Coptic Fasting Calendar 1994
Coptic fasting calendar 1994: Great Lent from Monday, March 7, 1994 to Saturday, April 30, 1994, with the Fast of Nineveh, the Apostles' Fast, St. Mary's Fast, the Nativity Fast and the paramoun.
The fasts of 1994
| Fast | Begins | Ends | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Nativity Fast (Advent) | Thu, Nov 25, 199316 Hathor | Thu, Jan 6, 199428 Koiak | 43 days |
| Paramoun of the Nativity | Thu, Jan 6, 199428 Koiak | Thu, Jan 6, 199428 Koiak | 1 day |
| Paramoun of the Theophany | Tue, Jan 18, 199410 Tobi | Tue, Jan 18, 199410 Tobi | 1 day |
| The Fast of Nineveh (Jonah) | Mon, Feb 21, 199414 Meshir | Wed, Feb 23, 199416 Meshir | 3 days |
| Great Lent | Mon, Mar 7, 199428 Meshir | Sat, Apr 30, 199422 Parmouti | 55 days |
| The Apostles' Fast | Mon, Jun 20, 199413 Paoni | Mon, Jul 11, 19944 Epip | 22 days |
| The Fast of the Virgin Mary | Sun, Aug 7, 19941 Mesori | Sun, Aug 21, 199415 Mesori | 15 days |
| The Nativity Fast (Advent) | Fri, Nov 25, 199416 Hathor | Fri, Jan 6, 199528 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.