Coptic Fasting Calendar 1974
Coptic fasting calendar 1974: Great Lent from Monday, February 18, 1974 to Saturday, April 13, 1974, with the Fast of Nineveh, the Apostles' Fast, St. Mary's Fast, the Nativity Fast and the paramoun.
The fasts of 1974
| Fast | Begins | Ends | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Nativity Fast (Advent) | Sun, Nov 25, 197316 Hathor | Sun, Jan 6, 197428 Koiak | 43 days |
| Paramoun of the Nativity | Fri, Jan 4, 197426 Koiak | Sun, Jan 6, 197428 Koiak | 3 days |
| Paramoun of the Theophany | Fri, Jan 18, 197410 Tobi | Fri, Jan 18, 197410 Tobi | 1 day |
| The Fast of Nineveh (Jonah) | Mon, Feb 4, 197427 Tobi | Wed, Feb 6, 197429 Tobi | 3 days |
| Great Lent | Mon, Feb 18, 197411 Meshir | Sat, Apr 13, 19745 Parmouti | 55 days |
| The Apostles' Fast | Mon, Jun 3, 197426 Pashons | Thu, Jul 11, 19744 Epip | 39 days |
| The Fast of the Virgin Mary | Wed, Aug 7, 19741 Mesori | Wed, Aug 21, 197415 Mesori | 15 days |
| The Nativity Fast (Advent) | Mon, Nov 25, 197416 Hathor | Mon, Jan 6, 197528 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.