Why are prostrations forbidden during the Holy Fifty Days?
By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-10
In the Coptic Orthodox tradition, prostrations are strictly forbidden during the Holy Fifty Days because this period is a continuous celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
There are several theological and historical reasons for this practice:
1. The Theology of the Resurrection
The act of prostrating (bowing to the ground) is a posture associated with repentance, mourning, and the fall of man. However, the Resurrection represents our rising with Christ. St. Paul teaches that we were buried with Him and raised with Him. Because we are celebrating the victory over death and our liberation from the fall, we stand upright to symbolize that we are no longer "fallen" but are "risen" children of the Resurrection. Standing is the posture of the redeemed and the victorious.
2. Canons of the Church
The prohibition of kneeling or prostrating on Sundays and during the Pentecostal season is codified in the Canons of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea (325 AD). Canon 20 states:
"Forasmuch as there are certain persons who kneel on the Lord's Day and in the days of Pentecost, therefore, to the intent that all things may be uniformly observed everywhere, it seems good to the Holy Council that prayer be made to God standing."
This was established to ensure liturgical uniformity across the entire Church, emphasizing the joy of the Resurrection.
3. The "Day of the Lord"
The Holy Fifty Days are treated as one continuous "Sunday" (the Lord’s Day). Since every Sunday is a "mini-Easter" when we do not kneel, the Fifty Days—being the "Week of Weeks"—follow this rule every day of the week. We remain standing during the Liturgy (except for the silent prayer of the Fraction and the reception of the Holy Mysteries, when a humble bow is appropriate, but not a full prostration to the floor).
4. Fasting and Repentance
Prostrations are often linked to periods of asceticism and fasting (such as Great Lent). Since the Holy Fifty Days is a period when fasting is strictly forbidden—even on Wednesdays and Fridays—the outward signs of ascetic penance, such as metanoias, are also put aside to give way to the spirit of feasting and joy.
This practice continues until the Kneeling Prayer on the afternoon of the Feast of Pentecost, which marks the transition back into the regular cycle of the Church year when kneeling and prostrations resume.