The whole church life of a Christian is painted on the Orthodox calendar. Every day is described there: what kind of food can be eaten, whether today is celebrated any holiday or the day of remembrance of a particular saint. They were established by the church so that a person could rise above the worldly bustle, think about his future in eternity, and join in divine services in the church. On great holidays and on angel's day, believers always try to receive communion. It is also believed that all prayers and prayers will be received by the Lord with greater favor on the eve of the holidays. And it is no coincidence that these great days are often preceded by Christian fasting. The meaning of a believer's life is gaining love, union with God, victory over passions and temptations. Fasting was given to us as an opportunity for purification, this is a period of special vigil, and the holiday after it is a day of glee and thankful prayers for the mercy of God.
Christian holidays and fasting
What are Christian fasting and holidays? The year of church services consists of a fixed circle of events and the Easter circle. All dates of the first are firmly established, while the events of the second depend on the date of Easter. It is she - the greatest holiday of all believers, bearing the meaning of the Christian faith, embodying the hope of a general resurrection. This date is variable, it is calculated every year according to Orthodox Easter. After this bright day, the importance of the twelfth holidays. There are twelve of them, three of them are transient, they depend on Easter day. This is Palm Sunday, Ascension and Trinity. And the enduring twelve feasts are Christmas, Baptism, Meeting, Annunciation, Transfiguration, Assumption, Nativity of the Virgin, Exaltation, Introduction to the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos. All of them are connected with the earthly life of Christ and the Virgin Mary and are revered as a remembrance of the holy events that happened once. In addition to the twelve, the great holidays are: Circumcision of the Lord, the day of the Apostles Peter and Paul, the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, the Beheading of the head of St. John the Baptist, Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos.
Christian fasting concept
Periods of abstinence for believers are an integral part of life. The word "fasting" itself came from the Greek apastia, which literally means "one who eats nothing." But the restriction in food among Christians has little to do with fasting or diet, because caring for excess weight has nothing to do with it. The first mention of fasting in the Bible is in the Old Testament, when Moses fasted 40 days before receiving the commandments from the Lord. And Jesus spent as much time in the desert, in hunger and loneliness, before going out to people with the words of his sermons. Fasting, they did not think about their physical health, but first of all about cleansing the mind and renouncing everything earthly.
It is not in our power to fast so strictly - without water and food, but we have no right to forget the meaning of fasting. To us, sinful people, he was given to get rid of passions, to understand that man is first the spirit, and then the flesh. We must prove to ourselves that we can abandon our favorite dishes and products in order to achieve something higher. Restricting food during fasting is only an aid in the fight against sins. Learning to deal with your passions, bad habits, carefully monitor yourself and avoid condemnation, evil, despondency, strife - this is what it means to fast.
The main Christian holidays and fasting
The church established one-day fasts and multi-day fasts. Wednesday and Friday of each week are the days when the Orthodox do not eat milk and meat food, try to keep their thoughts clean and remember God. On Wednesday, we fast in memory of the betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot, and on Friday, in memory of the crucifixion and suffering of Christ. These one-day Christian fasts are established forever, they must be observed all year round, with the exception of solid weeks - weeks during which abstinence is canceled in honor of the great holidays. One day fasting days are also set on the eve of some holidays. And there are four multi-day posts: Christmas (lasts in winter), Great (spring) and summer - Petrov and Uspensky.
Great Lent
The most severe and longest is the Great Christian Fast before Easter. There is a version that it was established by the holy apostles after the death and miraculous resurrection of Jesus. At first, Christians abstained from all food every Friday and Saturday, and on Sunday they celebrated the resurrection of Christ at the liturgy.
Now fasting usually begins 48 days before Easter. Each week is endowed with a special spiritual meaning. The weeks during which the strictest abstinence is prescribed are the first and last, Passion. It is so named because during these days all the events of the life of Christ, preceding his cross torment, death and resurrection are recalled. This is a period of special grief and intense prayers, repentance. Therefore, as in the days of the apostles, Friday and Saturday of Holy Week suggest the rejection of any food.
How to keep a post?
What are the rules of Christian fasting? Some believe that in order to fast, the blessing of the priest is necessary. This is undoubtedly a good thing, but fasting is the duty of every Orthodox person, and if there is no way to take a blessing, you need to fast without it.
The main rule: observe abstinence, avoid physical and spiritual evil. Language restrain from angry and unjust words, thoughts from condemnation. This is the time when a person focuses on himself, on the understanding of his sins, internally turning his back on the world. In addition to food, fasting deliberately limits itself to entertainment: visits to cinemas, concerts, discos and other events are postponed for a while. It is also undesirable to watch TV and read entertainment literature, abuse the Internet. Smoking, various alcoholic drinks and intimacy are excluded.
How to eat during fasting?
What can you eat in a Christian fast? It implies that food should be simpler and cheaper than what you are used to. In the old days, money saved during fasting on food was donated to the poor. Therefore, the fasting diet is based on cereals and vegetables, which are usually cheaper than meat and fish.
What can you eat in a Christian fast?
Great and Assumption fasts are considered strict, while Rozhdestvensky and Petrov are considered non-strict. The difference is that during the last two on certain days it is allowed to eat fish, consume vegetable oil and even drink some wine.
Before you start fasting, you should consider your diet so that the body does not feel a lack of vitamins and minerals. In winter there are a lot of them in pickled vegetables, especially in cabbage, and in summer - in fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs. Cooking potatoes, zucchini, eggplant, carrots is better for a couple, in a slow cooker or grill - so they will save all the nutrients. It is very good to combine stewed vegetables with cereals - it is both tasty and healthy. Do not forget about greens and seasonal fruits, and in winter - about dried fruits. The source of protein for this period can be legumes, nuts, mushrooms and soy.
What can not be eaten in fasting?
So the Great Lent of Christian came. What not to eat? Meat, poultry, any offal, sausage, milk and any dairy products, as well as eggs are prohibited. Vegetable oil and fish, too, except for some days. We'll have to give up mayonnaise, sweet pastries, chocolate, and alcohol. There is a special sense in refraining from treats, adhering to the principle "the simpler the food, the better." Suppose you cook a delicious salmon, which is more expensive than meat and very tasty. Even if you are allowed to eat fish on this day, such a dish would be a violation of fasting, because lean food should be cheap and not arouse the passion of gluttony. And of course, no need to overeat. The church is prescribed to take food once a day and is not full.
Fasting Relief
All these rules comply with the monastery charter. There are many reservations for fasting in the world.
- A feasible, non-strict fast is observed by pregnant women and nursing mothers, children, as well as unhealthy people.
- Relaxation is made to those who are on the road and do not have lean food to satisfy their hunger.
- For people who are not spiritually prepared for fasting, it also makes no sense to abide strictly by all regulations.
It is very difficult for someone who is not mentally prepared to limit himself so much in food, as the monastery charter suggests. Therefore, you need to start with something small. For starters, refuse only meat. Or from some favorite dish or product. Refuse overeating, treats. It is very difficult, and the meaning is precisely in victory over oneself, in compliance with some kind of restriction. It is important here not to overestimate your strengths and maintain a balance that will allow you to remain in a good mood and good health. It’s better to eat a short-lived than to get annoyed or angry with loved ones.
Vegetarianism and its difference from Christian fasting
At first glance, Christian posts have much in common with vegetarianism. But between them there is a big difference, which lies primarily in the worldview, in the causes of dietary restrictions.
Vegetarianism is a way of life, offering the rejection of harm to all living things. Vegetarians not only do not eat animal products, they also often refuse fur coats, leather bags and boots, and advocate for animal rights. Such people do not eat meat, not because they limit themselves, but because it is the principle of their life.
In Christian posts, on the contrary, the main idea of abstinence from certain foods is a temporary restriction, making an acceptable sacrifice to God. In addition, fasting days are accompanied by intense spiritual work, prayers, and repentance. Therefore, talking about the similarity of these two concepts is possible only in terms of nutrition. And the foundations and essence of vegetarianism and Christian fasting have nothing in common.