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The practice of fasting is a most ancient one. We find it in the Old Testament, e.g., when Moses fasted for forty days before he ascended onto Mount Sinai in order to receive the Ten Commandments, and in many other cases.
Fasting was sanctioned by our Lord Jesus Christ, Himself, when He fasted for forty days in the desert, before he embarked on His earthly ministry.
He began His fight against the devil (Matthew 4:2) with a strict form of fasting accompanied by prayer.
The ultimate goal of fasting is to help us keep the commandments of God. It is a form of spiritual training or askesis, which helps us acquire spiritual discipline. Fasting helps us detach ourselves from the earthly pleasures of the flesh. It helps us discipline our fleshly desires and all of our passions. By managing to control what goes into our mouth and stomach we train ourselves to be able to control what comes out of our mouth and heart. Through fasting we also become able to control our eyes and avoid looking at things which will aggravate our passions further. Fasting enables us to control our anger and above all, our pride.
According to St. John Chrysostom, fasting is the food of the soul. In the same way as material food nourishes the body, so also fasting strengthens the soul, makes its wings lighter and able to move more easily; it lifts her above this world and helps her communicate with the heavenly, after having freed her from her attachment to the pleasures and lusts of life.
Fasting, however, should always be accompanied by
(i) Repentance for our sins,
(ii) Prayer,
(iii) Reading of the Bible and other spiritual books and
(iv) Almsgiving.
Especially those who are unable to fast in a strict manner because of physical or other problems, should give more of themselves to spiritual edification through prayer, reading of the Scriptures, or listening to spiritual talks, while they also give more of their earthly goods to those in need. In these things they cannot present the excuse that the infirmity of the body is an obstacle, as it may be in fasting. Furthermore, everyone should make peace with their enemies. Let no hatred remain in your hearts. Your fasting will be in vain if you are not in peace with those around you.
Teach also your children to fast every Wednesday and Friday, as well as during the regular fasting periods. It is the best spiritual discipline that they will ever get. If they learn to fast early in their lives, fasting will not seem such a big burden for them later. The greatest benefit, however, is that by practicing this spiritual discipline (always accompanied by prayer, and reading of spiritual books and almsgiving), they will be strengthened by God's grace and they will be prepared to face the temptations of the teenage years and adulthood. They will be able to say NO to the drug culture, the premarital sexual adventures, and all the other temptations of our society. This spiritual discipline will help your children remain close to God and within the fold of the Church for the rest of their lives.
(i) On every Wednesday, in commemoration of the betrayal of Christ, and every Friday, in remembrance of His Passion and Crucifixion
(ii) During the forty days before Christmas (Advent)
(iii) During the period of Great Lent
(iv) During the period between the Feast of All Saints and the feast of The Holy Apostles Peter and Paul
(v) During the first two weeks of August, which precede the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos - August 15th
(vi) On the day of the commemoration of the beheading of St. John the Baptist (August 29th)
(vii) On the feast of the Elevation of the Holy Cross (September 14)
(viii) On the Eve of the Baptism of Christ (January 5).
(i) The period between Christmas and January 4th
(ii) The week following the Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee
(iii) The week following the Sunday of Holy Pascha (Renewal Week), and
(iv) The week after Pentecost.
Fasting means abstinence from all foods that come from animals, e.g., meats, dairy products, fish e.t.c. and from oil. One should only eat bread, vegetables and legumes (beans). During the fasting periods, oil and wine are allowed on Saturdays and Sundays as also on certain major feasts. Fish is allowed on the feast of the Annunciation (March 25th) and the feast of the Transfiguration (August 6th). Fasting means that not only the above foods should be avoided when we fast, but we should also limit the amount of food we consume at every meal.
It is advisable for those who are not used to fasting, or are doing it for the first time, to speak to their spiritual father about it so that he can advise them as to how they should go about doing it. It may be spiritually detrimental for beginners to impose on themselves the strictest form of fasting.
Fr. Panayiotis Papageorgiou, Ph.D.
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Fasting is a very ancient spiritual exercise encountered from the beginning in the Old Testament (Exodus) and reaffirmed by Jesus Himself when he fasted for forty days in the desert and was tempted by the devil (Mathew 4:2). The goal of fasting, in combination with repentance and prayer, is to help the human person to subjugate their passions and observe the Commands of God.
According to the Holy Canons of the Church we must fast strictly on all Wednesdays and Fridays of the year, except for the days when there is no fasting (see later "Days of no fasting"), and when a feast of the Lord or the Mother of God falls on Wednesday or Friday when we may eat fish.
We fast on Wednesday in commemoration of the betrayal of our Lord Jesus Christ and on Friday in rememberance of His Passion and Crucifiction.
Great Lent (The Great Fast)
During this entire period only on the weekends (Saturdays and Sundays) is oil and wine allowed. Fish is only allowed on the 25th of March (Feast of the Annunciation) and, according to a more recent tradition, on Palm Sunday as well.
Fast of the Holy Apostles
From the Monday after the Sunday of All Saints until the 28th of June oil and wine is allowed on all days, except Wednesdays and Fridays, while fish is allowed only on the weekends.
Fast of the Dormition of the Theotokos
From the 1st to the 14th of August oil and wine is allowed only on the weekends, except August 6th (The transfiguration of the Lord) when fish is allowed.
The Fast of Christmas (Advent)
From the 15th of November to the 12th of December oil and wine is allowed on all days except Wednesdays and Fridays and fish is allowed on Saturdays and Sundays.
From the 13th to the 24th of December oil and wine is allowed only on Saturdays and Sundays. Fish is not allowed.
On the following feast-days a strict fast is observed unless they occur on a Saturday or a Sunday when oil and wine is allowed:
August 29th, The Beheading of John the Baptist
September 14th, The Elevation of the Holy Cross
January 5th, Eve of Theophany: Fast for the reception of the Holy Water of Theophany.
From the 25th of December to the 4th of January
The week following the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisse
The week following the Sunday of Easter (Pascha)
The week following the Sunday of Pentecost
Note: We advise those who will fast for the fist time during the long periods of fasting to consult with their spiritual father (to whom they confess) before they impose on themselves the stricter rule of fasting.
The Church applies economia in such cases, as also in cases where sickness or another serious reason makes the Christian unable to fast strictly, and allows them to observe a less strict form of fasting.
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