Coptic Fasting Calendar 1985
Coptic fasting calendar 1985: Great Lent from Monday, February 18, 1985 to Saturday, April 13, 1985, with the Fast of Nineveh, the Apostles' Fast, St. Mary's Fast, the Nativity Fast and the paramoun.
The fasts of 1985
| Fast | Begins | Ends | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Nativity Fast (Advent) | Sun, Nov 25, 198416 Hathor | Sun, Jan 6, 198528 Koiak | 43 days |
| Paramoun of the Nativity | Fri, Jan 4, 198526 Koiak | Sun, Jan 6, 198528 Koiak | 3 days |
| Paramoun of the Theophany | Fri, Jan 18, 198510 Tobi | Fri, Jan 18, 198510 Tobi | 1 day |
| The Fast of Nineveh (Jonah) | Mon, Feb 4, 198527 Tobi | Wed, Feb 6, 198529 Tobi | 3 days |
| Great Lent | Mon, Feb 18, 198511 Meshir | Sat, Apr 13, 19855 Parmouti | 55 days |
| The Apostles' Fast | Mon, Jun 3, 198526 Pashons | Thu, Jul 11, 19854 Epip | 39 days |
| The Fast of the Virgin Mary | Wed, Aug 7, 19851 Mesori | Wed, Aug 21, 198515 Mesori | 15 days |
| The Nativity Fast (Advent) | Mon, Nov 25, 198516 Hathor | Mon, Jan 6, 198628 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.