Dormition Fast

[Christbearer03]

Good morning all! Today, I need your opinion on something.

Right now for the Orthodox and some Byzantine rite Catholic Churches ( I think), the Dormition fast is going on now. It is not required in all churches. I do not know what to do right now. My family already wants me to eat dairy products, oil, and other things that are restricted during the fast. Right now, I am holding a spoon of peanut butter, and I do not know what to do with it now. It has some kind of oil in it, and I realized this after starting to eat it. Should I finish it or throw it out? What should I do about this fasting period? I am pretty sure that it is not required in the Ukrainian Catholic Church, but I would still like to do my best to do it.

What should I do?

 

[babochka]

Good morning all! Today, I need your opinion on something.

Right now for the Orthodox and some Byzantine rite Catholic Churches ( I think), the Dormition fast is going on now. It is not required in all churches. I do not know what to do right now. My family already wants me to eat dairy products, oil, and other things that are restricted during the fast. Right now, I am holding a spoon of peanut butter, and I do not know what to do with it now. It has some kind of oil in it, and I realized this after starting to eat it. Should I finish it or throw it out? What should I do about this fasting period? I am pretty sure that it is not required in the Ukrainian Catholic Church, but I would still like to do my best to do it.

What should I do?

First of all, if you are a minor, please try to work out a solution with your parents that you can both live with. Obedience to them is more important than strictly keeping the fast.

Since today is Sunday, oil is allowed even in the strictest adherence to the fast.

The restriction on oil (sometimes interpreted as just olive oil) refers to added oils in cooking or food preparation. Naturally occurring oils, such as those found in nuts, seeds, corn, etc. are fine, and are a good source of necessary nutrients during fasting periods.

 

[Christbearer03]

First of all, if you are a minor, please try to work out a solution with your parents that you can both live with. Obedience to them is more important than strictly keeping the fast.

Since today is Sunday, oil is allowed even in the strictest adherence to the fast.

The restriction on oil (sometimes interpreted as just olive oil) refers to added oils in cooking or food preparation. Naturally occurring oils, such as those found in nuts, seeds, corn, etc. are fine, and are a good source of necessary nutrients during fasting periods.

I think that is what I’ll have to do, because my family wants me to eat.

So, could I fast from certain foods that are part of the fast and some foods I really enjoy?

 

[Angel_Gabriel]

Before fasting you should consult your spiritual father or mother . Don’t take on too much at first…it’s better to do a little and do it well than to try to do the whole thing and fall flat on your face. That being said, I can;t do the whole vegan type fast. I have blood sugar issues so although I abstain from all dairy, eggs and most meat/fish. I don’t do the no oil rule either although I try to abstain from wine on the certain days. However, I do allow myself to have plain boiled chicken breast though to help keep my blood sugar stable…and it does just that…really though, it’s just disgusting and after ___ days of eating it it’s almost impossible to swallow one more bite lol! And I can’t fast from the amount of food I eat b/c of my job.

As always you can start by increasing your prayer life which is what should be done along with fasting from foods. Good luck and God bless

 

[Vico]

Good morning all! Today, I need your opinion on something.

Right now for the Orthodox and some Byzantine rite Catholic Churches ( I think), the Dormition fast is going on now. It is not required in all churches. I do not know what to do right now. My family already wants me to eat dairy products, oil, and other things that are restricted during the fast. Right now, I am holding a spoon of peanut butter, and I do not know what to do with it now. It has some kind of oil in it, and I realized this after starting to eat it. Should I finish it or throw it out? What should I do about this fasting period? I am pretty sure that it is not required in the Ukrainian Catholic Church, but I would still like to do my best to do it.

What should I do?

I am not Ukrainian Catholic but Byzantine Catholic. Penitential period is from August 1 - 14 (Gregorian Calendar) and fast/abstinence is voluntarily strictness, and always the Fridays, simple abstinence from meat or equivalent. (In 2010 The feast of the Transfiguration was on Friday so there was no fast/abstinence that day.)

From a Byzantine Catholic (Annandale, VA) Bulletin (last year) August 3, 2014: “Dormition Fast. The Dormition Fast begins Friday, August 1st, which is the feast of the Procession with the Holy Cross, and continues until August 14th, the day before the **Dormition of the Mother of **God. Traditionally, it is a fast from meat and dairy products Monday through Friday with a mitigation on Saturdays, Sundays and the feast of the Transfiguration, August 6th. In the 20th century it was the practice to have strict fast (no meat or dairy), Monday, Wednesday, Friday and abstinence (no meat but dairy allowed) on Tuesday and Thursday. The Byzantine Ruthenian Church in the United States keeps this period as a penitential season allowing the individual the degree of the fast he/she will observe. However, Fridays during this fasting period remain days of penance.”

 

[GLam8833]

I fast two days a week, just like the righteous
Pharisee in the Just and Unjust parable w/
the tax-collector being the righteous one, well
I THINK that the tax-collector WAS fasting
two days a week and tithing his mint and cumm-
in, but he ACKNOWLEDGED he needed mercy
from God, that’s why his prayer was accepted.
So…any way your conscience directs you, it is
a GOOD IDEA to fast.

 

[Christbearer03]

My family doesn’t really want me to fast, so I think I will try my best to avoid those foods as much as possible. My family was pudhing me to eat dairy. I told them about the fast, but they never heard of it, so should I just do the best that I can? I have never heard of this fasting period until yesterday. I will try my best.

I don’t want to commit a mortal sin.

 

[wynd]

My family doesn’t really want me to fast, so I think I will try my best to avoid those foods as much as possible. My family was pudhing me to eat dairy. I told them about the fast, but they never heard of it, so should I just do the best that I can? I have never heard of this fasting period until yesterday. I will try my best.

I don’t want to commit a mortal sin.

If you can’t keep the fast strictly, do the best you can and focus on increasing your prayer life and virtues (love, humility, patience, etc.). Not fasting isn’t a mortal sin. In fact, Eastern Christianity doesn’t really have the hard and fast division between degrees of sin. It’s good to bring it up at your next confession, not because you necessarily committed a sin but because you fall short of the ideal and need advice.