Coptic Fasting Calendar 2011
Coptic fasting calendar 2011: Great Lent from Monday, February 28, 2011 to Saturday, April 23, 2011, with the Fast of Nineveh, the Apostles' Fast, St. Mary's Fast, the Nativity Fast and the paramoun.
The fasts of 2011
| Fast | Begins | Ends | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Nativity Fast (Advent) | Thu, Nov 25, 201016 Hathor | Thu, Jan 6, 201128 Koiak | 43 days |
| Paramoun of the Nativity | Thu, Jan 6, 201128 Koiak | Thu, Jan 6, 201128 Koiak | 1 day |
| Paramoun of the Theophany | Tue, Jan 18, 201110 Tobi | Tue, Jan 18, 201110 Tobi | 1 day |
| The Fast of Nineveh (Jonah) | Mon, Feb 14, 20117 Meshir | Wed, Feb 16, 20119 Meshir | 3 days |
| Great Lent | Mon, Feb 28, 201121 Meshir | Sat, Apr 23, 201115 Parmouti | 55 days |
| The Apostles' Fast | Mon, Jun 13, 20116 Paoni | Mon, Jul 11, 20114 Epip | 29 days |
| The Fast of the Virgin Mary | Sun, Aug 7, 20111 Mesori | Sun, Aug 21, 201115 Mesori | 15 days |
| The Nativity Fast (Advent) | Fri, Nov 25, 201115 Hathor | Fri, Jan 6, 201227 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.