Coptic Fasting Calendar 2026
Coptic fasting calendar 2026: Great Lent from Monday, February 16, 2026 to Saturday, April 11, 2026, with the Fast of Nineveh, the Apostles' Fast, St. Mary's Fast, the Nativity Fast and the paramoun.
The fasts of 2026
| Fast | Begins | Ends | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Nativity Fast (Advent) | Tue, Nov 25, 202516 Hathor | Tue, Jan 6, 202628 Koiak | 43 days |
| Paramoun of the Nativity | Tue, Jan 6, 202628 Koiak | Tue, Jan 6, 202628 Koiak | 1 day |
| Paramoun of the Theophany | Fri, Jan 16, 20268 Tobi | Sun, Jan 18, 202610 Tobi | 3 days |
| The Fast of Nineveh (Jonah) | Mon, Feb 2, 202625 Tobi | Wed, Feb 4, 202627 Tobi | 3 days |
| Great Lent | Mon, Feb 16, 20269 Meshir | Sat, Apr 11, 20263 Parmouti | 55 days |
| The Apostles' Fast | Mon, Jun 1, 202624 Pashons | Sat, Jul 11, 20264 Epip | 41 days |
| The Fast of the Virgin Mary | Fri, Aug 7, 20261 Mesori | Fri, Aug 21, 202615 Mesori | 15 days |
| The Nativity Fast (Advent) | Wed, Nov 25, 202616 Hathor | Wed, Jan 6, 202728 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.