In the fall of paradise, man developed inclination towards passion.He possessed carnal nature.The Eastern Orthodox Christians consider Orthodox Fasting as a spiritual practice to come closer to god and refrain from the carnal nature.This article tries to gain insight about Orthodox Fasting.
What is Orthodox Fasting ?
- It is a spiritual practice for regaining innocence and be pure.
- It involves obedience of the Church and its ascetic practices,prayer,confession of sins and almsgiving.
- According to a time and amount fixed by the church,every Eastern Orthodox Christian fasts for a short period of time.
- The Holy Canons and Sacred Tradition set the method of fasting.
- In Orthodox Fasting,certain food items are completely forbidden.
- They are meat and diary products,fish,oil,wine and olive.
- During the days of this fasting,the married couples abstain from physical intimacy.
- The rules of the fasting are relaxed for the very young,the elderly and the pregnant women.
Major Orthodox Fasting Seasons are:
According to the ecclesiastical calendar,there are four major fasting seasons in a year. They are:
The Nativity Fast:
- It is also known as “Winter Lent”.
- It begins on November 15 and runs through December 24 for a period of 40 days.
- It becomes more severe after December 20, and 25th December is observed a strict fast day.
The Great Lent:
- It lasts for 40 days.
- It precedes Palm Sunday and Great Week which precedes Easter (Pascha).
The Apostles’ Fast:
- It can last from a period of 8 days to 6 weeks.
- It begins on the Monday following the first Sunday after Pentecost.
- It extends up to June 29 till the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul.
- Since the dates of Pentecost and Pascha are inter-dependent on the lunar calendar, it becomes tough to determine the duration of this fast.
The Dormition Fast:
- It is a two-week long Fast.
- It precedes the repose of The Virgin Mary or the Dormition of the Theotokos.
- It lasts from August 1 to August 15.
In addition to these fasting seasons, the Eastern Orthodox Christians also fast on Wednesday and Friday commemorating the betrayal of Judus Iscariot and the cruxification of Jesus Christ respectively.
