Coptic Fasting Calendar 1956
Coptic fasting calendar 1956: Great Lent from Monday, March 12, 1956 to Saturday, May 5, 1956, with the Fast of Nineveh, the Apostles' Fast, St. Mary's Fast, the Nativity Fast and the paramoun.
The fasts of 1956
| Fast | Begins | Ends | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Nativity Fast (Advent) | Fri, Nov 25, 195515 Hathor | Fri, Jan 6, 195627 Koiak | 43 days |
| Paramoun of the Nativity | Fri, Jan 6, 195627 Koiak | Fri, Jan 6, 195627 Koiak | 1 day |
| Paramoun of the Theophany | Thu, Jan 19, 195610 Tobi | Thu, Jan 19, 195610 Tobi | 1 day |
| The Fast of Nineveh (Jonah) | Mon, Feb 27, 195619 Meshir | Wed, Feb 29, 195621 Meshir | 3 days |
| Great Lent | Mon, Mar 12, 19563 Paremhat | Sat, May 5, 195627 Parmouti | 55 days |
| The Apostles' Fast | Mon, Jun 25, 195618 Paoni | Wed, Jul 11, 19564 Epip | 17 days |
| The Fast of the Virgin Mary | Tue, Aug 7, 19561 Mesori | Tue, Aug 21, 195615 Mesori | 15 days |
| The Nativity Fast (Advent) | Sun, Nov 25, 195616 Hathor | Sun, Jan 6, 195728 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.