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The following is from Christminster, Western Orthodox
Monastery. It sets forth a reasonable and traditional observance.
Those parishes which are part of the Fraternity of St Gregory the
Great will note our observance during Lent also included no meat
whatsoever, though some did partake on Sundays.
INTRODUCTION
In any discussion of fasting within the universal Church, one
must be aware that until very recent times uniformity of practice
has never prevailed in east or west. Perhaps more than any other
aspect of church observance – with the possible exception of local
calendars of saints – fasting observances have varied considerably
from place to place, diocese to diocese, rite to rite, country to
country. What has always been maintained, however, is the importance
of the principle of fasting at certain times and seasons. Only in
Protestantism, modern Roman Catholicism, and even in some modernist
Orthodox jurisdictions, have the discipline and wisdom of fasting
been abandoned or lost. The discipline of fasting and abstinence set
forth here reflects that of the western-rite Orthodox monastic
community of Christ the Saviour, as received originally into the
Russian Orthodox Church, later into the Russian Orthodox Church
Abroad, and now (as of May 2007) in the united Russian Orthodox
Church. Fasting and abstinence should always be reverently and
prayerfully observed and should never become the occasion for any
kind of Pharisaical judgements or of self-righteous comparisons with
those who may be less observant. Indeed, as our Lord has told us,
our fasting and abstinence should be observed in such a way that no
one will think to compliment it or comment on it. Our observance
must be permeated with charity and humility, done out of love for
God and sorrow for our sins, and should never be a source of
contention or pride.
FASTING
Fasting, as distinguished from abstinence, refers to the amount
of food eaten and to the time of day at which meals are taken. Its
essential principle is that on a fast day, only one full meal may be
eaten, and this should be eaten later in the day after 3:00PM, i.e.,
after the canonical hour of None. Unless the fast day is also a day
of abstinence, no particular restriction is made in regard to the
quantity or nature of the food or drink, moderation always being a
reliable guide. For those working who may require more,
traditionally a light, meatless collation may be taken at any other
time of day (even before 3:00PM if necessary), its quantity
amounting to less than half of what would constitute the main meal
of the day. Apart from this, no food should be eaten on a fast day.
Water does not break the fast. Fasting is absolutely forbidden on
all Sundays, Solemnities and Greater Feasts. Additionally, only
abstinence may be observed on Saturdays in fasting seasons.
Throughout the year, except in Lent when Mondays are also observed,
Wednesdays and Fridays are days of fast and abstinence, unless a
Solemnity or Greater Feast should occur on one of these days. In the
fast-free seasons after Christmas and between Easter and Pentecost,
fasting is not observed, but abstinence is still observed on
Wednesdays and Fridays. Thus, all Wednesdays and Fridays of the
year, unless they are also Solemnities or Greater Feasts, and
outside of fast-free times, are also days of fasting. Because
Solemnities and Greater Feasts always begin with First Vespers the
evening before the feast, any fast must conclude before the feast
begins, i.e., before Vespers. Thus, fasts conclude after the office
of None (3:00PM) each day, so that no fasting occurs on a solemn
feast day.
ABSTINENCE
Abstinence, as distinguished from fasting, consists of refraining
entirely from eating meat or poultry and gravies, soups or sauces
made from meat or poultry. On days of abstinence, fish and dairy
products are always permitted. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited,
but wine and beer, where customary, are allowed. Abstinence applies
to any and all food taken on a particular day. Unlike fasting, which
by its nature ends when one eats, abstinence generally lasts from
midnight to midnight. But on Saturdays, or on the eve of Solemnities
or Greater Feasts, the abstinence ends with Vespers. Thus on a
normal Saturday in Lent, while it is not a day of fast, thus
permitting meals earlier in the day, these meals must be meatless at
least until the evening meal is taken. Thus evening meals on Lenten
Saturdays ought not to be eaten until after Vespers when
liturgically the Sunday has already begun. For those who do not
attend Vespers, the Sunday observance may be considered as beginning
at 5:00PM.
LENT & ADVENT
The Lenten observance begins on the morning of Ash Wednesday. In
Lent, all days except Saturdays and Sundays (or Solemnities &
Greater Feasts) are days of fast on which one main meal may be taken
after 3:00PM, and, if needed, one other small meatless collation.
Additionally in Lent, apart from Solemnities and Greater Feasts, all
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are days of abstinence, on which no
meat or poultry may be eaten. Only on the Ember Saturday during the
first week of Lent, as a special observance, is fasting added to the
usual Saturday Lenten abstinence, ending, as usual, after None.
During the Sacred Triduum of Holy Week – Maundy Thursday, Good
Friday, and Holy Saturday – the Lenten observance continues as
usual; but on Thursday and Friday, no food is taken until after the
celebration of the afternoon or evening Liturgy of each day. On Holy
Saturday, because no Liturgy will be celebrated until the night
service of the Great Vigil, a single meatless meal may be eaten
before noontime. The Lenten fast ends with the Great Vigil and Mass
of Easter. The Advent observance begins on the Monday following the
First Sunday of Advent, which is always the Sunday occurring nearest
to the feast of Saint Andrew the Apostle (30 November). Its
observance is identical to that of Lent, except that for the first
two weeks of Advent, Mondays are days of fast only, without
abstinence. In the third and fourth weeks of Advent, Monday
abstinence is added to the observance. The Advent Ember Saturday is
observed as in Lent, with fasting and abstinence observed until
after None. The Advent observance ends with the beginning of First
Vespers on the eve of the Nativity.
EMBER DAYS & ROGATION DAYS
The Ember Days are of ancient origin and occur four times a year
at the changes of the seasons, on the Wednesday, Friday, and
Saturday of the following weeks: the first full week of Lent after
the first Sunday of Lent; the week following the octave of
Pentecost; after the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (14
September); after the feast of Saint Lucy (13 December). Ember Days
are observed with fast and abstinence. Traditionally, almsgiving
also should mark these times. The Rogation Days, which are the
Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday before Ascension Thursday, are
observed with abstinence only, as these occur within the fast-free
season of Eastertide. These days are dedicated to prayer for those
being ordained to Holy Orders.
VIGILS
Fasting is observed on the Vigils (i.e., the day preceding) of
certain major feasts, ending before First Vespers. These vigils are
observed for the following: all feasts of Apostles and Evangelists,
Christmas (24 December), St. John Baptist (23 June), St. Lawrence (9
August), Assumption (14 August), All Saints (31 October). If these
Vigils fall on a Sunday, the observance, unless impeded by a
Solemnity or Feast, is moved back to Saturday and is observed with
abstinence (fasting not being observed on Saturdays apart from
Embertides). Vigils of Apostles that occur during Eastertide are
observed with abstinence instead of fasting. Thus no meat may be
eaten until after First Vespers on these days.
FAST-FREE SEASONS
Fasting is not observed throughout the season from Christmas
through Epiphany and its Octave, or from Easter to the end of the
Pentecost Octave. Abstinence, however, is observed as usual on
Wednesdays and Fridays during these seasons unless a Solemnity or
Greater Feast should occur.
THE COMMUNION FAST
For those receiving Holy Communion, no food or drink is permitted
from the preceding midnight until after Mass. In those instances
where, for pastoral reason, Mass may be celebrated in the evening,
those wishing to receive Holy Communion must fast from noontime at
least, if they are unable to fast entirely from the preceding
midnight. The only exceptions to this are Maundy Thursday and Good
Friday, when all are obliged to fast until after the evening
Liturgies whether receiving Holy Communion or not.
OTHER FASTS
Special fasts may be observed on the occasions of Baptism,
Chrismation, Ordinations and similar circumstances as ordered by the
Bishop or Abbot. Private fasts observed for personal reasons may be
permitted so long as they do not violate the regular fasts as set
forth here. In such cases, the person should always act under the
guidance and with the blessing of his confessor or spiritual father.
Similarly, anyone who may require an exemption from any prescribed
fast or abstinence may ask a confessor for such permission.
Exemption may be legitimately presumed for those who are physically
weak, sick, very old, very young, or in any reasonable necessity.
Children should be gradually educated and trained in fasting and can
be taught abstinence from an early age.
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