Why is the Book of Tobit read on the second-to-last Friday of Lent?

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

The Book of Tobit is read on the Friday of the seventh week of Great Lent, which is the Friday immediately preceding Lazarus Saturday and Hosanna Sunday. This day is specifically known as the "Friday of the End of the Great Fast," or the "Closing of the Fast," as it marks the conclusion of the forty days of fasting before we enter into the specific rites of Holy Week.

In the Coptic Orthodox tradition, the reading of the Book of Tobit on this day is deeply significant for several theological and liturgical reasons:

1. The Theme of Almsgiving and Mercy

Throughout Great Lent, the Church emphasizes the three pillars of spiritual life: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. The Book of Tobit is the preeminent scriptural example of the power of almsgiving and mercy. Tobit is a man who risked his life to bury the dead and gave generously to the poor. As we conclude the forty days, the Church reminds us through his story that our fasting is incomplete without acts of mercy.

2. Healing and the Removal of Darkness

The story of Tobit culminates in the healing of his blindness through the instructions of the Archangel Raphael. Liturgically, this transitions us toward the Saturday of Lazarus and the healing miracles of Christ. It serves as a physical type of the spiritual healing we seek through the Lenten journey—moving from the darkness of sin and "blindness" to the light of the Resurrection.

3. Marriage and the Groom

The Book of Tobit describes the marriage of Tobias and Sarah, which was preserved from the power of the demon Asmodeus through prayer and fasting. This serves as a "type" or symbol of Christ (the Groom) coming to rescue His Bride (the Church) from the power of the devil. As we approach Holy Week, we are preparing to meet the Heavenly Groom who, through His death on the Cross, destroys the power of death and the enemy.

4. The Presence of Archangel Raphael

The Book of Tobit highlights the role of the Archangel Raphael, whose name means "God heals." His guidance of Tobias is a reminder of the angelic protection and divine providence that accompany the faithful through their struggles. The Coptic Church honors the Archangels as intercessors who assist us in our spiritual warfare, especially as we prepare for the intense spiritual battle of Pascha.

Liturgical Context

The reading takes place during the Sixth Hour of the Friday of the Seventh Week. Because this Friday marks the end of the "Forty Days", the Church gathers to read this entire book as a final "spiritual meal" and a testament to the virtues of patience, righteousness, and trust in God's deliverance before we commence the somber journey of the Passion.

It is a reminder that just as Tobit was rewarded for his faithfulness and his "tribulations were turned into joy," our Lenten struggles are leading us to the joy of the Resurrection.