When does Lent occur The essence of fasting What you can’t eat The structure of fasting – what and on what days you can eat When can you eat fish The meaning of Lent in the modern world
When is Lent?
Lent has no fixed start and end dates; these depend on the date of Easter. Lent begins on the Monday immediately after Forgiveness Sunday, the last day of Maslenitsa, and ends seven weeks later on the Saturday before Easter.
In 2024, Lent will last from March 18 to May 4 inclusive. Its duration is always 48 days.
The gist of the post
The most important event of the church year is the Holy Resurrection of Christ or Easter. And Lent is a time of responsible preparation for this holiday, established in honor of the memory of the 40-day fast of Jesus Christ in the desert. The main purpose of fasting is stated in the book “Lent and Easter”. “A step-by-step guide for believers,” says the author Elena Vladimirova, “expulsion of the ancient evil spirit – the serpent” from your soul. “By prayer and fasting alone this generation will be cast out,” the Lord said to His disciples (“Gospel of Matthew,” chapter 17, verse 21).
According to Vladimirova, fasting does not only mean abstinence from animal foods, which can also be observed by the poor, prisoners and the sick. Fasting only becomes meaningful when combined with spiritual exercises. As the expert explains, a “biologically prosperous” person is closed from the influence of higher powers, and fasting undermines this well-being and opens a “channel” for the influence of another world and spiritual fulfillment.
The first condition of Christian fasting is “goodness of soul”. As Vladimirova notes, a stubborn person cannot achieve the true goals of fasting because he remains a “slave of passion.”
“Fasting is a pure abstinence to restore the lost balance between body and soul, to restore to our soul its primacy over the body and passions,” Bishop Herman said.
The book explains that rejection of animal food, repentance and prayer should be accompanied by thoughts about one’s sinfulness and abstinence from entertainment (cinema, theater, visiting, light reading, games, etc.).
There is a saying: “Maslenitsa will come not only for the cat, Lent will also come” – this means that fun and pleasure are not endless and difficulties will follow. In his notes, Priest Alexander Elchaninov calls Lent a period of “spiritual endeavor” and devotion to God.
What not to eat
The basis of fasting for physically healthy people is strict dietary restrictions:
• rejection of meat;
• rejection of dairy products;
• rejection of fish;
• rejection of oil;
• abstinence from food completely for a period of time.
Let’s emphasize these once again. the rules are only for healthy people – Sick and elderly people are exempt from fasting if it harms them. Vladimirova’s book notes that in some cases, those who cannot afford such concrete restrictions on food observe strict spiritual fasting, have more control over their emotions, fast at least 1-2 times a week if possible, and refuse entertainment, sweets and other delicacies. “for the soul”.
The structure of fasting – what and on what days you can eat
Lent begins seven weeks before Easter and consists of two parts: Lent (the first six weeks) and Holy Week (the last six days). Each week has its own name and meaning.
• First week – “The Triumph of Orthodoxy”
This week Orthodoxy honors the victory over iconoclasm and pays homage to Empress Theodora of Constantinople, who restored veneration of icons in the church after the ban in the 8th century.
The first week of Lent is the strictest. This begins with “Clean Monday,” when some Christians eat or drink nothing or drink only water. The generally accepted rule for the first four days of fasting is to eat dry food, that is, food without heat treatment (raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, dried fruits, honey, etc.).
On Friday, you can eat a hot meal with lean vegetables for the first time. Fat is allowed on the first Saturday and Sunday, and on Sunday you can even drink wine.
• Second week – “St. Gregory Palamas”
St. Gregory Palamas is known as the systematizer and creator of the philosophical justification for the practice of hesychasm, the father and teacher of the Church. It is revered because it explains the connection between God and the world.
In the second and subsequent weeks (except the seventh), the regime according to the monastery charter is as follows: Monday, Wednesday and Friday – dry food, Tuesday and Thursday – hot food without oil. On Saturday and Sunday – hot dish with vegetable oil. But laymen do not have to follow monastic rules: they can eat hot food with vegetable oil every day from the second to the sixth week of Lent.
• Third week — “Worship of the Cross”
This period of fasting is dedicated to the reverence of the Cross. It reminds us that the Cross symbolizes not only the atoning death of Christ but also his Resurrection.
• Fourth week – “Venerable John Climacus”
St. John Climacus is best known as the author of The Ladder, a classic guide to the spiritual life. It still remains one of the most popular books among Orthodox Christians, so the Church honors the memory of the author.
• Fifth week – “Virgin Mary of Egypt”
St. Mary of Egypt is revered for her deliverance from the passion of an immoral life – she achieved this through intense fasting. From an early age, the girl considered adultery the meaning of her existence. One day, Mary boarded a ship carrying pilgrims to Jerusalem to indulge in pleasures.
In Jerusalem, the girl discovered that she could not enter the temple – as soon as she approached the threshold, the crowd drove her away. An icon of the Mother of God hung at the entrance to the temple, and Mary promised before the Mother of God that she would change her life. He went to the desert, ate inadequate plant food, and after 17 years he managed to get rid of his passion. In total, he spent more than 47 years in complete solitude, fasting and praying for repentance.
• Sixth week — “The Lord’s Entry into Jerusalem”
The sixth week is also called the week of Vai – this word means palm leaves that were used to block the path of Christ before he entered Jerusalem. In our country, the alternative to leaves is willow branches – the week ends with Palm Sunday.
• Seventh week – “Holy week”
During Holy Week, believers remember Christ’s passion, his earthly sufferings, his death, burial and subsequent Resurrection. The last week of Lent can be considered a separate and especially strict fast.
Each day of Holy Week is called Great and is subject to strict rules. Dry meals are served on Holy Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Holy Thursday is dedicated to the memory of the Last Supper – on this day you can eat foods with vegetable oils. On Good Friday (Friday), either dry eating or complete abstinence from food is encouraged. On Holy Saturday before Easter, hot foods with vegetable oil are consecrated.
When can I fish?
during lent fish and seafood are allowed to be eaten twice: On the day of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the feast of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem. If the Annunciation is a permanent holiday and is always celebrated on Nisan 7, then the date of the Lord’s Entry into Jerusalem depends on the day of Easter. In 2024, it is April 28.
The day before the Lord’s entry into Jerusalem is celebrated on Lazarus Saturday (in memory of the resurrection of St. Lazarus). In 2024, it is April 27. On Lazarus Saturday, you can eat fish caviar, which symbolizes the embryo of future life. However, the fish itself is prohibited on this day.
The meaning of Lent in the modern world
Mikhail Trebukhin, priest of the Church of the Great Martyr Anastasia in Chkalovsk, told socialbites.ca:
“The modern world offers us a multitude of temptations and mental illnesses. Man is weak by nature and often cannot withstand the emotional burden, the desire for wealth and power that presses on him in this world of consumption. And he is looking for what can save him, his soul and his body. Someone starts to meditate, someone goes on vacation, but not everyone finds in this a cure for where all the “diseases” of the soul come from. We are trying to reinvent the wheel but everything has already been invented for our salvation. The best medicine is Lent.
St. Athanasius the Great said: “What good is fasting? It cures diseases, dries phlegm, drives away demons, destroys evil thoughts, and purifies the heart. If anyone is greatly troubled by an unclean spirit, then let him know the cure in the words of the Lord: “Without prayer and fasting this generation cannot be saved.”
And it says it all. We say, “All diseases arise from nerves.” And nerves are the mirror of our soul. The soul suffers from unclean spirits. Accordingly, with fasting we heal our souls and live in harmony and love with ourselves and our loved ones.
Our modern rhythm of life is very fast and we often do not have time to stop, take a break, and look at ourselves and our actions from a different perspective. A critical view, repentance for possible evil and thoughts. Lent gives us this opportunity. It is an opportunity to get involved in the whirlpool of the speed of modern life, to stop and see what we do not notice. To see not only our own problems, but also the problems of our loved ones, which we often do not realize, pass quickly.
St. John Chrysostom said: “Do you fast? Feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, visit the sick, do not forget the captives. Comfort mourning and weeping; Be merciful, gentle, gentle, quiet, tolerant, unforgiving, respectful, truthful, pious, so that Allah may accept your fast and give you the fruits of your repentance abundantly.”
People should not reject fasting; They must treat it with due care, as the greatest treasure that Jesus Christ Himself gave us for our salvation. Here is what the saints say about this:
“Forty-day fasting is not the invention of man, but the will of God, and is something mysterious and incomprehensible” (St. Peter Chrysologist).
“The Lord sanctified the Feast of Lent for us by his fasting: he did this for our salvation, not only by word, but also by example, to teach us to fast” (St. Ambrose of Milan).
Therefore, let us fast for the salvation and purification of our souls, and our Lord will open the doors of heaven to us according to our deeds. Amine”.