Christmas eve and fasting question

[MarysLittleFlower]

Hi,
I read about Christmas eve for Eastern Catholics and typically they would fast until after Vespers/Liturgy in the evening, if I understood correctly.
My question is, if one is going to a Christmas morning Liturgy, would you start the Communion fast on midnight?
There is something that is unclear to me and it is how some Eastern Catholics fast for Communion from sunset - rather than midnight. But how does this work if on Christmas eve there is a fast until AFTER Vespers? Am I misunderstanding something?
If it helps I’m Russian rite Catholic. I’m not talking about rites like the Ukrainian one that have adopted the one hour fast. I’m referring to the traditional Eastern fast - obligatory or not… is it from midnight or sunset/Vespers? This has been confusing to me for a while because I keep hearing about both. I heard of an Eastern Catholic book that says that for Sundays and feasts, the day starts on sunset, otherwise its midnight (for regular days). How does this affect the Communion fast? Thanks

 

[Vico]

Hi,
I read about Christmas eve for Eastern Catholics and typically they would fast until after Vespers/Liturgy in the evening, if I understood correctly.
My question is, if one is going to a Christmas morning Liturgy, would you start the Communion fast on midnight?
There is something that is unclear to me and it is how some Eastern Catholics fast for Communion from sunset - rather than midnight. But how does this work if on Christmas eve there is a fast until AFTER Vespers? Am I misunderstanding something?
If it helps I’m Russian rite Catholic. I’m not talking about rites like the Ukrainian one that have adopted the one hour fast. I’m referring to the traditional Eastern fast - obligatory or not… is it from midnight or sunset/Vespers? This has been confusing to me for a while because I keep hearing about both. I heard of an Eastern Catholic book that says that for Sundays and feasts, the day starts on sunset, otherwise its midnight (for regular days). How does this affect the Communion fast? Thanks

Midnight-to-midnight practice is the tradition received for fasting (Orthodox).

 

[HomeschoolDad]

Midnight-to-midnight practice is the tradition received for fasting (Orthodox).

Are you saying it would be a 24-hour communion fast?

I have read before that one of the effects of Orthodox fasting (penitential, not eucharistic, basically a kind of veganism) is actually to weaken and slow down the bodily organism, to make the body and soul more open to prayer and grace. 24 hours without food would definitely do that.

 

[MarysLittleFlower]

Thank you Vico. Why do I keep reading about fasting from sunset? Is that a special devotion that some people do as an extra thing?

 

[MarysLittleFlower]

I think someone would need special permission to do a 24 hour Communion fast… I dont imagine that is really done

 

[Vico]

Vico:

Midnight-to-midnight practice is the tradition received for fasting (Orthodox).

Are you saying it would be a 24-hour communion fast?

I have read before that one of the effects of Orthodox fasting (penitential, not eucharistic, basically a kind of veganism) is actually to weaken and slow down the bodily organism, to make the body and soul more open to prayer and grace. 24 hours without food would definitely do that.

The day used for fast and abstinence is midnight to midnight. For communion fast, from midnight. Sometimes a fast begun at midnight ends after Vespers (or sunset) which the ascetic fathers did on weekdays not eating until the ninth hour of the day (3 pm) such as some do today for Great Lent weekdays, but after the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts if it is celebrated.

 

[Vico]

Thank you Vico. Why do I keep reading about fasting from sunset? Is that a special devotion that some people do as an extra thing?

It is not traditional. Some people made modifications for their social life, or because of the idea that Vespers to Vespers would be better, I read.

 

[MarysLittleFlower]

Thanks for the reply!

 

[Margaret_Ann]

I’m Ukrainian Greek Catholic and my late mother and I fasted from midnight to after Liturgy on Nativity/Christmas Eve. Since you’re going to Liturgy in the morning, it would be from midnight to midnight.

 

[MarysLittleFlower]

Thanks!