Do Orthodox fast for Lent?

[Jean_1958]

Hi,

Just wanted to know if the Orthodox fast for Lent? If so, what are the requirements for fasting?

Thanks,

Jean

 

[Badaliyyah]

Just wanted to know if the Orthodox fast for Lent? If so, what are the requirements for fasting?

The Orthodox fast throughout the entirety of Lent. The monastic rules for the Great Lent include the suspension of meat, oil, wine and dairy. As a layperson you are encouraged to work out a practically accomplishable fast between yourself and your priest, with the monastic rules serving as an ideal towards which you strive. Part of the discussion you might have, in working out a goal for yourself, would include whether or not you are keeping the Wednesday and Friday fast throughout the year and, if so, what you do for those normal, weekly, fasts.

salaam.

 

[DavidKays]

Hi! I am a Greek Orthodox Christian and the last post did an excellent job in expressing your search for Lent Fasting exercises for the Orthodox. The Orthodox Church is a Church that Fasts. I kid my Catholic friends when they ask me if the Orthodox have Ash Wednesday and I reply " every Wednesday is Ash Wednesday!" We fast every Wednesday and Fridays ( if there be a Feast day like Christmas that falls on these days then the Fasting is not required ) and we also Fast the 40 days of Great Lent and during Advent ( again I kid my Catholic friends when I say you guys have it easy during Advent ) we also have a 40 day period. We also have a 2 week period before the Great Feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul and there is a 2 week period before the Dormition of the Holy Mother which is the same as the Assumption in the West. There is also Fasting prior before receiving Holy Communion and this begins the midnight on towards the Morning of the Divine Liturgy. There is also Fasting that can be done during the year on your own time which can be done in consultation with your Father Confessor. Fasting if properly celebrated can last practically half the year. During Lent my priest weighs us before each Mass so to determine if we are Fasting. OK I am just kidding but all Orthodox must put their 2 cents worth and everyone can contribute something during Lent. Fasting requirements can be discussed with your Priest and this means everyone can be different because for instance the sick are not required to Fast like those who are healthy and children have less requirements than adults. Fasting from our Great Saint John Chrysostom can serve many purposes and I will quote 2 from him. By eating less will enable you to have more money in your bank account. This then can be used to help the poor. Also Fasting can be a help to the one you are praying for. Certain evils Our Lord Jesus said can not come out except through both praying and fasting. This can apply to yourself or to the one you may be praying for. By giving up something the Lord also will grant His Grace to your prayer and fasting. The Lord is pleased when you are giving something up for the scripture says the Lord rewards even those who give a glass a water in His Name so the same Lord who sees what you are doing in secret will openly grant His Graces and rewards the effort. Again your Fasting must be in lined with the requirements of the Church and in agreement with your Father Confessor. God Bless!

 

[SSTeacher]

Hi,

Just wanted to know if the Orthodox fast for Lent? If so, what are the requirements for fasting?

Thanks,

Jean

Hello Jean,

I’m an Orthodox catechumen preparing for chrismation and I’ve found the fasting that is embraced by Orthodox Christians (some six months in every year if one takes into account the Wednesday and Friday fasts that are commensurate with the Didache) very challenging. For Orthodox Christians, Great Lent is a time of renewed devotion. Orthodox Christians are certainly called to a continuous fast during this time but fasting without increased prayer or increased almsgiving is called the “fast of the demons,” since demons do not eat but neither do they pray nor give alms. Perhaps the lenten prayer of Saint Ephrem the Syrian provides the best summation for those that are not Orthodox. I found Father Schmemann’s commentary on this prayer very helpful.

Respectfully,
Mick

 

[Nine_Two]

As others have pointed out we do indeed fast, but on its own the fast is considered useless and must be undertaken in the right spirit (It is to be done “in secret” (that is you should not make any outward signs that you are doing it, and you should not brag about doing it, etc), It should be accompanied by scriptural reading and other spiritual books and prayer).

 

[jakasaki]

Greek Orthodox here… and during Lent now, I fast on Wednesdays & Fridays and I also fast will during Holy week from Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday.

Now… way back when… growing up at my mom’s home many decades ago, for the entire Lent, we had no dairy, no meat, no sweets and no fish that contained blood.

It was all veggies, and shellfish and tons of other greens and bean type products.

And yes, Church during the entire Lent time.

 

[Wesley7]

Yes.

 

[SSTeacher]

As others have pointed out we do indeed fast, but on its own the fast is considered useless and must be undertaken in the right spirit (It is to be done “in secret” (that is you should not make any outward signs that you are doing it, and you should not brag about doing it, etc), It should be accompanied by scriptural reading and other spiritual books and prayer).

Indeed. Some years ago an Evangelical of my acquaintance uncharacteristically declined food at the dinner table and was naturally urged by the rest of the Evangelical company to participate. He continued to decline, however, and so the urging became more insistent. The non–participant soon became irritated, then angry, and eventually felt forced to explain that he was fasting!

:angel1:
:newidea:

:slapfight:​

I daresay there’s a lesson in there, somewhere.

Reflectively,
Mick

 

[josephdaniel29]

Indeed. Some years ago an Evangelical of my acquaintance uncharacteristically declined food at the dinner table and was naturally urged by the rest of the Evangelical company to participate. He continued to decline, however, and so the urging became more insistent. The non–participant soon became irritated, then angry, and eventually felt forced to explain that he was fasting!

:angel1:
:newidea:

:slapfight:​

I daresay there’s a lesson in there, somewhere.

Reflectively,
Mick

That is an example of the wrong way to fast. Love is greater than the law. The loving, and humble way to handle that situation is to accept a small amount of food and keep your mouth shut.

If you approach fasting with an excessively legalistic mindset, making it an end in itself, it would be far better if you didn’t fast at all.

Yours in Christ
Joe

 

[SSTeacher]

SSTeacher;6373475:

Indeed. Some years ago an Evangelical of my acquaintance uncharacteristically declined food at the dinner table and was naturally urged by the rest of the Evangelical company to participate. He continued to decline, however, and so the urging became more insistent. The non–participant soon became irritated, then angry, and eventually felt forced to explain that he was fasting!

:angel1:
:newidea:

:slapfight:​

I daresay there’s a lesson in there, somewhere.

Reflectively,
Mick

That is an example of the wrong way to fast. Love is greater than the law. The loving, and humble way to handle that situation is to accept a small amount of food and keep your mouth shut.

I agree.

If you approach fasting with an excessively legalistic mindset, making it an end in itself, it would be far better if you didn’t fast at all.

Yours in Christ
Joe

I think you’re right. But it’s nigh on impossible for an Evangelical not to be legalistic.

Cordially,
Mick

 

[DavidKays]

Fasting is a tool and not an end to itself. When done out of love it can be of great benefit and a source of Grace. Our first parents were told to fast. They were told not to eat from one tree and reading the story they broke the fast and troubles began. It was not the eating of the fruit that was so bad but they had disobeyed God. It was not a difficult commandment to keep. But Adam and Eve did not know the difference as we do now. Fasting in reality really means refraining from sin. The real crunch in ones spiritual life is this, refraining from sin. All Fasting can be a tool to obtain such and thus you can receive the Holy Spirit in abundance as St.Seraphim of Russia teaches. St.Seraphim of Russia, an excellent teacher of the Holy Spirit, wrote that praying, fasting, ect… are tools in obtaining the aim of the Christian life which is the acquistion of the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit all your exercises can be fruitless. I attend to an Orthodox Church in my town and I had noticed some refrain from receiving Holy Communion and only ask the blessing from the priest. I must admit that this type of behaviour is not pleasing to our Lord. Just because you did not Fast should not deter you from receiving Our Lord. That in itself will be an offence before the Lord. Fasting from receiving Our Lord Jesus just because you did not Fast or did not Fast enough will displease the Lord because receiving Him is what you need to do. The medicine of Our Lord is worth more than all our Fasting. Fasting is only a tool and people should not make it greater than Communion. That does not suit well with Our Lord. He wants to give Himself to you so why are you not permitting Him to do so? The Lord grants ernormous amount of Graces at Communion and when you decide not to receive Him then you are not permitting those Graces to be available to you. It will be better to receive Our Lord while not Fasting then to refrain from Him because you did not Fast or because you did not Fast enough. Again Fasting is only a tool and I repeat a tool so use it as a tool. There are other tools if you did not Fasted and use them. But it is to your advantage to use all the tools but again do not replace Communion for your lack of Fasting. And if you did not prepare at all when you go to Communion I think Confession then is neccessary. I mean you need to prepare yourself when coming to receive Jesus. It will better to confess your lack of commitment in this then coming to Church unprepared. Certain evils says Our Lord Jesus can only come out through both praying and fasting. It is to this advantage that we Fast through the guidelines of the Church that we can be sanctified and not only ourselves but our neighbour as well. It is to our own Santification and to our neighbours that we need to Fast and Pray. Use the tools that God and His Church provides. God Bless!

 

[Volodymyr]

Hi,

Just wanted to know if the Orthodox fast for Lent? If so, what are the requirements for fasting?

Yes Orthodox are Fasting on Great Fast before Paskha but also others. We have fast before Peter Paul day from 23 June to 11 July, before Dormition day from 14 august to 27 august. before Christmas from 28 November to 6 January. Also one day fasts before Jordan-Theophany, 1 day before beheaidng of Ioan Baptizer, one day before raising of Holy cross.

Fast is forbidden on Wed Friday on following occasion:
Week of Mitar and Pharisei
Week of maslenitsa (cheese week)
Week of Light (AFTER pASKHA)
wEEK OF hOLY Trinity

More I think from Catolics.

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