Coptic Fasting Calendar 2004
Coptic fasting calendar 2004: Great Lent from Monday, February 16, 2004 to Saturday, April 10, 2004, with the Fast of Nineveh, the Apostles' Fast, St. Mary's Fast, the Nativity Fast and the paramoun.
The fasts of 2004
| Fast | Begins | Ends | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Nativity Fast (Advent) | Tue, Nov 25, 200315 Hathor | Tue, Jan 6, 200427 Koiak | 43 days |
| Paramoun of the Nativity | Tue, Jan 6, 200427 Koiak | Tue, Jan 6, 200427 Koiak | 1 day |
| Paramoun of the Theophany | Mon, Jan 19, 200410 Tobi | Mon, Jan 19, 200410 Tobi | 1 day |
| The Fast of Nineveh (Jonah) | Mon, Feb 2, 200424 Tobi | Wed, Feb 4, 200426 Tobi | 3 days |
| Great Lent | Mon, Feb 16, 20048 Meshir | Sat, Apr 10, 20042 Parmouti | 55 days |
| The Apostles' Fast | Mon, May 31, 200423 Pashons | Sun, Jul 11, 20044 Epip | 42 days |
| The Fast of the Virgin Mary | Sat, Aug 7, 20041 Mesori | Sat, Aug 21, 200415 Mesori | 15 days |
| The Nativity Fast (Advent) | Thu, Nov 25, 200416 Hathor | Thu, Jan 6, 200528 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.