From: anachem@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu (mark gilstrap)
Subject: Re: fasting (the Orthodox Christian path)
Organization: Indiana University
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 20:56:07 GMT

I once posted this to the CHRISTIA list. I thought you might like
to see it posted here for your reference.

	Aceticism is a vital weapon in the "unseen warfare" with
	the enemies of God who hate mankind and use our undisciplined
	flesh and our sinful passions to pull us down into the
	pit of their perdition. Fasting is one of the ascetic
	disciplines which is so important that no real spiritual
	progress can be made without it. St John of the Ladder tells
	us that the sin of Anger is very closely related to a well 
	satisfied belly.
 
	In the Orthodox Christian Church the rules for fasting
	apply universally to all members. However there is an
	economy for the ill and infirm, the old and the young,
	the preganant etc... which admits to their special needs.
 
	It is a "rule" but not intended to be a strait-jacket - nor
	a source for pharisaical pride for anyone who keeps the
	letter of the Church's law. It is rather the standard
	against which each is to measure his own practice, and
	towards which one must always strive, according to one's
	strength and circumstances. Whenever one falls short of
	the rule, he applies to himself the spiritual medicine
	of self-reproach and strives to enter more fully into 
	the spirit and discipline of fasting, which is indeed of 
	great spiritual benefit to those who sincerely strive to
	follow it. 

	Saint Seraphim of Sarov who accurately foretold the fall 
	of Holy Russia "because of the failure to fast on Wednesdays 
	and Fridays" made a strong statement wrt fasting: "They
	who do not fast are not Christians, no matter what they may 
	call themselves." If we do not even try to fast, this is 
	a very serious matter. 
 
	The "logic" or "rationale" for the rules which we have
	followed for nearly 2 millenia may be lost on those outside
	its practice. But that is the key - you must participate -
	it cannot be cogitated about only. Of course Prayer is the
	partner to fasting and fasting outside the context of the
	Christian goal is spiritually fruitless. Fasting separated
	from the Life in Christ is merely a "diet."  

Orthodox Christian Practice: 

	COMMON RULE:	strict fast every Wednesday (the day of
					  Christ's betrayal)
				and every Friday (the day of the
					  the Crucifixion)
	strict fast = no meat, dairy products, eggs, fish, wine or oil; 
		      in other words fruits, vegetables and grains - 
		      raw, pickled or cooked without olive oil.

Orthodox monastics also fast strictly every Monday in honor of the bodiless 
hosts whom they emulate (Orthodox monastics also never eat meat nor cut their 
hair / trim their beard)
 

	FOUR MAJOR FAST PERIODS:  (preparatory to major feasts)
 
		GREAT LENT - strict fast for 7 weeks 
				(wine and oil are allowed on weekends plus 
				a few weekdays on which special saints or
				feasts (Annunciation) are celebrated)
 
			      the week before Lent is called CheeseFare
				week (or Cheese Carnival) and all food 
				except meat is allowed
	
		NATIVITY FAST - 40 days before Christmas
				strict fast M,W,F; wine/oil on T,Th and
				fish wine and oil (but no dairy or meat) 
				on S,S; and from Dec 20-24 no fish even on S,S
 				(this includes Thanksgiving - no turkey! - for 
				followers of the Gregorian Calendar, but not 
				for the majority of Orthodox who follow the 
				Julian calendar.)

		APOSTLES' FAST - beginning one week after Pentecost and
				 lasting until the Feast of Sts Peter
				 and Paul (June 29) Essentially the same
				 rules as for the Nativity Fast, except
				 fish allowed on Tue and Thur in addition 
				 to Sat and Sun
 
		DORMITION FAST - the two weeks before the Feast of the
				 Dormition of the Theotokos (Aug 15)
				 same rules as Great Lent
 
	Special FASTING FEAST DAYS:	(wine and oil allowed)
 
		Exaltation of the Cross - September 14
 
		Beheading of the Forerunner - August 29
	
	Other SPECIAL RULES:
 
		The first three days of Great Lent are often kept in
		monasteries and by many laymen in a special manner
		No food of any kind is consumed from Sunday night, 
		Foregiveness Vespers, (when each person bows and asks
		forgiveness of every other parishioner) until after the 
		Liturgy of St Gregory on Wednesday.     (Orthodox Lent 
		begins on a Monday - Clean Monday when in Old Russia
		all the linens were stripped and began the annual house
		replastering / painting,   and Old Lady Shrovetide
		was chased from the corners with the fragrance from a bowl of
		vinegar and mint into which was placed a hot rock. The carpets 
		were rolled back and the floor cleaned and waxed - "mustn't 
		slide; Lent you know; you'll break a leg!" From "A Child's 
		Lent Remembered" - a wonderful story that makes you 
		anxious to reap the benefit of Lent as did our forebears.)
 
		The first three days of Holy Week are also observed by
		many with fasting from all food until Wednesday.
 
		Holy Friday is the most strict day of fasting. Many 
		do not consume even water until after the Taking
		Down from the Cross Vespers. Also other disciplines such 
		as avoiding all unnecessary speech and activity in expected.
 
		In addition to the above rules related to food, activities 
		such as alms-giving etc.. and restraint from worldly endeavors
		are a part of fasting. Also marital relations are not 
		permitted on any fast day, no matter how lenient
		with respect to food. During Great Lent other special
		efforts are made to avoid unspiritual pursuits such as
		watching TV, going to theatre or dances etc... 

	Totalled, roughly one-half of the days of the year are prescribed 
fasting days. The Liturgical cycles are thus reflected in the home life and 
this acts to divide the year into spiritual seasons which bring meaning and 
life to the more worldly reckonings. 

father deacon mark
(Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia)
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