Editing Pentecost (section)

==== Apostles' Fast ====
{{main|Apostles' Fast}}
The Second Monday after Pentecost is the beginning of the Apostles' Fast (which continues until the [[Feast of Saints Peter and Paul]] on June 29). Theologically, Orthodox do not consider Pentecost to be the "birthday" of the church; they see the church as having existed before the creation of the world (cf. ''[[The Shepherd of Hermas]]'').<ref>''[[Patrologia Graecae]]'', 35:1108–9.</ref> In the [[Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria]], the "Apostles Fast" has a fixed end date on the fifth of the Coptic month of Epip (which currently falls on July 12, which is equivalent to June 29, due to the current 13-day Julian-Gregorian calendar offset). The fifth of Epip is the commemoration of the Martyrdom of St. Peter and Paul.