Coptic Fasting Calendar 1971
Coptic fasting calendar 1971: Great Lent from Monday, February 22, 1971 to Saturday, April 17, 1971, with the Fast of Nineveh, the Apostles' Fast, St. Mary's Fast, the Nativity Fast and the paramoun.
The fasts of 1971
| Fast | Begins | Ends | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Nativity Fast (Advent) | Wed, Nov 25, 197016 Hathor | Wed, Jan 6, 197128 Koiak | 43 days |
| Paramoun of the Nativity | Wed, Jan 6, 197128 Koiak | Wed, Jan 6, 197128 Koiak | 1 day |
| Paramoun of the Theophany | Mon, Jan 18, 197110 Tobi | Mon, Jan 18, 197110 Tobi | 1 day |
| The Fast of Nineveh (Jonah) | Mon, Feb 8, 19711 Meshir | Wed, Feb 10, 19713 Meshir | 3 days |
| Great Lent | Mon, Feb 22, 197115 Meshir | Sat, Apr 17, 19719 Parmouti | 55 days |
| The Apostles' Fast | Mon, Jun 7, 197130 Pashons | Sun, Jul 11, 19714 Epip | 35 days |
| The Fast of the Virgin Mary | Sat, Aug 7, 19711 Mesori | Sat, Aug 21, 197115 Mesori | 15 days |
| The Nativity Fast (Advent) | Thu, Nov 25, 197115 Hathor | Thu, Jan 6, 197227 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.