Great Lenten Fast

  • Thread starter Thread starter BenedictMary
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
B

BenedictMary

Guest
Can someone clue me in on what the great lenten fast entails?

Regards,
BM
 
The Great Fast is what the Eastern Christian Churches call Lent.
Most Eastern Christian Churches have strict days of fasts (First Day) and Great Friday. On those days, no meat, eggs, or dairy. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays are fasts, but only from meat dishes. The different Particular Churches of the East and Oriental East have variations in the foods they abstain from according to their tradition.

U-C
 
The strictest use directs that starting on the Monday after Cheesefare Sunday, you MAY eat one meal a day after sundown, and you are limited to fruits, vegetables, and maybe shellfish. All other foods, including dairy, eggs, fish, olive oil, and alcoholic drinks are abstained from. Saturdays and Sundays you can have olive oil and wine (meaning alcoholic beverages) as well.

Annunciation and Palm Sunday allow fish.

Lazarus Saturday allows caviar if you’re Great Russian.

Now, isn’t that simple?
 
Could someone elaborate on what the particular fast for Catholics of the Antiochene Rite would be? Especially Maronites? I’ve heard and read some things, but I want to be sure.

Pace e Bene
Andrew
 
Shouldn’t you say the Antiochian Particular Church tradition?

U-C
 
The Great Fast begins on the Monday after Cheesefare (after Forgiveness Vespers offered in the evening of Cheesefare Sunday) and extends to the eve of Lazarus Saturday. This is the 40-day Great Fast. Holy and Great Week is one continuous fast and anticipation for Pascha and is beyond the 40-day Great Fast.

The week after Meatfare Sunday is already meat-free; Cheesefare is the last day to take dairy and eggs if following the stricter fast.
 
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory Forever!

The following are the regulations for the Great Fast in the Byzantine Metropolitan Church sui uris of Pittsburgh.

Absitnace: The law of simple abstinence forbids the use of meat, permitting eggs and dairy products. ALL THE FAITHFUL OF THE ARCHEPARCHY WHO RECEIVE THE EUCHARIST ARE BOUND TO ABSTAIN. Abstinence is obligatory on all Wednesdays and Fridays of the Great Fast.

Strict Abstinence: The Law of strict abstience (fast) forbids the use of meat, eggs and dairy products. While they are permitted, facsimiles, substitutes, and synthetic derivatives violate the intention and spirit of the law of strict abstinence. ALL THE FAITHFUL OF THE ARCHEPARCY WHO RECEIVE THE EUCHARIST ARE BOUND TO OBSERVE STRICT ABSTINENCE. Strict abstinence (fast) is to be observed on Pure Monday, February 4, (the first day of the Great Fast) and on Great and Holy Friday, March 21, 2008.

Dispensations may be granted for acceptable reasons due to personal circumstances.

These regulations are minimal guidelines. There are people who will go beyond the minimum. You will notice that there is no age limit governing Abstinence. Keep in mind in our Church all who are baptized receive Holy Eucharist.

I would invite anybody else who has the OFFICIAL fasting regulations for their particular church to post them. I DO NOT ASK THIS SO THAT CRITICISMS COULD BE MADE OF HOW VARIOUS CHURCHES VIEW THE GREAT FAST OR LENTEN SEASON. I just think it would be interesting to make a comparison to see the variations among both Eastern and Western Churches.

Yours in Christ
Father Deacon Paul
 
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory Forever!

The following are the regulations for the Great Fast in the Byzantine Metropolitan Church sui uris of Pittsburgh.

Absitnace: The law of simple abstinence forbids the use of meat, permitting eggs and dairy products. ALL THE FAITHFUL OF THE ARCHEPARCHY WHO RECEIVE THE EUCHARIST ARE BOUND TO ABSTAIN. Abstinence is obligatory on all Wednesdays and Fridays of the Great Fast.

Strict Abstinence: The Law of strict abstience (fast) forbids the use of meat, eggs and dairy products. While they are permitted, facsimiles, substitutes, and synthetic derivatives violate the intention and spirit of the law of strict abstinence. ALL THE FAITHFUL OF THE ARCHEPARCY WHO RECEIVE THE EUCHARIST ARE BOUND TO OBSERVE STRICT ABSTINENCE. Strict abstinence (fast) is to be observed on Pure Monday, February 4, (the first day of the Great Fast) and on Great and Holy Friday, March 21, 2008.

Dispensations may be granted for acceptable reasons due to personal circumstances.

These regulations are minimal guidelines. There are people who will go beyond the minimum. You will notice that there is no age limit governing Abstinence. Keep in mind in our Church all who are baptized receive Holy Eucharist.

I would invite anybody else who has the OFFICIAL fasting regulations for their particular church to post them. I DO NOT ASK THIS SO THAT CRITICISMS COULD BE MADE OF HOW VARIOUS CHURCHES VIEW THE GREAT FAST OR LENTEN SEASON. I just think it would be interesting to make a comparison to see the variations among both Eastern and Western Churches.

Yours in Christ
Father Deacon Paul
Is there a special Liturgy or service on Pure Monday?
 
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory Forever!

On the evening of Cheesefare Sunday, Feb. 3, Forgiveness Vespers will be held in our Cathedral by the Bishop and also in many of our parishes. These Vespers will usher in the Great Fast with the people asking forgiveness and also giving forgiveness. It is the custom in monasteries to exchange the kiss of pease as a sign of reconciliation before the fast. Therefore the Sunday evening Vespers are considered Forgiveness Vespers.

While the Typicon perscribes Vespers for Pure Monday, Many of our churches will celebrate a Presanctified Liturgy with Vespers as they will on Wednesdays and Fridays during the lenten season.

Yours in Christ,

Father Deacon Paul
 
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory Forever!

On the evening of Cheesefare Sunday, Feb. 3, Forgiveness Vespers will be held in our Cathedral by the Bishop and also in many of our parishes. These Vespers will usher in the Great Fast with the people asking forgiveness and also giving forgiveness. It is the custom in monasteries to exchange the kiss of pease as a sign of reconciliation before the fast. Therefore the Sunday evening Vespers are considered Forgiveness Vespers.

While the Typicon perscribes Vespers for Pure Monday, Many of our churches will celebrate a Presanctified Liturgy with Vespers as they will on Wednesdays and Fridays during the lenten season.

Yours in Christ,

Father Deacon Paul
Thank you. 🙂
 
According to our Ukrainian Catholic Typikon Pure Monday is an aliturgical day; the Lenten Hours are appointed to be celebrated. The Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is not appointed until Pure Wednesday (which is the usual Byzantine tradition).
 
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory Forever!

Diak,

Agreed our Typicon also does not prescribe the Presantified Liturgy until Wed., with Lenten hours celebrated on Monday, I stand corrected and should have said, we do have few individual churches that do jump the gun.

Yours in Christ,

Father Deacon Paul
 
I am Maronite. Great Lent begins on Ash Monday, two days before the Latin Church Ash Wednesday. We are given a choice to observe the same rules as the Latin Church regarding fasting and abstinence, but clergy and laity who desire it can observe the traditional Maronite rules. On week days nothing but water and medicine from Midnight until noon. After that meals may contain no animal products, such as meat, dairy, and eggs. On Saturday and Sunday no fasting. On the holy days of St Maron, the 40 Martyrs, and St Joseph, no fasting, even if they occur on a Mon-Friday.
 
In some of the churches of the Syriac and Alexandrian tradition there is also a pre-Lenten fast called the “fast of Nineveh”. The Chaldeans, Assyrians, and Malankara practice this fast, as do also the Ethiopians and Copts. This is a very strict three-day fast.

While this fast would have been originally in the Maronite tradition, I don’t know if it is still practiced. Perhaps lbdjohnson can elaborate.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top