Ember Week/Ember Days

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ardent_Fire
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Ardent_Fire said:
ETA: just read in the news the bishop in Pittsburgh is reviving it this year. 🙌
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That’s fantastic! When I first learned of Ember Days years ago, I felt a bit robbed. I was never taught anything about them growing up. We really don’t appreciate the spiritual and mortal benefits of fasting enough these days. And as Tis Bearself mentioned, we might want to be open to fasting from more than just food.

BTW, are you familiar with Rogation Days?

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13110b.htm
 
Thank you, Tis, but I’m not too sure about this bit:

The chalking of the doors is a centuries-old practice throughout the world, though it appears to be somewhat less well-known in the United Sates.

“Throughout the world”? Really?
 
I found this article just a few days ago that I found really helpful in understanding Ember Days. There are also more links about the topic at the end of it.

www.catholicculture.org

A Year of Repentance and Ember Days

On September 10, Diocese of Pittsburgh Bishop David Zubik announced a Year of Repentance for his diocese “to fast and pray for the purification of the Church in light of the scandal of child sexual abuse.” His letter was addressed to the clerics (priests, deacons and seminarians) of the...
www.catholicculture.org www.catholicculture.org
 
I’ve read it was done in England. I don’t know where else, as I never heard of it in USA, including not hearing about it from parents or older nuns.
 
It originated in old world Europe in particular, out of the middle ages. It’s still seen in central Europe, particularly in Poland and Germany and anywhere they would have traveled out to. My husband’s family is Polish origin but they chalk it up in Sweden!
 
Tis_Bearself said:
The Eastern Catholic and Eastern Orthodox fasts vary a lot church to church and sometimes, person to person.
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They were fairly close until recently . . . 🙂

More significantly, in the East the fasting rules aren’t “penalty of sin” issues, but rather goals to strive for. Very few can actually meet the full terms of fasting, but we try to get as close as we can.

hawk
 
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