Meshir (), also known as Mechir or Mecheir (, Mekhír) and Amshir ( ), is the sixth month of the ancient Egyptian and Coptic calendars. It lies between February 8 and March 9 of the Gregorian calendar.
The month of Meshir is also the second month of the Season of Proyet (Growth and Emergence) in ancient Egypt, when the Nile floods recede and the crops start to grow throughout the land of Egypt.
Name
The name of the month of Meshir comes from Mechir, the Ancient Egyptian God genius of wind .
Coptic Synaxarium of the month of Meshir
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! style="width:5%;"| Coptic
! style="width:5%;"| Julian
! style="width:5%;"| Gregorian
! style="width:50%;"| Commemorations
|- valign="top"
| Meshir 1
| January 26
| February 8
|
- Commemoration of the Second Ecumenical Council of Constantinople, in 381.
- Commemoration of the Consecration of the Church of St. Peter, the Seal of Martyrs.
|- valign="top"
| Meshir 2
| January 27
| February 9
|
- Departure of St. Paul, the First Hermit.
- Departure of St. Longinus, Abbot of El-Zugag Monastery.
|- valign="top"
| Meshir 3
| January 28
| February 10
|
- Departure of St. James, the Ascetic.
|- valign="top"
| Meshir 4
| January 29
| February 11
|
- Martyrdom of St. Agabus, one of the Seventy Disciples.
|- valign="top"
| Meshir 5
| January 30
| February 12
|
- Departure of St. Agrippinus, the 10th Pope of Alexandria.
- Commemoration of the Sts. Anba Bishay and St. Anba Abanoub.
- Departure of St. Apollo, friend of St. Anba Abib.
- Commemoration of the Relocation of the Relics of the Forty-Nine Elders of the Wilderness of Scetis.
|- valign="top"
| Meshir 6
| January 31
| February 13
|
- Appearance of the Body of St. Hippolytus of Rome.
- Martyrdom of the Sts. Abakir, John, the Three Virgins and their Mother.
|- valign="top"
| Meshir 7
| February 1
| February 14
|
- Departure of St. Alexander II, the 43rd Pope of Alexandria.
- Departure of St. Theodoros I, the 45th Pope of Alexandria.
|- valign="top"
| Meshir 8
| February 2
| February 15
|
- Feast of Presenting the Lord Christ in the Temple.
- Martyrdom of the Twenty-One Men in Libya.
- Commemoration of all contemporary Martyrs.
|- valign="top"
| Meshir 9
| February 3
| February 16
|
- Departure of St. Barsauma, the Father of the Syrian Monks.
- Martyrdom of St. Paul the Syrian.
|- valign="top"
| Meshir 10
| February 4
| February 17
|
- Martyrdom of St. James the Apostle, Son of Alphaeus.
- Martyrdom of St. Justus, Son of Roman Emperor Numerian.
- Departure of St. Isidore of Pelusium.
- Martyrdom of St. Philo, Bishop of the Persians.
|- valign="top"
| Meshir 11
| February 5
| February 18
|
- Martyrdom of St. Fabian (Fabrianus), Bishop of Rome.
|- valign="top"
| Meshir 12
| February 6
| February 19
|
- Commemoration of Michael, the Archangel.
- Departure of St. Gelasius.
|- valign="top"
| Meshir 13
| February 7
| February 20
|
- Martyrdom of St. Sergius of Atripe, His Father, Mother, Sister, and Many Others with Them.
- Departure of St. Timothy III, the 32nd Pope of Alexandria.
|- valign="top"
| Meshir 14
| February 8
| February 21
|
- Departure of St. Severus, Patriarch of Antioch.
- Departure of St. James (Yacobus), the 50th Pope of Alexandria.
|- valign="top"
| Meshir 15
| February 9
| February 22
|
- Departure of St. Zechariah, the Prophet.
- Consecration of the First Church Dedicated for the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste.
- Departure of Saint Paphnoute (Paphnotius).
|- valign="top"
| Meshir 16
| February 10
| February 23
|
- Departure of St. Elizabeth, the mother of St. John the Baptist.
|- valign="top"
| Meshir 17
| February 11
| February 24
|
- Martyrdom of St. Mina, the Monk.
|- valign="top"
| Meshir 18
| February 12
| February 25
|
- Departure of St. Malatius the Confessor, Patriarch of Antioch.
|- valign="top"
| Meshir 19
| February 13
| February 26
|
- Commemoration of the Relocation of the Relics of St. Martianus, the Monk.
|- valign="top"
| Meshir 20
| February 14
| February 27
|
- Departure of St. Peter, the 21st Pope of Alexandria.
- Commemoration of Sts. Basil, Theodore and Timothy, the Martyrs.
|- valign="top"
| Meshir 21
| February 15
| February 28
|
- Commemoration of the Holy Virgin Saint Mary, the Mother of God (Theotokos).
- Martyrdom of St. Onesimus, the Disciple of St. Paul.
- Departure of St. Gabriel, the 57th Pope of Alexandria.
- Departure of St. Zacharias, Bishop of Sakha.
|- valign="top"
| Meshir 22
| February 16
| March 1
|
- Departure of St. Maruta (Maruthas), the Bishop of Marjferqat.
|- valign="top"
| Meshir 23
| February 17
| March 2
|
- Martyrdom of St. Eusebius, Son of Basilides, the Minister.
|- valign="top"
| Meshir 24
| February 18
| March 3
|
- Departure of St. Agapetus (Agapius), the Bishop.
- Martyrdom of St. Timothy and St. Matthias.
|- valign="top"
| Meshir 25
| February 19
| March 4
|
- Martyrdom of Sts. Archippus, Philemon and Lycia the Virgin.
- Martyrdom of St. Quona (Kona) and St. Mina.
- Commemoration of St. Fana, the Hermit.
|- valign="top"
| Meshir 26
| February 20
| March 5
|
- Departure of Hosea, the Prophet.
- Martyrdom of St. Zadok and the 128 who were with Him.
|- valign="top"
| Meshir 27
| February 21
| March 6
|
- Departure of St. Eustathius, Patriarch of Antioch.
|- valign="top"
| Meshir 28
| February 22
| March 7
|
- Martyrdom of St. Theodore, the Roman.
|- valign="top"
| Meshir 29
| February 23
| March 8
|
- Martyrdom of St. Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna.
|- valign="top"
| Meshir 30
| February 24
| March 9
|
- Appearance of the Head of St. John the Baptist.
- Departure of St. Cyril VI (Kyrillos), the 116th Pope of Alexandria.
|}
References
Citations
Bibliography
- Synaxarium of the month of Amshir