What is Abiy Tsom or Hudade?

Abiy Tsom, also called Hudade or Great Lent, is the major Ethiopian Orthodox fasting season leading to Fasika, Ethiopian Easter.

Does the Ethiopian Orthodox fasting calendar change every year?

Several fasting periods are fixed in the Ethiopian calendar, while seasons around Fasika are movable and follow Bahire Hasab calendar calculations.

Can I add Ethiopian Orthodox fasting seasons to my calendar?

Yes. EtCal Web provides Add to Calendar links for major fasting seasons as all-day calendar files, and EtCal mobile apps provide richer fasting reminders and offline access.

Does EtCal show fasting dates in Gregorian calendar too?

Yes. EtCal shows Ethiopian dates with Gregorian equivalents so users can plan fasting seasons and holidays across both calendars.

Orthodox fasting calendar

Ethiopian Orthodox fasting seasons.

See the current Ethiopian year’s major fasting seasons with Gregorian equivalents: Fast of the Flowers, Tsome Nebiyat, Gahad, Nineveh, Abiy Tsom or Hudade, Apostles’ Fast, Filseta, Pagume, and weekly Tsome Dihnet context.

Open EtCal Web Browse holidays

Current Ethiopian year

Fasting calendar for this year

Dates below show Ethiopian calendar ranges and Gregorian equivalents for quick planning. Use Add to Calendar for a fasting-season calendar file, or use EtCal on iOS or Android for daily fasting context and richer alerts.

Loading fasting seasons...

Fasting dates require JavaScript. EtCal calculates the current Ethiopian year and fasting ranges in your browser. Install EtCal for iOS or Android for offline fasting dates and reminders.

How to read it

Fixed seasons and movable seasons.

Some fasts always begin on the same Ethiopian date. Others move with the Orthodox Paschal cycle around Fasika. EtCal shows both patterns together so planning is practical across Ethiopian and Gregorian dates.

Bahire Hasab seasons

Nineveh, Hudade, Fasika, Apostles' Fast, and related dates move each year because they are calculated from the Ethiopian Orthodox Paschal cycle. This is why the Gregorian dates can shift noticeably from one year to the next.

Fixed Ethiopian dates

Tsome Nebiyat, Filseta, Tsige, Gahad, and Pagume fasts use fixed Ethiopian calendar dates. Their Gregorian dates still change because Ethiopian New Year does not align exactly with January 1.

Hudade and Fasika

Hudade, also called Abiy Tsom or Great Lent, is the long fasting season before Fasika. EtCal lists the start and end dates so families can plan church seasons, travel, and household calendars.

Filseta and Nebiyat

Filseta is connected with the Dormition fast in August, while Tsome Nebiyat is the Nativity fast leading toward Genna. These fixed-date seasons are useful anchors for yearly planning.

Practice and planning

Many Ethiopian Orthodox faithful observe fasting through prayer, abstaining from animal products, and keeping a different meal rhythm. EtCal does not replace church guidance; it helps users see dates clearly.

Weekly fasts

Wednesday and Friday fasting context loads with the current Ethiopian year data.

Wednesday remembers the betrayal of Christ.
Friday remembers the Crucifixion.