The date of September 11th does not correspond to a national public holiday in Egypt. Instead, it marks the commencement of the Coptic New Year, a significant religious and cultural observance for the country's Coptic Orthodox Christian community. This day is known as Eid El Nayrouz.
The observance is rooted in the Coptic calendar, also known as the Calendar of the Martyrs (Anno Martyrum, or A.M.). This calendar system begins in the year 284 A.D. to commemorate the vast number of Christians who were martyred during the reign of the Roman Emperor Diocletian. Therefore, Nayrouz is both a new year's celebration and a day of remembrance for the martyrs. Traditions associated with the day often include special church services and the consumption of specific foods, such as red dates, which symbolize the blood of the martyrs.
In essence, while September 11th holds profound historical and religious meaning for a substantial portion of the Egyptian population, it is recognized as a church feast and a cultural milestone rather than a secular state holiday. Its significance within Egypt is entirely distinct from and predates the tragic events that occurred on the same date in the United States in 2001.
