Coptic Fasting Calendar 1903
Coptic fasting calendar 1903: Great Lent from Monday, February 23, 1903 to Saturday, April 18, 1903, with the Fast of Nineveh, the Apostles' Fast, St. Mary's Fast, the Nativity Fast and the paramoun.
The fasts of 1903
| Fast | Begins | Ends | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Nativity Fast (Advent) | Tue, Nov 25, 190216 Hathor | Tue, Jan 6, 190328 Koiak | 43 days |
| Paramoun of the Nativity | Tue, Jan 6, 190328 Koiak | Tue, Jan 6, 190328 Koiak | 1 day |
| Paramoun of the Theophany | Fri, Jan 16, 19038 Tobi | Sun, Jan 18, 190310 Tobi | 3 days |
| The Fast of Nineveh (Jonah) | Mon, Feb 9, 19032 Meshir | Wed, Feb 11, 19034 Meshir | 3 days |
| Great Lent | Mon, Feb 23, 190316 Meshir | Sat, Apr 18, 190310 Parmouti | 55 days |
| The Apostles' Fast | Mon, Jun 8, 19031 Paoni | Sat, Jul 11, 19034 Epip | 34 days |
| The Fast of the Virgin Mary | Fri, Aug 7, 19031 Mesori | Fri, Aug 21, 190315 Mesori | 15 days |
| The Nativity Fast (Advent) | Wed, Nov 25, 190315 Hathor | Wed, Jan 6, 190427 Koiak | 43 days |
The fasts of the Coptic Church
The Coptic Orthodox Church keeps many fasts through the year: Great Lent (55 days, Holy Week included), the Fast of Nineveh (3 days), the Apostles' Fast, the Fast of the Virgin Mary (15 days), the Nativity Fast (43 days, from November 25 to January 6), and the paramoun before the Nativity and the Theophany. Great Lent, the Fast of Nineveh and the Apostles' Fast depend on the date of Easter, so they move every year, and the length of the Apostles' Fast changes with them.
Wednesdays and Fridays
Wednesday and Friday are fasting days every week of the year, except during the Holy Fifty Days after Easter, and when the Nativity or the Theophany falls on one of them.
The paramoun
The paramoun is a day of strict fasting in preparation for the Nativity and the Theophany. It is one day; it becomes two days when the feast falls on a Sunday, and three when it falls on a Monday.