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The Nativity Fast

Background

The fast of the Nativity invariably begins on 16 Hathor of the Coptic calendar and ends on the eve of 29 Koiahk, thus covering forty-three days. This fast was ordained by the church as a spiritual preparation prior to the celebration of the Nativity of the Logos, just as in the Old Testament Moses observed a fast for forty days and nights before receiving the word of God in the form of the Ten Commandments (Ex. 34:28). 

Originally it was observed for only forty days, but toward the end of the tenth century, three days were added to commemorate the miraculous event of the moving of the Muqattam mountain in Cairo during the patriarchate of Pope Abraham. The story of this event turns around the challenge by al-Mui‘zz, the Fatimid caliph (952-975), to the Coptic patriarch to prove the truth of the saying by Jesus (Mt. 17:20) that faith can move mountains. Accordingly, the patriarch, together with the Coptic community, kept vigil and prayers for three days and nights, which eventually proved effective in moving al-Muqattam. 

Basillious, Archbishop. “Fasting.” Claremont Coptic Encyclopedia

Ishaq, Emil Maher. “Paramone.” Claremont Coptic Encyclopedia

 

Spiritual Application 

“A feast day is about to arrive, and it is the most holy and awesome of all feasts. It would be no mistake to call it the chief and mother of all holy days. What feast is that? It is the day of Christ’s birth in the flesh.”

St. John Chrysostom

"The liturgical year forms Christ in us, from His birth to the full stature of the Perfect Man.”

Lev Gillet

Overview

During the Nativity Fast, the church prepares itself to receive the Son of God the Word on earth in the flesh. This is the first continuous fast in the Coptic year, and it is the start of the journey where we live the entire life of Christ. The month of Koiahk is the last four weeks of the Nativity Fast, where the church celebrates a different theme and event each week, leading up to the birth of Christ on the Nativity Feast on the 29th of Koiahk:

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Week 1. The Announcement of the Birth of John the Baptist to Zacharias (Luke 1:1-25)

“As Zacharias burns incense in the temple of the Lord, an angel of the Lord appears to him to tell him that he shall have a son.”

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Week 2. The Announcement of the birth of Jesus to St. Mary (Luke 1:26-38)

"Gabriel is sent by God to give Mary a special message. She shall bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.”

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Week 3. St. Mary’s visit to Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-56)

“When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the Child you will bear!”

 

Week 4. The birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:57-80)

“Now Elizabeth’s full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.”

Spiritual exercise

Read “On the Incarnation” by St. Athanasius. This book defines for us what it means to be a true Christian. Also, read Chapter 1 of the gospel of St. Luke throughout the month of Koiahk. Ask God to prepare you for His mysterious incarnation, and to prepare you to be one with Him throughout the annual journey in living the seasons of the year throughout His entire life on earth. Join with the church in praising during the month of Koiahk in the Midnight Praises.

Rites

The church fasts with seafood, and prostrations and abstaining are only practiced on the weekdays. Vespers and Midnight praises are filled with additional melodies during the month of Koiahk, and the Theotokias of the week are traditionally all sung during Midnight praises during that month as well. Also during the month of Koiahk, the Koiahk tune is used until the paramone.

Paramone, a Greek term meaning watch or vigil, typically on the eve of a festival, is a term generally used for the vigils of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ and of the Epiphany. It is a fast observed with abstaining from eating fish, meat, eggs, milk, butter, and cheese. If the day before the feast happens to be a Saturday or a Sunday, then the paramone begins on Friday and continues on until the Nativity Feast because the strict fast with prostrations and abstaining is not permitted on Saturday or Sunday. The standard tune is prayed on paramoune and the readings of the paramone day are repeated if the paramone occurs on more than one day.

Hymns

Hymn of Intercessions

  • Through the intercessions, of the Theotokos Saint Mary, O Lord grant us the forgiveness of our sins.

  • Through the intercessions, of the holy archangel, Gabriel the herald of glad tidings, O Lord...

  • Through the intercessions, of the seven archangels, and the heavenly orders, O Lord...

  • Through the intercessions, of the kinsman of Emmanuel, John the son of Zechariah, O Lord...

  • Through the prayers, of the priest Zechariah, and his wife Elizabeth, O Lord...

  • Through the prayers, of the blessed elders, Joachim and Anna, O Lord...

Praxis Response - 1st and 3rd Week

  • Hail to you O Mary, the fair dove, who has borne to us, God the Logos.

  • Hail to Gabriel, the great archangel. Hail to him who announced glad tidings to Virgin Mary.

  • Blessed are You indeed, with Your good Father, and the Holy Spirit, for You have come and saved us. Have mercy on us.

Praxis Response - 2nd Week

  • Hail to you O Mary, the fair dove, who has borne to us, God the Logos.

  • Hail to Gabriel, the herald of glad tidings, the great among the angels and the exalted holy orders, who carry fiery flaming swords.

  • Blessed are You indeed...

Praxis Response - 4th Week

  • Hail to you O Mary, a holy hail, hail to you O Mary, the Mother of the Holy One.

  • Hail to Gabriel, the herald of glad tidings, the great among the angels and the exalted holy orders, who carry fiery flaming swords.

  • Blessed are You indeed...

Gospel Response - 1st and 2nd Week

  • We send you greetings, with Gabriel the angel saying, "Hail to you O full of grace, the Lord is with you."

  • Wherefore we glorify you, as the Mother of God at all times, ask the Lord on our behalf, that He may forgive us our sins.

Gospel Response - 3rd and 4th Week

  • We exalt you worthily, with Elizabeth your cousin saying, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb."

  • Wherefore we glorify you, as the ever-Theotokos, ask the Lord on our behalf, that He may forgive us our sins.

Conclusion Hymn

  • Amen. Alleluia: Glory be to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit: now and forever and unto all ages of ages: Amen. 

  • We proclaim and say: O our Lord Jesus Christ,

  • The Begotten of the Father before all the ages,

  • Save us and have mercy on us. Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy, Lord bless us, Amen: Bless me, bless me. Lo the metania, forgive me, say the blessing.