Notes on the Advent Fast in the Coptic Rite

For those interested in some information on the Fast of the Advent in the Coptic Church:

(The reason I’m writing this is because I’ve received several questions over the past two weeks, some about the fast itself and others about the hymns of the fast. Hopefully this brief summary will answer some questions. Also, to clarify, I’m not attacking anyone who uses the interpretation below; just trying to shed some light.)

There is a common interpretation used now amongst many that says, “We fast 43 days, 40 as a symbol of the days Moses awaited the two tablets from God and the other 3 days for a remembrance of the miracle of the moving of the Mokattam mountain in the 10th century.” This interpretation is pretty much false. It is an inaccurate attempt to explain something ambiguous. Hymnologically speaking, now that the fast begins two weeks earlier than the month of Kiahk, certain things change while others do not. These pieces include the concluding canons and the fraction during the liturgy prayed by the priest. This causes some discrepancy and confusion.

The texts that I’m citing are paraphrased from Fr. Athanasius el Maqary’s book “The Virginal Birth and the Divine Apparition”

The Advent fast was first mentioned in passing by Bishop Sawiros Ibn el Maqafa3 (910-1000 AD) saying, “One of the fasts is that which is prior to the Nativity.” We can conclude that because it was mentioned by Bishop Sawiris in this manner that it was a fast that existed before his time and was somewhat established.

The Advent period was mentioned as a standard fast in the church in the time of Pope Christodoulos the 66th Pope of Alexandria (1047-1077 AD). He states that the fast begins on the 15th of Hator (Feast of St. Mena) until the 27th of Kiahk, followed by the “Paramoun” of the feast on the 28th.

Thus, the fast had taken on a period of 6 weeks (42 days) plus the Paramoun (1 day). They made no mention at all of the aforementioned interpretation, nor of the miracle, which ironically occurred during their time period.

In the 13th century, Youhanna Ibn Sba3 states that the Egyptians fasted the month of Kiahk before the Nativity. His contemporary, Ibn Al Asaal, mentions that the fast before the Nativity is 6 weeks.

In the 14th century, Fr. Ibn Kabar, a ritual scholar in the Coptic church, stated that the people of Upper Egypt fasted the month of Kiahk, whereas he also states that the people of Cairo and Northern Egypt fasted from the 15th of Hator.

From these resources we can understand that the fast itself existed before the time of Pope Christodoulos (11th century) but that it was not standardized as a 6 week (42 + 1 day) fast. It was originally just the month of Kiahk, which is the reason for all the hymnological changes that happen at the beginning of the month of Kiahk. This is also proven by the fact that people in Upper Egypt, until the 14th century, still only fasted the month of Kiahk.

In 1602, Pope Gabriel the 8th, tried to return to the original practice of just fasting the month of Kiahk, but after his passing, the Copts also returned to their now established practice of a 6 week fast.

These changes and alterations are what lead us to the confusion we have now regarding the fast of the Advent, its hymnological changes, and the purpose of the fast. The 40 day interpretation is taken from the Greek Orthodox Church, but doesn’t fit the Coptic resources that we have nor does it follow the counting system of the church of Alexandria which usually counts the fasts by the number of weeks (Ex. Great Lent 8 weeks of 5 days of ascetic fasting, Monday – Friday = 40 days)

I hope this doesn’t cause too much confusion or leads people to the idea of not fasting. I’m merely trying to stop some arguing over little details that make no sense to begin with