Coptic Fasting Calendar 2103
Coptic fasting calendar 2103: Great Lent from Monday, March 5, 2103 to Saturday, April 28, 2103, with the Fast of Nineveh, the Apostles' Fast, St. Mary's Fast, the Nativity Fast and the paramoun.
The fasts of 2103
| Fast | Begins | Ends | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Nativity Fast (Advent) | Sat, Nov 25, 210215 Hathor | Sun, Jan 7, 210328 Koiak | 44 days |
| Paramoun of the Nativity | Fri, Jan 5, 210326 Koiak | Sun, Jan 7, 210328 Koiak | 3 days |
| Paramoun of the Theophany | Fri, Jan 19, 210310 Tobi | Fri, Jan 19, 210310 Tobi | 1 day |
| The Fast of Nineveh (Jonah) | Mon, Feb 19, 210311 Meshir | Wed, Feb 21, 210313 Meshir | 3 days |
| Great Lent | Mon, Mar 5, 210325 Meshir | Sat, Apr 28, 210319 Parmouti | 55 days |
| The Apostles' Fast | Mon, Jun 18, 210310 Paoni | Thu, Jul 12, 21034 Epip | 25 days |
| The Fast of the Virgin Mary | Wed, Aug 8, 21031 Mesori | Wed, Aug 22, 210315 Mesori | 15 days |
| The Nativity Fast (Advent) | Sun, Nov 25, 210314 Hathor | Mon, Jan 7, 210427 Koiak | 44 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.