H.H. Pope Tawadros II extended his greetings to the fathers and congregation of the Church on the occasion of the Fast of Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, which begins tomorrow (Thursday), in accordance with the rite of the Coptic Orthodox Church.

This came prior to the start of his sermon during the weekly Wednesday meeting, held this evening at the Church of Saint Anthony at the Papal Residence in Cairo.

In his message, His Holiness said: “I extend my greetings to you on the commencement of the Fast of Virgin Mary, a beloved fast in our Church. It is the final fast of the ecclesiastical year, during which we strive to observe it in various ways. Some begin fasting from the first day of the month—thus a week before the official start—while others fast with only water and salt. Some subsist solely on plant-based foods without water, and others observe extended hours of fasting, and so on.”

He added: “The Fast of Virgin Mary originated in convents, where nuns used to observe it. Since we are a congregation who love fasting, this fast was adopted by the faithful and eventually by the entire Church.”

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