Coptic Fasting Calendar 1977
Coptic fasting calendar 1977: Great Lent from Monday, February 14, 1977 to Saturday, April 9, 1977, with the Fast of Nineveh, the Apostles' Fast, St. Mary's Fast, the Nativity Fast and the paramoun.
The fasts of 1977
| Fast | Begins | Ends | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Nativity Fast (Advent) | Thu, Nov 25, 197616 Hathor | Thu, Jan 6, 197728 Koiak | 43 days |
| Paramoun of the Nativity | Thu, Jan 6, 197728 Koiak | Thu, Jan 6, 197728 Koiak | 1 day |
| Paramoun of the Theophany | Tue, Jan 18, 197710 Tobi | Tue, Jan 18, 197710 Tobi | 1 day |
| The Fast of Nineveh (Jonah) | Mon, Jan 31, 197723 Tobi | Wed, Feb 2, 197725 Tobi | 3 days |
| Great Lent | Mon, Feb 14, 19777 Meshir | Sat, Apr 9, 19771 Parmouti | 55 days |
| The Apostles' Fast | Mon, May 30, 197722 Pashons | Mon, Jul 11, 19774 Epip | 43 days |
| The Fast of the Virgin Mary | Sun, Aug 7, 19771 Mesori | Sun, Aug 21, 197715 Mesori | 15 days |
| The Nativity Fast (Advent) | Fri, Nov 25, 197716 Hathor | Fri, Jan 6, 197828 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.