Coptic Fasting Calendar 1973
Coptic fasting calendar 1973: Great Lent from Monday, March 5, 1973 to Saturday, April 28, 1973, with the Fast of Nineveh, the Apostles' Fast, St. Mary's Fast, the Nativity Fast and the paramoun.
The fasts of 1973
| Fast | Begins | Ends | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Nativity Fast (Advent) | Sat, Nov 25, 197216 Hathor | Sat, Jan 6, 197328 Koiak | 43 days |
| Paramoun of the Nativity | Fri, Jan 5, 197327 Koiak | Sat, Jan 6, 197328 Koiak | 2 days |
| Paramoun of the Theophany | Thu, Jan 18, 197310 Tobi | Thu, Jan 18, 197310 Tobi | 1 day |
| The Fast of Nineveh (Jonah) | Mon, Feb 19, 197312 Meshir | Wed, Feb 21, 197314 Meshir | 3 days |
| Great Lent | Mon, Mar 5, 197326 Meshir | Sat, Apr 28, 197320 Parmouti | 55 days |
| The Apostles' Fast | Mon, Jun 18, 197311 Paoni | Wed, Jul 11, 19734 Epip | 24 days |
| The Fast of the Virgin Mary | Tue, Aug 7, 19731 Mesori | Tue, Aug 21, 197315 Mesori | 15 days |
| The Nativity Fast (Advent) | Sun, Nov 25, 197316 Hathor | Sun, Jan 6, 197428 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.