What are the feast days from March 30 to April 3?

By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-10

In the Coptic Orthodox Church, the liturgical calendar follows the Coptic months. The period from March 30 to April 3 typically corresponds to the days of 21 Paremhotep to 25 Paremhotep (in a standard year).

March 30

• Monthly Commemoration of the Holy Virgin Mary: As with the 21st of every Coptic month, the Church honors the Mother of God. This specific day also marks the feast of her Annunciation in the Coptic tradition (though the primary Feast of the Annunciation is March 29/29 Paremhotep).
• Departure of St. Bane the Hermit: A great ascetic of the fourth century.
• Departure of St. Theodore the Bishop: A confessor and shepherd of the Church.

March 31

• Departure of St. Cyril (Kyrillos), 24th Pope of Alexandria: He was the successor to St. Timothy and is remembered for his steadfastness in the Orthodox faith.
• Martyrdom of St. Michael the New Martyr: A saint who suffered for the Name of Christ during the Islamic period.

April 1

• Departure of St. Daniel the Prophet: One of the four "Great Prophets" of the Old Testament. The Church honors his righteousness, his visions of the Son of Man, and his miraculous deliverance from the lions' den.
• Departure of St. Onesiphorus: One of the seventy apostles mentioned by St. Paul in his epistles (2 Timothy 1:16).

April 2

• Departure of St. Macarius the Great, of Scetis: One of the most significant fathers of Coptic monasticism and a disciple of St. Anthony the Great. He founded the monastic settlement in the Nitrian Desert (Wadi El Natrun).
• Appearance of the Virgin Mary at Zeitoun (1968): While the primary celebration is often associated with the Coptic month of Baramhat, many celebrate the anniversary of her historic appearance in Cairo during this season.

April 3

• Departure of St. Onesimus: The disciple of St. Paul and the subject of the Epistle to Philemon. He became a bishop and suffered for Christ.
• Martyrdom of St. Apollonius and St. Philemon: Two famous martyrs of the Diocletian persecution. St. Philemon was a musician/singer who was converted by the steadfastness of Apollonius.

Liturgical Note: The Great Fast

Because these dates usually fall during the Holy Great Fast or Holy Week, the liturgical observance of these saints may change:

1. If during Lent: The Liturgies are prayed in the Lenten Tune, and the Synaxarium is read before the Gospel or after the Praxis.
2. If during Holy Week: The commemoration of saints is suspended, as the Church focuses entirely on the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. In this case, the Moalemeen (such as Moalem Ibrahim Ayad or Moalem Gad Lewis) lead the congregation in the deep and mournful chants of the Pascha.

The specific melodies for the Doxologies of these saints, when applicable, are preserved by our masters of the rite, including Moalem Zaher Andrawes, Moalem George Mikhail, Moalem Mina Makar, and Moalem Milad Nady.