning of the months of the lunar calendar were based on observation,{{sfnp|Parker|1950|p=29}} beginning at dawn on the morning when a waning crescent moon could no longer be seen.{{sfnp|Parker|1950|p=23}} The [[intercalary month (Egypt)|intercalary month]] was added every few years as needed to maintain the [[heliacal rising]] of [[Sirius (star)|Sirius]] within the month.{{sfnp|Parker|1950|p=32}} According to the civil calendar, the month fell in order with the rest regardless of the state of the moon. It always consisted of 30 days, each individually named and devoted to a particular patron deity, and was always followed by an intercalary month, although it slowly cycled relative to the solar year and Gregorian date owing to the lack of leap days until the [[Ptolemaic Egypt|Ptolemaic]] and [[Roman Egypt|Roman eras]].

Torches were ritually carried on the 28th day of the month in preparation for the spiritual danger of the intercalary month that followed.{{sfnp|Jauhiainen|2009|p=78}}

New Year's Eve (''{{lang|egy|Msy}}'' or ''{{lang|egy|Msyt}}'') was observed on the 30th day of the month.{{sfnp|Jauhiainen|2009|p=82}}

Once the holidays were transferred to the civil calendar, Wep Renpet proper was celebrated on the first day of [[Thoth (month)|Thoth]]{{sfnp|Jauhiainen|2009|p=74}} by at least the [[Middle Kingdom of Egypt|Middle Kingdom]],{{sfnp|Jauhiainen|2009|p=79}} though the last month of the year continued to bear its name. The holiday honored the birth and youth of the [[Ra (god)|personification of the sun]] and its fight against evil. Royal artisans were freed from work,{{sfnp|Jauhiainen|2009|p=74}}{{efn|This official vacation sometimes began as early as Mesori 25, 28,{{sfnp|Jauhiainen|2009|p=80}} or 29.{{sfnp|Jauhiainen|2009|p=81}}}} temples lit torches to banish darkness and its demons, spells concerning the crushing of enemies were cast, and ritual combat occurred during a "water procession" on temple lakes.{{sfnp|Jauhiainen|2009|p=76}} People threw ink into water, cleansed themselves, and painted their eyes green.{{sfnp|Jauhiainen|2009|p=78}} It was a common occasion for [[pharaoh|pharaonic]] [[coronation]]s during the [[Middle Kingdom of Egypt|Middle Kingdom]] and the occasion of ceremonies of renewed kingship in other eras, occasioning his officials to present him with new year's gifts.{{sfnp|Jauhiainen|2009|p=76}} This practice extended to commoners presenting gifts—such as rings, [[scarab (artifact)|scarab]]s, and bottles inscribed "Happy New Year's" (''[[Transliteration of ancient Egyptian|Wpt Rnpt Nfrt]]'')—to one another during the [[Saite Period]].{{sfnp|Jauhiainen|2009|p=77}}

In [[Ptolemaic Egypt]], the festivities began on the last day of Mesori and ran through the first nine days of Thoth.{{sfnp|Jauhiainen|2009|p=79}}

===Coptic===
{{further|Coptic calendar}}
In the present-day [[Coptic calendar]], Mesori has fallen between August 7 and September 5<ref name=a2z/> since AD{{nbsp}}1900 ([[Anno Martyrum|{{sc|am}}]]{{nbsp}}1616)<ref>{{citation |last=Reingold |first=Edward M. |first2=Nachum |last2=Dershowitz |display-authors=1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J90gKVAque4C |title=Calendrical Tabulations, 1900–2200 |page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=J90gKVAque4C&pg=PA2 2] |location=[[Cambridge, England|Cambridge]] |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] |date=2002 |isbn=9780521782531 }}.</ref> and will continue to do so until AD{{nbsp}}2100 ([[Anno Martyrum|{{sc|am}}]]{{nbsp}}1816).{{sfnp|Reingold|Dershowitz|2002|p=402}} In that year, the [[Gregorian calendar]]'s lack of a leap day will cause the Coptic month to advance another day relative to it<ref>{{citation |last=Von Staufer |first=Maria Hubert |contribution=Christmas in Egypt |title=The Christmas Archives |contribution-url=http://www.christmasarchives.org/christmas_in_egypt.php |url=http://www.christmasarchives.org |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110627011445/http://christmasarchives.org/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=June 27, 2011 |date=2002 }}.</ref> and it will run from August 8 to September 6. The Coptic liturgical calendar of the month consists of:<ref>{{citation |url=http://st-takla.org/Full-Free-Coptic-Books/Coptic-Synaxarium-or-Synaxarion_English/Eng-Synexarium-or-Synexarion-index.html |title=Coptic Synaxarium |publisher=St Takla Haymanout |location=[[Alexandria, Egypt|Alexandria]] |contribution=12) Mesra Month |contribution-url=http://st-takla.org/Full-Free-Coptic-Books/Coptic-Synaxarium-or-Synaxarion_English/Eng_Senexar-Senksar-12-Masra-Coptic-Month.html |ref={{harvid|St Takla}} |accessdate=6 February 2017 }}.</ref>

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! style="width:5%;"| Coptic
! style="width:5%;"| Julian
! style="width:5%;"| Gregorian
! style="width:50%;"| Commemorations
|- valign="top"
|Mesori
1
|July
25
|August
7
|
* Martyrdom of St. Apoli, Son of Justus. 
* Departure of [[Pope Cyril V of Alexandria|St. Cyril V]], the 112th Pope of Alexandria.
|- valign="top"
|2
|26
|8
|
* Departure of St. Pa'esa (Athanasia) of Minuf
* Martyrdom of St. Menas
|- valign="top"
|3
|27
|9
|
* Relocation of the Body of [[Simeon Stylites|St. Simeon the Stylite]] to the city of Antioch. 
* Departure of [[Pope Primus of Alexandria|St. Abriamus]] (Primus), the 5th Pope of Alexandria.
|- valign="top"
|4
|28
|10
|
* Departure of [[Hezekiah]] the King.
* Consecration of the Church of St. Anthony the Great. 
|- valign="top"
|5
|29
|11
|
* Departure of St. John the Soldier.
|- valign="top"
|6
|30
|12
|
* Martyrdom of St. Julietta.
* St. Besa, disciple of St. Shenute
|- valign="top"
|7
|31
|13
|
* Annunciation of [[Joachim|St. Joachim]] with the Birth of the [[Virgin Mary]].
* Departure of [[Pope Timothy II of Alexandria|St. Timothy II]], the 26th Pope of Alexandria.
* Commemoration of St. Pasantaos the Anchorite 
|- valign="top"
|8
|August
1
|14
|
* Martyrdom of the Sts. Lazarus, Salomi, His Wife and their Children.
* Confession of [[St. Peter]], the Apostle, that Christ is the Son of the Living God.
|- valign="top"
|9
|2
|15
|
* Martyrdom of St. Ari, the Priest of Shatanouf.
|- valign="top"
|10
|3
|16
|
* Martyrdom of St. Matra. 
* Martyrdom of St. Pigebs (Bekhebs).
* Martyrdom of St. Yuhannis
|- valign="top"
|11
|4
|17
|
* Departure of St. Moisis, Bishop of Ouseem.
|- valign="top"
|12
|5
|18
|
* Commemoration of [[Archangel Michael|Michael]], the Archangel.
* Enthronement of the Righteous [[Constantine the Great and Christianity|Emperor Constantine]], the Great.
|- valign="top"
|13
|6
|19
|
* [[Feast of the Transfiguration|Feast of Transfiguration of Our Lord on Mount Tabor]].
|- valign="top"
|14
|7
|20
|
* Commemoration of the great miracle, the Lord had manifested during the papacy of [[Theophilus I of Alexandria|St. Theophilus]], the 23rd Pope of Alexandria.
|- valign="top"
|15
|8
|21
|
* Departure of St. Mary known as Marina, the Ascetic.
* Departure of [[Habib Girgis|St. Habib Girgis]].
|- valign="top"
|16
|9
|22
|
* [[Assumption of Mary|Assumption of the Body of the Pure Virgin St. Mary]]. 
* Departure of [[Pope Matthew IV of Alexandria|St. Matthew IV]], the 102nd Pope of Alexandria.
|- valign="top"
|17
|10
|23
|
* Martyrdom of St. James, the Soldier.
|- valign="top"
|18
|11
|24
|
* Departure of [[Alexander of Constantinople|St. Alexander]], Patriarch of Constantinople.
* Martyrdom of St. [[Wadamoun|Eudaemon]], of [[Armant]].
|- valign="top"
|19
|12
|25
|
* Translocation of the Body of St. Macarius to His Monastery in [[Scetis]].
|- valign="top"
|20
|13
|26
|
* Martyrdom of the Seven Young Men of [[Ephesus]].
|- valign="top"
|21
|14
|27
|
* Commemoration of the [[Virgin mary|Holy Virgin Saint Mary]], the Mother of God ([[Theotokos]]).
* Departure of St. Irene (Eirene).
|- valign="top"
|22
|15
|28
|
* Departure of [[Micah (prophet)|Micah]], the Prophet.
* Martyrdom of St. Hadid of [[Giza]].
*Concentration of the Church of [[Mohrael|St. Mohrael]].
|- valign="top"
|23
|16
|29
|
* Martyrdom of thirty thousand Christians in Alexandria. 
* Martyrdom of St. Damian in Antioch.
|- valign="top"
|24
|17
|30
|
* Departure of [[Tekle Haymanot|St. Takla Haymanot]], the Ethiopian.
* Departure of St. Thomas, [[Bishop of Marash]].
|- valign="top"
|25
|18
|31
|
* Departure of St. Bessarion, disciple of St. Anthony
* Departure of [[Pope Macarius III of Alexandria|St. Macarius III]], the 114th Pope of Alexandria.
|- valign="top"
|26
|19
|September
1
|
* Martyrdom of St. Moses and his Sister Sarah. 
* Martyrdom of St. Agabius, the Soldier, and his Sister Thecla.
|- valign="top"
|27
|20
|2
|
* Martyrdom of Sts. Benjamin and his sister Eudexia.
* Martyrdom of St. Mary, the Armenian.
|- valign="top"
|28
|21
|3
|
* Commemoration of the Patriarchs: [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]], and [[Jacob]].
|- valign="top"
|29
|22
|4
|
* Martyrdom of Saints Athanasius, the Bishop, Gerasimus (Jarasimus), and Theodotus. 
* Arrival of the Holy Relic of [[John the Dwarf|St. John the Short]], to the Wilderness of [[Scetis]].
|- valign="top"
|- valign="top"
|30
|23
|5
|
* Departure of [[Malachi]], the Prophet.
|- valign="top"
|}

==Ethiopian calendar==
{{further|Ethiopian calendar}}
In the present-day [[Ethiopian calendar]], Nahase is identical to the Coptic month of Mesori, falling between August 7 and September 5.{{sfnp|Shinn & al.|2013}} It will also shift forward one day relative to the [[Gregorian calendar]] in AD{{nbsp}}2100<ref>{{citation |contribution=Ethiopian Calendar |contribution-url=http://community-tourism-ethiopia.org/about/millenium/ |title=''Official site'' |url=http://community-tourism-ethiopia.org |accessdate=6 February 2017 |publisher=Tesfa Community Treks }}.</ref> (2092{{nbsp}}[[Ethiopian calendar|{{sc|ec}}]]).{{sfnp|Reingold|Dershowitz|2002|p=402}}

==See also==
* [[Egyptian calendar|Egyptian]], [[Coptic calendar|Coptic]], and [[Ethiopian calendar]]s
* [[Islamic calendar]]

==Notes==
{{Contains special characters|Coptic}}
{{Contains special characters|Ethiopic}}
{{Contains special characters|Egyptian hieroglyphs}}

{{Noteslist}}

==References==
===Citations===
{{reflist|30em}}

===Bibliography===
* {{citation |last=Gabra |first=Gawdat |title=The A to Z of the Coptic Church |contribution=Coptic Calendar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UaYdpfAZDBMC |contribution-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UaYdpfAZDBMC&pg=PA70 |pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=UaYdpfAZDBMC&pg=PA70 70–1] |series=''A to Z Guide Series'', No. 107 |date=2008 |publisher=The Scarecrow Press |location=[[Plymouth, England|Plymouth]] |isbn=9780810870574 }}.
* {{citation |series=''Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta'', No. 77 |title=Civil Calendar and Lunar Calendar in Ancient Egypt |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2LBjMEmWYSoC |last=Depuydt |first=Leo |publisher=Peeters |location=Leuven |date=1997 |isbn=9789068319088 }}.
* {{citation |url=https://helda.helsinki.fi/bitstream/handle/10138/19196/donotcel.pdf?sequence=2 |title=Do Not Celebrate Your Feast without Your Neighbors: A Study of References to Feasts and Festivals in Non-Literary Documents from Ramesside Period Deir el-Medina |last=Jauhiainen |first=Heidi |publisher=University of Helsinki |location=Helsinki |date=2009 |series=''Publications of the Institute for Asian and African Studies'', No. 10 }}.
* {{citation |url=https://oi.uchicago.edu/sites/oi.uchicago.edu/files/uploads/shared/docs/saoc26.pdf |title=The Calendars of Ancient Egypt |last=Parker |first=Richard A. |publisher=University of Chicago Press |location=Chicago |series=''Studies in Ancient Oriental Civilization'', No. 26 |date=1950 |editor=Thomas George Allen |editor2=Elizabeth B. Hauser |display-editors=0 }}.
* {{citation |last=Shinn |first=David H. |author2=Thomas P. Ofcansky |display-authors=1 |title=Historical Dictionary of Ethiopia |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WU92d6sB8JAC |contribution=Calendar |contribution-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WU92d6sB8JAC&pg=PA91 |page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=WU92d6sB8JAC&pg=PA91 91] |publisher=Scarecrow Press |location=[[Plymouth, England|Plymouth]] |date=2013 |isbn=9780810874572 |ref={{harvid|Shinn & al.|2013}} }}.

{{Coptic months}}

[[Category:Egyptian calendar]]
[[Category:Months of the Coptic calendar]]
[[Category:Culture of Ethiopia]]