Some notable passages taken from the ‘History of Lent’ From the book, “The Liturgical Year” by Gueranger
From:
books.google.com/books?id=u_UCAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA4&dq=only+allowed+in+the+Latin+Church+by+virtue+of+an+annual+dispensation&ei=E_6jR5nyEZnmiQGMi6WnCg
During the two thousand and more years, which
preceded the Deluge, men had no other food than the
fruits of the earth, and these were only got by the
toil of hard labour. But when God, as we have
already observed, mercifully shortened man’s life, (
that so he might have less time and power for sin,) —
he permitted him to eat the flesh of animals, as
an additional nourishment in that state of deteriorated
strength. It was then, also, that Noah, guided
by a divine inspiration, extracted the juice of the
grape, which thus formed a second stay for human
debility.
Fasting, then, is the abstaining from such nourishments
as these, which were permitted for the support
of bodily strength. And firstly, it consisted
in abstinence from flesh-meat, because it is a food
that was given to man by God, out of condescension
to his weakness, and not as one absolutely essential
for the maintenance of life. Its privation, greater
or less according to the regulations of the Church, is
essential to the very notion of Fasting.
Thus, whilst
in many countries, the use of eggs, milk-meats, and
even of dripping and lard, is tolerated,—the abstaining
from flesh-meat is everywhere maintained, as
being essential to Fasting. For many centuries,
eggs and milk-meats were not allowed, because they
come under the class of animal food : even to this
day, they are forbidden in the Eastern Churches,
and are only allowed in the Latin Church by virtue
of an annual dispensation. The precept of abstaining
from flesh-meat is so essential to Lent, that even on
Sundays, when the Fasting is interrupted, Abstinence
is an obligation, binding even on those who are
dispensed from the fasts of the week, unless theie
be a special dispensation granted for eating meat on
the Sundays.
…For several centuries,
abstinence from flesh-meat included likewise the
prohibition of every article of food that belonged to
what is called the animal kingdom, with the single
exception of Fish, which, on account of its cold nature,
as also for several mystical reasons, founded on the
Sacred Scriptures, was always permitted to be taken
by those who fasted. Every sort of milk-meat was
forbidden ; and, in Rome, even to this day, butter and
cheese are not permitted during Lent, except on those
days whereon permission to eat meat is granted.
…But this grant for the eating milk-meats during
Lent, did not include eggs. Here, the ancient discipline
was maintained, at least this far,—that eggs
were not allowed, save by a dispensation, which had
to be renewed each year. In Rome, they are only
allowed on days when Flesh-meat may be taken.
…Pope Benedict the Fourteenth,
alarmed at the excessive facility wherewith
dispensations were then obtained, renewed, by a
solemn Constitution, (dated June 10, 1745,) the prohibition
of eating fish and meat, at the same meal, on
fasting days.
All amusements and theatrical performances were not allowed in Lent:
books.google.com/books?id=u_UCAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA15&dq=a+season+during+which+amusements+theatrical+entertainments+forbidden&ei=SAOkR6SWFojAiwHZyeWwCg
…Hunting, too, was for many ages considered as
forbidden during Lent;—the spirit of the holy season
was too sacred to admit such exciting and noisy sport.
