Gelatin on Friday? (Ruthenian)

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Is there a general consensus on eating meat byproducts (gelatin, for example) on fast/abstinence days?

I’m asking specifically about the Ruthenian Church, but I’m curious about the Eastern churches in general.
 
Lobster_Johnson said:
Is there a general consensus on eating meat byproducts (gelatin, for example) on fast/abstinence days?

I’m asking specifically about the Ruthenian Church, but I’m curious about the Eastern churches in general.
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Catholic Answers wrote:
Such Lenten abstinence from meat byproducts is no longer required for Latin-rite Catholics, although it is still mandatory in Eastern churches that are in union with Rome.
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Thank you for asking this question! Some of my supplements are made with gelatin and I was wondering the same thing (whether or not it’s ok on Friday [& Wed too]).
 
Wednesdays & Fridays (with a few exceptions throughout the Byzantine liturgical year) are days of abstinence. This was the heading from my daily Royal Doors reflection:

October 9, 2020
The Holy Apostle James, Son of Alpheus; 1 Corinthians 4:9-16; Luke 10:16-21; Polyeleos Feast. Abstinence from meat and foods that contain meat.
 
Margaret_Ann said:
Thank you for asking this question! Some of my supplements are made with gelatin and I was wondering the same thing (whether or not it’s ok on Friday [& Wed too])
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This is my first week as an official member of the Ruthenian Church, and I’m already feeling the pressure 😛

I made some homemade marshmallows yesterday, and I had to wait until this morning to taste them. Talk about penance.
 
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I take whole food vitamins that are vegetarian but come in a gelatin softgel so when it comes to days of abstinence I’m kind of in a quandary.
 
AFAIK, whole food vitamins would be considered food not medicine per se, Hippocrates’ dictum notwithstanding.
 
Margaret_Ann said:
AFAIK, whole food vitamins would be considered food not medicine per se , Hippocrates’ dictum notwithstanding.
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I think this would be something to ask your priest. If you’re taking them to maintain your health, one would think they’d count as medicine and not food, much like thyroid pills made from animal ingredients.
 
I have and he said they were OK but he’s not familiar with whole food vitamins (afaik he doesn’t take any supplements).
 
Margaret_Ann said:
I have and he said they were OK
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Familiarity or not, I’d say you’re good to go with this. Besides, I’ve never heard anyone say “I’m gonna eat my vitamins!” It’s “I’m gonna TAKE my vitamins.”
 
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Margaret_Ann said:
I take whole food vitamins that are vegetarian but come in a gelatin softgel so when it comes to days of abstinence I’m kind of in a quandary.
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Sheer curiosity and a bit of a sidetrack, here: Given that an animal has to die in order to make gelatin, as far as I understand, how can the softgels be vegetarian? (I’m not vegetarian myself, just really curious.)
 
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This is my Chlorophyll Complex from SP:

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Gotcha. I suppose my question is more one of vegetarian philosophy than anything else.
 
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