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Monica4316
Guest
I’ve heard both… Which one is the Eastern practice? Thank you 
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Vico
Guest
The Melkites follows midnight until noon. (Eparchy of Newton) One of my friends that is from a family of Uzhorod, told me of how their family would fast all day on Holy Saturday from midnight until midnight after the Easter (Saturday night) Divine Liturgy. For Byzantine Catholic, the abstinence is from midnight until after Presanctified Gifts on Wednesdays and Fridays in Lent, for those receiving Communion.I’ve heard both… Which one is the Eastern practice? Thank you
The Coptic Orthodox start from midnight.
The Byzantine tradition is abstaining from all food and drink from midnight until Vespers which mean only a single meal a day after Vespers or after the Liturgy of the Presanctified.
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Monica4316
Guest
Thank you! I just meant the Communion fast on a regular Sunday… I see the question could also be about Lent fasting. I meant - if we want to receive Communion Sunday morning, do we start the Communion fast on Saturday at midnight or at Vespers / sundown time? Thanks!
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Cavaradossi
Guest
In the traditional order of services, the trapeza (when monks eat), and small compline (απόδειπνον – literally after dinner) come after vespers, so it is definitely not from vespers. If vigil is held, then the trapeza is held after small vespers, unless it is a vigil with a Vesperal Divine Liturgy, in which case, there is no small vespers, but rather a small meal is held after the Vesperal Divine Liturgy, followed by great compline. Essentially, in parish practice, since we do not usually hold small vespers or dine together in the service of trapeza, fasting from midnight is the most practical solution.I’ve heard both… Which one is the Eastern practice? Thank you
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Vico
Guest
For eastern Catholics it depends upon the sui iuris church particular law or instructions from the Magisterium.
In the Latin Church, years ago when Mass was just in the morning, the communion fast was from midnight (the Eucharistic fast was from midnight until Pope Pius XII reduced it to three hours, and then after Vatican II, Pope Paul VI reduced it to one hour.)
CCEO
Canon 707
- The preparation of the Eucharistic bread, the prayers performed by the priests before the Divine Liturgy, the observance of the Eucharistic fast, liturgical vestments, the time and place of the celebration and other like matters must be precisely established by the norms of each Church sui iuris.
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