Fasting Days

There are approximately 160 fasting days prescribed by the Armenian Apostolic Church.

Fasting days are classified as follows:

1) Daily fast – Wednesdays and Fridays. However, there is a dispensation from fasting during the forty days after Easter (until Ascension) and during the octave of the Theophany (January 6-13).

2) Great Lent (the 7 weeks preceding Easter): February 27 – April 16

3) Week-long Fasts. There are ten week-long fasts. These fasts are observed from Monday through Friday, except the fast of Nativity which is a 6-day fast:

Fast of the Nativity and Theophany: December 30 – January 4
Fast of the Catechumens: February 7 – 11
Fast of Elijah: June 6 – 10
Fast of our Holy Father St. Gregory the Illuminator: June 14-18
Fast of the Transfiguration: July 5 – 9
Fast of the Assumption of the Holy Mother of God: August 9 – 13
Fast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross: September 6 – 10
Fast of the Holy Cross of Varak: September 20 – 24
Fast of Advent: November 22 – 26
Fast of St. Hagop: December 13 – 17