Coptic Fasting Calendar 1976
Coptic fasting calendar 1976: Great Lent from Monday, March 1, 1976 to Saturday, April 24, 1976, with the Fast of Nineveh, the Apostles' Fast, St. Mary's Fast, the Nativity Fast and the paramoun.
The fasts of 1976
| Fast | Begins | Ends | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Nativity Fast (Advent) | Tue, Nov 25, 197515 Hathor | Tue, Jan 6, 197627 Koiak | 43 days |
| Paramoun of the Nativity | Tue, Jan 6, 197627 Koiak | Tue, Jan 6, 197627 Koiak | 1 day |
| Paramoun of the Theophany | Mon, Jan 19, 197610 Tobi | Mon, Jan 19, 197610 Tobi | 1 day |
| The Fast of Nineveh (Jonah) | Mon, Feb 16, 19768 Meshir | Wed, Feb 18, 197610 Meshir | 3 days |
| Great Lent | Mon, Mar 1, 197622 Meshir | Sat, Apr 24, 197616 Parmouti | 55 days |
| The Apostles' Fast | Mon, Jun 14, 19767 Paoni | Sun, Jul 11, 19764 Epip | 28 days |
| The Fast of the Virgin Mary | Sat, Aug 7, 19761 Mesori | Sat, Aug 21, 197615 Mesori | 15 days |
| The Nativity Fast (Advent) | Thu, Nov 25, 197616 Hathor | Thu, Jan 6, 197728 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.