January 21. The Holy Nativity Fast. To explain the difference between the EO 40 days (39+1) with the COC 43 days (3 unknown +38-39 normal fast + 1-2 paramoun), someone associated the Mokattam miracle to explain the remaining 3 unknown days. My lesson will also take into account the oneness of the Feast of the Nativity and Theophany, and I am planning to give a spiritual contemplation for that and for the importance of both the Theotokos and the Prodromos. It would be interesting to research this tidbit. I wonder if they confuse the fast with the 40 days purification rite post-birth of Christ, which is most likely what she went through before entering the temple again. The Circumcision Feast. We yell a lot. It was Pope Gregory VII the Great (1073-85) that really structured the Advent for RCC. Also, we will forget the whole controversy concerning the accuracy of December 25th. Ignatius (c. 105, E), 1.57 Statement on the Death of Mr. George Floyd. ... (Coptic New Year) January 14. Fasting is a battle against one’s soul and body. Throughout this Fast, we commemorate the events that preceded the birth of our Lord Jesus […]. Until I find Fr Shenouda's article and his source of the information, let's assume this was a later development). In addition, people like to explain liturgical rites and customs through a political and polemic mindset, not a theological, linguistic or liturgical paradigm. The Nativity Fast. Secondly from secondary sources on the internet, I gather the canon 9 states "that the liturgical norms for Lent be kept from November 11 to December 24". Moses and Elijah fasted with no food. I meant 4 Sundays. Is it uniquely derived than other Eastern traditions, or can we safely assume our Nativity Fast origins began with the rest of the East in some manner (besides the extra 3 days of the Mokattam Fast)? falling on Dec 24. In general, Coptic fasting means adhering to a vegan diet, thus abstaining from meat, fish, eggs, dairy, and other animal products. In Coptic Christianity, it is a Trinitarian feast, in reference to the Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit of Christianity. The Eastern Orthodox celebrate Nativity Fast from Nov 15 to Dec 25, with Paramouny (. Throughout this Fast, we commemorate the events that preceded the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ and ultimately transformed human history. Anything the EO Church did we also simultaneously seem to have adopted. I think meaner than I remember as a kid. Is it not possible that the 40 day fast existed prior to Pope Christodolous and that he only made it official? June 3, 2020; Presidential Message on Global Coptic Day 2020. The Nayrouz Feast (Coptic New Year) September 11 The Feast of the Cross (Three Days) September 27 – 29 (Commemorates the dedication of the Church of the Holy Cross which was built by Queen Helen, mother of Emperor Constantine) The Holy Nativity Fast (Advent) November 25 – January 6 The Holy Nativity Feast. If, for some reason, we find a need to go during Holy Week, it should only be AFTER we have done a full confession some time during Great Lent. The vast Orthodox majority celebrate 40 days (which includes Paramoun). Nov 25,2020 – Jan 6, 2021 Hathor 16 – Koiahk 28, 1737 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14. This Holy Nativity Fast is a … Sponsored by the Coptic Orthodox Church of St. Mark, Jersey City, NJ. Thank you johnbeloved! That's where our sources come from, but if we find evidence to the contrary, it is possible he could have been mistaken. I hope this helps your lesson. January 19. In this series, we will read the Holy Scripture with the Church through the lens of the Holy Fathers who lived the Scripture... Let us examine a unique aspect of the genealogy of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospel according to St. Matthew: the inclusion... Christ our Lord was in Capernaum, the city that hosted Him during much of His earthly ministry, residing in one of the houses... We humans, have become very mean. 21st of Every Coptic Month – Commemoration of St. Mary, the Theotokos (Mother of God) 12th of Every Coptic Month -Commemoration of the honorable Archangel Michael the Head of the Heavenly The Copts (Christians of Egypt), who belong mostly to the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, observe fasting periods according to the Coptic calendar.These fasting periods are exceeded by no other Christian community except the Orthodox Tewahedo.Out of the 365 days of the year, Copts often fast between 180 to 210 days. I'm sure your audience will want to kill me for all this extra information. Mina, I gave you more information for your lessons. Focus on Rem and qawe's comments. As I see it, the EO have 40 days, the Coptic Church (COC) have 40 days. The Eastern fast runs for 40 days instead of four or six weeks and thematically focuses on proclamation and glorification of the Incarnation of God, The feast of the Nativity of Christ is kept by the Coptic Church on 29 Koiahk. Fr Shenouda's lost article tells us Pope Christodolous gave the Virgin's 40 day fasting during pregnancy as the reason. Now you need to come up with a religious/spiritual reason; which will lead into another "secular pietism" problem like the Mokattam miracle.). Then in the 10th century, the Coptic Church added 3 days to commemorate Mokattam. The fast is divided into two periods. Site Search Arabic ... we are justified and sanctified by the work of our Lord Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. Nov 25, 2016 – Jan 6, 2017 Hathor 16 – Koiahk 28, 1733. St. Mina & St. Anthony’s Coptic Orthodox Church. I'll keep that in mind. All churches now see the Advent Fast as a preparation for Christ's coming (which is mainly why it makes no sense to continue to associate the Mokattam miracle with Advent). The most logical (again unsubstantiated) theory is that there were many local customs regarding the duration of the Nativity fast. Hopefully, someone has a copy and I can start looking for the exact references. We really don't know who adopted from whom and when. I agree that even after the Chalcedonian schism, we still were more or less an "imperial" Church. (For Yum Kippur, they fast 25 hours with no food or water). 3 additional days were added for paramoun based on calendar discrepancy. Timotheus Soliman, was ordained on Novemeber 18, 2001. As we can see, the length of 40/43 days for the Nativity fast revolved around saint feasts in proximity to Christmas in the COC, EOC and RCC. But if the Theotokos fasts while she was pregnant, what type of fast was it? June 3, … Fr Shenouda's article on Coptic world has been removed and I don't have a copy. 29th of Every Coptic Month – Commemoration of the Three Major Feasts of the Lord: the Annunciation, the Nativity and the Resurrection of the Lord. from November 25 (or 26) to January 6 (inclusive)]. The were independently started as localized, regional tradition, but dependent on global influence of Orthodoxy. something like this). RCC used to have strict fasting for the entire fast like Lent (but that all changed with Vatican II). I noticed that some of you were looking for the article by Fr. I was listening to a youtube video of a very brief history of the Nativity Fast, and I was curious to know what the history of the Nativity Fast was for the Coptic Church. We implore our Lord, who completed our salvation by coming down to redeem us from the bondage of sin, to help us to do what is pleasing in His sight during this holy fast and through all the days of our lives. In my previous comment the Roman rite has 4 days for Lent. If we assume she was afraid to confront St Joseph the Carpenter when she started showing (as Ibn Sabaa stated), then we are faced with some strange peculiarities in the relationship of St Joseph and the Virgin Mary. The 43-day Holy Nativity Fast begins around November 25 and ends with the Holy Nativity Feast on January 7, Coptic Christmas. A star shone forth in heaven above all the other stars. As to what type of fast was it, we have no way to know. St. Kyrillos Coptic Orthodox Church (954) 663-0569. This is why I believe the development of the Nativity Fast occurred interdependently. We pontificate a lot. Anything earlier than this falls under a completely different, stricter scrutiny. A pregnant woman needs to eat. It had nothing to do with St Mary. The Malankara Church, from what I understand, fast 25 days or maybe less, I'm not entirely sure. COC and EOC have strict fasting on Paramoun. A pregnant woman. Advent Fast (Kiahk) Jonah's Fast/Feast The Great Fast (Lent) Holy Week The Apostles ... Nativity Feast. The priest of our church, Fr. Bishop Youssef. If the West was already fasting 40 days since the 5th/6th century, isn't it probably that Egyptians started Advent fasting at an earlier date before Pope Christodolous? I suppose if a Jew willingly fasted for 40 days, they would be expected to eat something small (as long as it is not one of the designated fast days). Lent is a strict fast for all Apostolic Churches reflecting the importance of repentance for 40 days. Unfortunately this website didn't actually publish Fr Shenouda's article. It corroborates the need to make the fast 40 days, not 30. The best we have is evidence that a 40 day fast started in the 12th century as seen in the first video. But I remember visiting a Malankara Church early in the Nativity fast, and they did not fast yet at the time. F or those of us following the Old (Julian) calendar, as we do in the Coptic Orthodox Church, we have just begun the Nativity Fast, which culminates in the Feast of our Lord’s Nativity in the flesh on January 7, 2017.. Either way, no one has ever documented St Mary's fasting during pregnancy (so far, we only have one instance written a millennium later). If 3 days were added to the Nativity feast due to Mokattam, then we would have found some corroborating information in the History of the Patriarchs under Pope Abraham/Abraam (or another hagiographical text). (making two paramoun fasts). The EO never bothered to give an additional reason for 40 days duration for Nativity (other than it mimics Moses' fasting 40 days to receive the Ten Commandments). I think history would be very informative for them on this for an appreciation of the Fast. For those of us following the Old (Julian) calendar, as we do in the Coptic Orthodox Church, we have just begun the Nativity Fast, which culminates in the Feast of our Lord’s Nativity in the flesh on January 7th. A 40 day fast was added in Pope Christodolous' time (12th century) in addition to the paramoun fast. This seems to be the original understanding of Advent (at least for the RCC) but it later lost importance (as we see that RCC Advent and other Churches no longer have a 40 day Advent fast). RCC lowered the 43 day fast (6th century) to 28-34 days (11th century). As part of their preparatory and ascetic practice Coptic Orthodox Christians, both in Egypt and around the world, begin to prepare for the feast of the Nativity with a dedicated fast 43 days prior. The Nativity Fast Its Length and Manner of Observance: In the Coptic Church, the fast of the Nativity invariably begins on 16 Hatur of te Coptic Calendar and extends to the eve of 29 Kiahk (or 28 Kiahk in the year following the Coptic leap year), [i.e. COC added 40 to the original 1-3 paramoun days in the 10/11th century. How, then, was He manifested to … I think it makes more sense that St Mary fasted 40 days immediately after the annunciation while she was at St Elizabeth's house. So I am a bit skeptical. [1] The corresponding Western season of preparation for Christmas, which also has been called the Nativity Fast [2] and St. Martin's Lent, has taken the name of Advent.The Eastern fast runs for 40 days instead of four or six … Of course there are exceptions.) Jesus fasted with no food. Often we find a new ancient manuscript or text saying X and want this to mean COC is older (or better or more authentic) than EO or vice versa depending on which party you subscribe to. February 15. Early Christianity (1-3 centuries) had a single feast for the Incarnation and the Theophany with a single paramoun fasting day. And of course, prenatal vitamins are a must, and so the nutritional value of what people ate back then was important. As far as I can tell, no one has a reason for 40 days. This is the theory that persists. The Roman Rite has 4 days for Nativity Fast, the Western Rite (Ambrose) rite has six weeks, Melkite Greek Catholic has a 15 day fast, the Ancient Church of the East (Assyrian) has a 25 day fast. Visit the post again and you'll find a reference to it for you to download. He also reduced the Advent Sundays from 5 to 4. Hey everyone. In Christianity, the Nativity Fast is a period of abstinence and penance practiced by the Eastern Orthodox Church and Catholic Church in preparation for the Nativity of Jesus on December 25. There was a long discussion about this a while ago. The second theory is somewhere between the 6th and 10th century, we had a 40 day fast like the Eastern Orthodox. So as of now it is a theory only. I know with pregnancy, a healthy diet is recommended. The Nayrouz Feast (Coptic New Year) September 12. (Maybe both reasons are involved simultaneously and interdependently, although no one seems to have seen it this way). (Hint: we have no idea. You need 5 Sundays to have a 40 day Advent fast. This is important because it reflects a Jewish custom. November 26 – January 6 (705) 487-5473. If the paramount falls on a Saturday or Sunday, it is moved back to Friday making the paramoun fast 2 or 3 days. (, Absolutely, I think it's going to be a lot of fun explaining these theories. There was likely another party that had 40 day fasting, another that had a different amount of fasting, and another that had a third duration for the fast, as we see happening today. If you focus on the oneness of the Feast of the Nativity and the Theophany, be prepared to answer "Why did Pope Athanasius separate them?" All of my theories may be wrong since I can't find any information at this time. The Nativity of Christ - A New Covenant - Christmas Fast & The Nativity of Jesus Christ - Coptic Orthodox Feasts < Saint Takla Haymanot Website - Alexandria - Egypt Toggle navigation. We can only say this is a historical fact. (This is a common practice for most Orthodox churches). The 40 day fast gained popularity and found its way into Alexandria (or maybe Alexandria was first and it found its way into Constantinople and Jerusalem). St. John the Baptist Coptic Orthodox Church is a member church of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States, under the auspices of H.G. Whether or not the reason for 40/43 days was originally due to a saint's feast day or the Jewish custom of 40 day fasts remains unknown. Coptic Orthodox Fasts & Feasts 2020 Coptic Calendar Year EventDate Paramoune of … The Holy Epiphany. She stopped fasting when the 40 days were up (just like Moses and Elijah). The article I read 2 years ago by Fr Shenouda mentioned the Virgin's fasting during her pregnancy as Pope Christodolus' reason for the canon. Thus, it is highly possible that a 40 day fast for Nativity existed before Pope Christodolus (as Fr Shenouda implied). However, the flaw of this theory is the additional 3 days for Mokattam. There is also a rule that if the Torah is dropped accidentally, the community must fast for 40 days. Now it is more likely that the Virgin Mary fasted the first 40 days of her pregnancy, not the last 40 days since she could not know the exact date of Christ's birth without being told (and that information would likely have been in the Gospels. Just don't forget, this comes into play when discussing the length, duration and begin date of the Nativity Fast.). This is a joyous fast in anticipation of the Nativity of Christ. That is the reason it is less strict than other fasting periods. This Friday, I'm giving a lesson for the grad meeting on the Nativity Fast and its relevance for us. Presentation of the Lord into the Temple. I don't think Ibn Kabar said anything about the Nativity fast), I found it. (I have a hard time believing fear and distrust was part of their daily life). The Fast in Preparation for Nativity (generally 40 days, but goes strictest 4 days before Nativity). When I was doing a google search for Abouna Shenouda's article, I found this: In addition, this theory still ignores the fact that the Eastern Orthodox had a similar, simultaneous (and I believe interdependent) development. Coptic Fasts & Feasts 2021 A.D. / 1737–1738 A.M. Thank you for that. Thus we find no fasting, 40 days fasting, 10 days fasting, 25 days fasting, etc. While a local tradition may have held a custom that Advent fasting was 40 days (for the Virgin's fasting) plus 3 days (for Paramoun), I now believe the theory ignores the influence from the rest of the Christian world. “When we fast for Christmas we are pescatarians, so we have a lot of fish and vegetables and we only use oil,” says Veena Soliman. It is for this reason that the Advent in the Roman Catholic church mimics Lent (color purple for repentance, over-half-way mark Sunday). The Nativity Fast is one of the four Canonical Fasting Seasons in the Church year. The Holy Nativity Fast: ... Tekklycia Nte `Nrem`n,ymi `Nor;odooxc . It takes a long time to train the human body to fast and abstain from food. But ". The Nativity Fast. I've updated my blog post to include that article. I tried to emphasize the point that there were many traditions on the Nativity fast occurring simultaneously and probably interdependently. Where can I find this idea of the Jewish practice of fasting 40 days during pregnancy? Fasting is a principal foundation in the life of the Church, and of the 365 days of the year Copts fast … Shenouda Maher Ishak. For those of us following the Old (Julian) calendar, as we do in the Coptic Orthodox Church, we have just begun the Nativity Fast, which culminates in the Feast of our Lord’s Nativity in the flesh on January 7, 2017. By the time of Pope Benjamin (7th century), there is one Nativity paramoun fast day to copy EO paramoun. Hope you find it helpful! Mina, keep in mind that I could not verify Fr Shenouda's references. The Coptic Orthodox people fast a fair bit, to be honest. The corresponding Western season of preparation for Christmas, which also has been called the Nativity Fast and St. Martin's Lent, has taken the name of Advent. Enter a year from 2000 to 2100 to see … The Nativity Feast Background. The EO have paramoun, the COC have paramoun (and we borrowed the word from them). Possible...the thing is Ibn Kabar said it only started with Pope Christodolous. We can only go by documented primary sources, as Mina said. Beginning the Nativity Fast: More than a Diet. The question I can't wrap around my head is why the Coptic Church added 40 days instead of making the total 40 days like all other Orthodox Churches. There are those who see fasting as an exercise in self-denial and Christian obed… http://tasbeha.org/community/index.php?p=/discussion/13932/74/p1, https://johnbelovedhabib.wordpress.com/2014/11/25/why-and-how-we-copts-and-eastern-orthodox-fast-before-nativity-christmas/, http://johnbelovedhabib.wordpress.com/2014/11/25/why-and-how-we-copts-and-eastern-orthodox-fast-before-nativity-christmas/, Coptic Orthodox Church of St. Mark, Jersey City, NJ. It looks like you're new here. Modern Jews fast completely on the designated fasts. If paramouny falls on a Saturday or Sunday, they don't add days, rather they have a different liturgy and a less strict fasting regime. I still don't understand how and why the Virgin Mary fasted the last seven and half months of her pregnancy and not the first 4o days.
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