Treasures of Grace Great Fast Linking the Readings

Annually, there are five Katamaros books in the Coptic Orthodox Church.  Katameros is a Greek word found 45 times in the Holy Bible that means “from day to day” or “daily”.  Katamaros refers to the allotted liturgical readings according to each day:  Each book a specific season:

* The Great Fast

* Holy Week

* Holy Fifty Days

* Annual Days

* Annual Sundays

The Coptic Orthodox Church was very purposeful in her choice for each day’s readings. In this work, translated from what was published originally in Arabic in 1958, Archdeacon Banoub Abdou (1900-1967) attempted to shed light on this wisdom.

The Katamaros for Great Fast incorporates (and begins with) the readings for Jonah's Fast, or rather the fast of the Ninevites.  His work, originally published in Arabic under the title "Knooz El Neima," is a vast compendium.  A more comprehensive version of this book on the Great Fast, including the sermons, is currently under publication in three volumes.

This English translation by Saint Mary and Saint Demiana Convent is not comprehensive, but only attempts to glean the highlights of his work for Great Fast.

The purpose of this book is to aid the Coptic reader to understand why the church in her wisdom choses those specific passages to be read on each day during the Great and Holy Fast, and to aid every reader to dive deeper into the meanings within these select Biblical passages and muse over the beauty of God's word and its amazing linearity throughout the Holy Bible.

May the Lord use this work to enrich each Holy Bible reading and each reader during the Great and Holy Fast.