The Philip's Fast (November 15-December 24) starts Tonight!

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Edwin1961

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The following was printed in our past Sunday’s church bulletin. Since the Liturgical Season in the Byzantine Calendar starts on September 1st. The Philip’s Fast is the first fast of the Church Year. Here are some suggestions our Pastor gave us. With Vespers tonight, we start the Philip’s Fast::

*In anticipation of the advent or "coming of the Messiah that we celebrate during the feast of the Nativity (Christmas), Byzantine Catholics enter into a time of preparation known as the “Nativity Fast” (or Philip’s Fast since it begins each year on November 15th.).

As with most periods of fast before the great feasts, the season of advent is a time for a deeper interior conversion to Christ by embracing the four forms of Christian praxis (i.e. asceticism) during this fasting time.*

Prayer
  • Spend at least 15 miutes in the morning and evening in prayer each day. Pray the Jesus Prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” 100 times a day.
  • Display an icon of the Nativity in the prayer corner of your house or room and spend 10 each day meditating on the saving mysteries surrounding the story of Christ’s birth.
  • Receive the Mystery of Holy Repentance at least once during the fast.
  • Use this prayer guide with family and friends.
Fasting
  • Abstain from meat and dairy products on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays. Diary is allowed on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but still no meat.
  • Fast from certain foods, such as soda, alcoholic beverages, candy or some other enjoyable food.
  • With each meal, eat only an amount that is sufficient for nutritional needs, without feeling full.
  • Fast from select forms of entertainment (television, movies, radio, internet, novels, etc.)
Almsgiving
  • Give your time, talent and/or treasure to a parish outreach or a special charity.
  • Increase your pairsh time for the season.
  • Clean out your house of any excessive items or possessions and share them with the poor and needy.
  • Purchase gifts for homeless or needy children or families.
Love
  • Meditate on the Ten Commandments or the Beatitudes and identify one or two fo theseto put into prractice each week.
  • Examine your conscience each night, asking for forgiveness from God or others as needed.
  • Find opportunities to shar your faith with others.
All we can do is our best to hold to this fast. My Pastor comments to us all the time that we celebrate AFTER not before a feast. Christmas celebration in the Catholic East is from December 25th. to February 2nd. It only makes sense!😉
 
Fast starting tonight ???

Oh no it doesn’t :D:D:D:D

Well yes - I suppose it does if you are on that modern invention - the New Calendar 😃

I’m still eating meat and dairy 😃
 
wannabee said:
Fast starting tonight ???

Oh no it doesn’t :D:D:D:D

Well yes - I suppose it does if you are on that modern invention - the New Calendar 😃

I’m still eating meat and dairy 😃
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Well, yeah, I forgot about the OLD calander. At least you have guidelines for the Fast.

P.S. Now don’t rub it in about the meat while we’re fasting. I’m sure we wouldn’t want to do the same to you.😉
 
I gather that the old calendar is more favorable to Thanksgiving. 😉
 
I think a discussion about the New Calendar vs. the Old Calendar can be done on a new thread.

This thread is about the Philip’s Fast, regardless which calendar it takes place on. Since most Eastern Catholics use the New Calendar (we will observe that one here on this thread).
 
For those who celebrate the full length of the fast, what do you do for Thanksgiving and St. Nicholas’ Day?
 
<<For those who celebrate the full length of the fast, what do you do for Thanksgiving and St. Nicholas’ Day?
_______________>>

Some Orthodox jurisdictions give permission for meat on Thanksgiving day PROVIDED one attends Divine Liturgy on that day. This is a custom going back to Patriarch St. Tikhon.

St. Nicholas day allows fish, regardless of the day it falls on. (Technically, fish is forbidden M-F).
 
Woodstock said:
For those who celebrate the full length of the fast, what do you do for Thanksgiving and St. Nicholas’ Day?
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Glad you asked.
I just talked to my Pastor tonight and I asked the very same question. As for Tnanksgiving Day, that is decided by the Bishop whether the fast can be lifted or not. As for our Eparchy (Diocese) we can celebrate Thanksgiving bypassing the fast.

As for the other days, Today at sundown is the Feast of the Entrance of the Mother of God. This is a Feast so there is no fast (Nov 21). St. Nicholas Day is also a FEAST so ther eis NO fast. And for the Conception of the Mother of God (Dec. 8) ere is NO fast.

I hope this answers your question.
 
Last year I kept the fast on Thanksgiving and St. Nicholas’ day. This year, circumstances were different so I had the traditional foods on Thanksgiving. I was curious what others did to navigate secular and cultural expectations while also keeping the liturgical intent.
 
Woodstock said:
Last year I kept the fast on Thanksgiving and St. Nicholas’ day. This year, circumstances were different so I had the traditional foods on Thanksgiving. I was curious what others did to navigate secular and cultural expectations while also keeping the liturgical intent.
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It would be a good idea to do something extra for someone or an organization in place of a dietary fast. I had explained eariler that the Bishop can give an exception for a secular holday during a fasting period.
 
Woodstock said:
Last year I kept the fast on Thanksgiving and St. Nicholas’ day. This year, circumstances were different so I had the traditional foods on Thanksgiving. I was curious what others did to navigate secular and cultural expectations while also keeping the liturgical intent.
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Given the various Byzantine Churches differing rules on the Fast, it is going to vary.

Since there is no expectation in the Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh (Ruthenian Church) to fast outside Wednesdays and Fridays, thanksgiving falls in between… and not on a “fasting day.”

Therefore in the Ruthenian Church, one needs not permission from the Eparch nor Pastor to enjoy the celebration.

One is encouraged to go beyond the minimum (and it’s a low one by comparison to many other Byzantine churches…) but not expected to.

Me, it meant no eating leftovers on Friday. They waited until Saturday. I’m trying to keep my meals down in size throughout, but am not going to make a vow of that. It also meant explaining to some RC friends why I wasn’t going to be eating leftovers on Friday… (We share holidays with friends less work and more reasonable leftovers per family!)
 
Aramis said:
Given the various Byzantine Churches differing rules on the Fast, it is going to vary.

Since there is no expectation in the Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh (Ruthenian Church) to fast outside Wednesdays and Fridays, thanksgiving falls in between… and not on a “fasting day.”

Therefore in the Ruthenian Church, one needs not permission from the Eparch nor Pastor to enjoy the celebration.

One is encouraged to go beyond the minimum (and it’s a low one by comparison to many other Byzantine churches…) but not expected to.

Me, it meant no eating leftovers on Friday. They waited until Saturday. I’m trying to keep my meals down in size throughout, but am not going to make a vow of that. It also meant explaining to some RC friends why I wasn’t going to be eating leftovers on Friday… (We share holidays with friends less work and more reasonable leftovers per family!)
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Good point taken, that we should take the minimun and make a maximum effort.to go beyond that.
 
lak611 said:
I noticed on this website that the new fast is Dec. 10-24. Are there some parishes that follow a different schedule?
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Yes. Because of the western influence, some do not keep the full 40 day fast, which is intended to mirror the Lenten fast, but instead keep a 14 day fast. They came up with some reason to justify it, saying it mirrors the Dormition fast, but I don’t remember it.
 
Woodstock said:
Yes. Because of the western influence, some do not keep the full 40 day fast, which is intended to mirror the Lenten fast, but instead keep a 14 day fast. They came up with some reason to justify it, saying it mirrors the Dormition fast, but I don’t remember it.
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I just discovered these fasts, and even though I am Latin Rite, I think it sounds like a beautiful way to prepare for Christmas, since Advent is supposed to be preparation time for us too. I am going to try this as a means of preparation even though it is not something required for me to do.
 
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