Celebrating national feast days outside your country?

[DL82]

So today is St Andrew’s Day - a feast in the Universal Church, but a Solemnity in Scotland.

I am Scottish, but live in England. Today is also a Friday.

Is it acceptable to celebrate the solemnity along with the country of my birth, or should I still abstain from meat, along with the church in this place?

 

[Brendan]

I would recommend that you ask your pastor.

Here in my area, if St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Friday ( which would be in Lent) our bishop has generally given a dispensation from the fasting and abstenince requirements.

(He did draw the line at giving a dispenstion when Opening Day of Baseball fell on a Lenten Friday though )

 

[VivienneJ]

I have no answer to your specific question, although I think I did read somewhere that a Solemnity is not a Feast Day, and therefore the abstinence remains.

I read something sometime back along the lines that you should observe whatever the expectation is in the area where you woke up that morning - which affects me when I fly home on a Friday which is not a day of abstinence here (Wednesday is), but Friday is a day of abstinence in the country of my destination.

 

[Joe_5859]

I have no answer to your specific question, although I think I did read somewhere that a Solemnity is not a Feast Day, and therefore the abstinence remains.

Solemnities outrank feast days. There is no obligation to fast or abstain on those days (such as when the Solemnity of St. Joseph or the Solemnity of the Annunciation falls on a Friday during Lent).

That’s a good question, though. I’m not sure I know the answer.

EDIT: In case anyone is curious, here’s the relevant canon from Canon Law (emphasis added):

Can. 1251 Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

 

[Catholic1954]

You should follow the guidlines from whatever diocese you currently reside.

 

[VivienneJ]

Solemnities outrank feast days. There is no obligation to fast or abstain on those days (such as when the Solemnity of St. Joseph or the Solemnity of the Annunciation falls on a Friday during Lent).

That’s a good question, though. I’m not sure I know the answer.

EDIT: In case anyone is curious, here’s the relevant canon from Canon Law (emphasis added):

Can. 1251 Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

Thanks, Joe - I had it the wrong way around