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SiempreFiel
Guest
Do you as an Eastern Orthodox Christian celebrate Advent? If yes, how?
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Marina14
Guest
The Christmas (Nativity) Fast starting on November 14th and ending on December 25.
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rowlands
Guest
This is a truncated and simplistic overview. As is the nature of these forums, there will be many who disagree and who will wish to correct the errors 
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The preparatory period before the feast of the Nativity commences 15th November. It is a forty day fast (although the permissions to use fish, wine and oil are somewhat less rigorous than those applied during the Great Fast (Lent) and even the Dormition Fast), but there is a greater degree of fasting from the 20th December (no fish) and a strict (absolute) fast on 24th December, lasting traditionally until the first stars appear or, at least, until after the vesperal vigil liturgy celebrated on the 24th December (should that day fall on a Saturday or Sunday, when fasting is not permitted, the vigil fasts are transferred to the preceding Friday).
The fast is accompanied by a number of liturgical changes (similar to those found in the services of the Great Fast), although they are not observed on certain more festive commemorations such as the feasts of Saint Matthew the Apostle, Saint Andrew the Apostle, Saint Nicholas, the feast of the Conception of the Theotokos by Saint Anna, and on the great festival of the Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple. In general, these changes give a more ‘lenten’ or penitential character to the services. These changes are set out in the Typikon but it is unlikely that they will be encountered much outside of the monasteries.
On certain days the order (and number) of bows and prostrations at vespers, compline, matins and the hours differs from that of non fasting days; the prayer of Saint Ephrem is used; the evening prokeimenon is replaced by ‘Alleluia’ and psalm verses, as is ‘God is the Lord and hath appeared unto us’, sung after the great ektenia at matins; the interhours are read after each of the hours.
From 21st November, the festival of the Entry of the Theotokos, the irmoi of the first kanon for the festival of the Nativity are sung as katavasias to the kanon at matins.
Liturgically, the period from 20th December to 24th December may in some ways be seen to parallel the days of Holy and Great Week.
.The preparatory period before the feast of the Nativity commences 15th November. It is a forty day fast (although the permissions to use fish, wine and oil are somewhat less rigorous than those applied during the Great Fast (Lent) and even the Dormition Fast), but there is a greater degree of fasting from the 20th December (no fish) and a strict (absolute) fast on 24th December, lasting traditionally until the first stars appear or, at least, until after the vesperal vigil liturgy celebrated on the 24th December (should that day fall on a Saturday or Sunday, when fasting is not permitted, the vigil fasts are transferred to the preceding Friday).
The fast is accompanied by a number of liturgical changes (similar to those found in the services of the Great Fast), although they are not observed on certain more festive commemorations such as the feasts of Saint Matthew the Apostle, Saint Andrew the Apostle, Saint Nicholas, the feast of the Conception of the Theotokos by Saint Anna, and on the great festival of the Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple. In general, these changes give a more ‘lenten’ or penitential character to the services. These changes are set out in the Typikon but it is unlikely that they will be encountered much outside of the monasteries.
On certain days the order (and number) of bows and prostrations at vespers, compline, matins and the hours differs from that of non fasting days; the prayer of Saint Ephrem is used; the evening prokeimenon is replaced by ‘Alleluia’ and psalm verses, as is ‘God is the Lord and hath appeared unto us’, sung after the great ektenia at matins; the interhours are read after each of the hours.
From 21st November, the festival of the Entry of the Theotokos, the irmoi of the first kanon for the festival of the Nativity are sung as katavasias to the kanon at matins.
Liturgically, the period from 20th December to 24th December may in some ways be seen to parallel the days of Holy and Great Week.
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Isa_Almisry
Guest
Btw the Advent Fast is a borrowing from the Gallican Church IN THE WEST.
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