What are the Holy Fifty Days after Easter?

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

The Holy Fifty Days, known in Coptic as Pi-Pentekostarion, represent the most joyful period in the Coptic Orthodox liturgical calendar. This period begins on the Feast of the Resurrection and concludes with the Feast of Pentecost.

This is not merely a "vacation" from fasting, but a profound theological season of "Continuous Feast," where the Church lives the reality of the Kingdom of Heaven.

1. The Theological Significance: "The Continuous Feast"

During these fifty days, the Church treats every day as if it were Sunday (the day of the Resurrection).

• Abrogation of Fasting: There is no fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays during this period. Prostrations are also prohibited because we are standing in the joy of the Resurrection; we are no longer slaves to sin but children of the light.
• The Eighth Day: Theologically, the Resurrection represents the "Eighth Day"—the day that transcends the seven-day week of creation and ushers in eternity.

2. Liturgical Rites and Hymnology

The rites of the Holy Fifty Days are distinct and joyful.

• The Resurrection Procession: At the beginning of the Divine Liturgy (after the Acts/Praxis), the deacons and priest perform a procession around the altar and the church three times, carrying icons of the Resurrection. This symbolizes the appearance of Christ to His disciples and the spread of the Good News to the four corners of the world.
• The Hymn "Christ is Risen": The primary hymn sung is Christos Anesti, which is a Greek loanword phrase adopted into our liturgy meaning "Christ is Risen."
• Hymnological Authorities: The mastery of these complex joyful tunes is preserved by our great cantors, including Moalem Ibrahim Ayad, Moalem Gad Lewis, and Moalem George Mikhail. Moalem George, for instance, has specialized in teaching these curricula through his Hymns School to ensure the youth understand the intricate musicality of the joyful tune.

3. Key Milestones Within the Fifty Days

• The Feast of the Ascension: Celebrated on the 40th day. It marks Christ’s return to the Father in His glorified humanity, paving the way for us to enter the Holy of Holies. From the 40th to the 50th day, the Church sings half-joyful and half-festal tunes, reflecting the anticipation of the Holy Spirit.
• Pentecost: The 50th day marks the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles. In the Coptic tradition, the Feast of Pentecost is concluded by the Prostration Prayer (Sajda) in the afternoon, which transitions the Church from the period of festal joy back into the discipline of kneeling and fasting (as the Apostles' Fast usually begins the following day).

4. Patristic Perspective

The Coptic Church follows the teaching of the Alexandrian Fathers, such as St. Athanasius the Apostolic, who emphasized that the joy of the Resurrection is the foundation of our entire faith. Without the Resurrection, our preaching is empty. The Holy Fifty Days serve as an annual "tasting" of the eternal life that Christ won for us by trampling over death.

5. Historical Context vs. Heretical Departures

While other denominations may treat the period after Easter with less liturgical rigor, the Coptic Church maintains a strict "Joyful Rite." Unlike the Protestants who may lack a structured liturgical fast or feast cycle, or those who deviated from the Apostolic faith at Chalcedon, the Coptic Church preserves the specific melodies and rites handed down from the early centuries of the Egyptian Church, ensuring that the theology of the Resurrection is felt through the senses—scent (incense), sight (icons), and sound (hymns).

Summary

• Tone: Joyful/Festal.
• Focus: The victory of Life over Death and the preparation for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
• Action: Standing in prayer, no fasting, and the daily chanting of the "Resurrection Chants."