In the Name of the Father, the Son & the Holy Spirit; One God, Amen!
Church Holy Days
Saints’ days and other Feast Days were established by the church herself. ~+~ Some go back to apostolic times and others are of later origin. There is a great number of feasts in the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church.
Feast Days
+ 9 feasts of the Lord + 33 feasts of our Lady, Virgin Mary
+ Feasts of the Apostles + Sunday, Saturday
+ Feasts of the Angels + Feasts of the Righteous (Saints)
+ Feasts of the Martyrs.
Fast Days
+ There are 7 official fasting periods ordained in the Fetha Negest.
+ There are 180 of fasting days in total which are obligatory for all Orthodox Christians.
+ Total of 250 fasting days a year are for Monks/Nuns, Priests & other special groups in the church.
+ Advent and Qusquam (40 days preceding, 'the Fast of the flight to Egypt').
+ The longest periods of fasting are those of Lent.
In addition to these, there is the fast of repentance which a man keeps after committing sin, it being imposed as a penance by the priest for 7 days, 40 days or 1 year. ~The priest rarely grants dispensations. ~ The person who ignores or neglects any injunction of the church is not considered good Christian. ~+~ (Pregnant women, the very ill or persons with chronic illness are excused from fasting)
The 7 Official Fasts
The 7 Official Fasting periods for lay persons. +All persons above the age of 7 observe the church fasts. + There is a fast of desire which a man keeps if he thinks that he will subdue his body by extra good works. + There is a fast which a Bishop keeps at the time he is consecrated. + There is a 40 days fast for all new monks/nuns, beginning the day of consecration continues to seclusion. + Monks/Nuns observe additional fast days not required of the lay people.
Wed/Fri Fast | Tsome Dihnet
Prophet's Fast | Tsome Nebiyat
Gehade Timqet | Eve of Epiphany
Fast of Nineveh | Tsome Nenewie
The Great Fast | Abiy Tsom
Apostle's Fast| Tsome Hawariyat
Assumption Fast | Tsome Filseta
Major Holy Days
The Nativity | Lidet
The celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
Theophany | Timqet
The celebration of the baptism of Jesus Christ, by St. John the Baptist.
Palm Sunday | Hosa'ina
The celebration of when Christ entered Jerusalem and all praised Him.
Holy Thursday | Misiete Hamus
The celebration of when Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist.
Good Friday | Siqlet
The day which our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ sacrificed Himself for our sake.
Holy Resurrection | Tinsa'ie
When our Lord and Savior arose from the dead, after freeing Adam, & chaining satan in hades.
Ascension | Irget
The celebration of when our Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven. (Always Commemorated on a Thursday).
Pentecost | PeraqlīTos
The celebration of the coming down of the Holy Spirit upon the Holy Apostles in the form of Fire.
The Transfiguration | Debre Tabor
The celebration of the revelation of our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ's divinity.