Fasting on Wed and Sat in honor of Our Lady

[RosaLydia]

Hi All,

I’ve read that some people fast on Wednesday and Saturdays in honor of Our Lady. Does anyone know why these 2 days in particular are offered to Our Lady? Does anyone know the story behind the fasting tradition?

Thanks and God bless,

 

[StephanieC]

Sorry, don’t know the fasting tradition & a quick google search didn’t turn up much either.

I do know that Saturdays are traditionally Marian, with the Joyful Mysteries of the rosary always said on that day (that’s how I keep track of which mystery I’m on…) & I believe the First Five Saturday devotion has to do with the apparition at Fatima: themostholyrosary.com/5saturdays.htm

And Wednesdays (in my archdiocese, anyway) after Mass we always recite the Perpetual Novena to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal.

So there’s definitely something Marian about those days; I just don’t know the origins!

 

[Andruschak]

Hi All,

I’ve read that some people fast on Wednesday and Saturdays in honor of Our Lady. Does anyone know why these 2 days in particular are offered to Our Lady? Does anyone know the story behind the fasting tradition?

Thanks and God bless,

No, but I thank you for raising this question. I hope I can learn about this. I have started fasting on Saturdays, more or less along the lines of “it seems like a good idea” but not for any formal reason

 

[maryalene]

I haven’t heard anything about Saturdays. However, it is my understanding that Wednesday is traditionally a day of fasting because it was the day Judas made the deal to betray Jesus. Not sure about the Marian connection though.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

Not sure on this and don’t have a reference. I think we mourn with Mary because Saturday was the day that Jesus was in the tomb.

 

[LilyM]

Well Friday has always been THE day for fasting, of course in honour of the Passion of Jesus. I know Wednesday has also been the most common additional day of fasting, though not why.

Saturday - never heard of fasting on Saturday before, although Saturday is indeed traditionally Our Lady’s day and many devotions such as the First Five Saturdays honour her on this day.

 

[CathMass]

I have heard of Wednesday and Friday. Friday, being the day the Lord Jesus died and Wednesday, the day of Judas’ betrayal. I know a woman who does this practice.

 

[Andruschak]

Well Friday has always been THE day for fasting, of course in honour of the Passion of Jesus. I know Wednesday has also been the most common additional day of fasting, though not why.

Saturday - never heard of fasting on Saturday before, although Saturday is indeed traditionally Our Lady’s day and many devotions such as the First Five Saturdays honour her on this day.

I though it was abstinence on friday (which I am doing now) rather then fasting?

 

[LilyM]

I though it was abstinence on friday (which I am doing now) rather then fasting?

Poor Andruschak, we must be confusing you something awful

Technically neither fasting nor abstinence is required on a Friday, or indeed any other day, except in Lent, though some sort of penitential practice is advisable on Fridays.

 

[Andruschak]

Poor Andruschak, we must be confusing you something awful

Technically neither fasting nor abstinence is required on a Friday, or indeed any other day, except in Lent, though some sort of penitential practice is advisable on Fridays.

Maybe not REQUIRED, but I think I’d better get into practice now:

Reason 1 is that I can give any merit to the souls in Purgatory:thumbsup:

Reason 2 is that after I do my 1st confession, I am going to get a lot of penance thrown at me. Abstinence on Friday and fasting on saturday may only be the start of it

 

[CatholicSam]

I think Wednesday was the traditional day of fasting in the Jewish tradition before Jesus died. But I was wrestling my toddler during that homily (which actually took place in my house ), so I may be mistaken.

My husband is getting into a bread-and-water fast on Wed. and Fri. He eats a normal breakfast, then has nothing but water and 2 pieces of bread during the day, and a normal dinner with me at night. Since I’m pregnant, I eat whatever I want, but I try to give up chocolate and other junk food on Wed. and Fri.

 

[paramedicgirl]

Our Lady requested the Saturday devotion at Fatima:

Our Lady of Fatima, Queen of The Most Holy Rosary -

“If people do what I will tell you, many will be saved, and peace will come. I promise to help at the hour of death with the graces for their salvation, those who on the first Saturday of the five consecutive months shall confess and receive Holy Communion, say five decades of the rosary and keep me company for fifteen minutes while meditating on one or more mysteries of the rosary with the intention of making reparation to me.”

 

[paramedicgirl]

Poor Andruschak, we must be confusing you something awful

Technically neither fasting nor abstinence is required on a Friday, or indeed any other day, except in Lent, though some sort of penitential practice is advisable on Fridays.

Current practice of fast and abstinence is regulated by Canons 1250-1253. They specify that all Fridays throughout the year, and the time of Lent are penitential times throughout the entire Church. All persons who have completed their fourteenth year are bound by the law of abstinence on all Fridays unless they are solemnities. All adults are bound by law to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday until the beginning of their sixtieth year.

The current regulations concerning Lenten fasting and abstinence for Catholics in the United States generally are as follows: [1]

Abstinence from all meat is to be observed by all Catholics 14 years old and older on Ash Wednesday and on all Fridays of Lent.
Fasting is to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday by all Catholics who are 18 years of age but not yet 59.
For Catholics whose health or ability to work would be negatively affected by fasting and/or abstinence, the regulations above don’t apply. Some priests will, with approval from church leadership, offer dispensation from the normal Lenten regulations if St. Patrick’s Day (March 17) falls on a Friday during Lent.

Since the Fridays outside Lent are specified as penitential days by universal church law, but abstinence is not specified by the US bishops, it is left to the individual Catholic to chose the form this penance takes. Pastoral teachings have urged voluntary fasting during Lent and voluntary abstinence on the other Fridays of the year. From time to time the leadership of the church has considered restoring obligatory abstinence on all Fridays, not just those of Lent. However, the policy in the United States has not been changed.

 

[CathMass]

I have heard of Wednesday and Friday. Friday, being the day the Lord Jesus died and Wednesday, the day of Judas’ betrayal. I know a woman who does this practice.

I though it was abstinence on friday (which I am doing now) rather then fasting?

By the way, when I wrote my first post, I meant that Wednesday and Friday were considered days of abstinence from meat. The person I mentioned does not eat meat on Wednesdays and Fridays.

 

[djamu]

i used to fast for religious, it got out of control I got 45 pounds underweight.