Lenten Wednesday and Friday what you can eat. What is a fast day? What you can and cannot eat

Weekly posts on Wednesdays and Fridays

Fasting on Wednesday and Friday of each week: Wednesday in memory of the betrayal of Christ by Judas, Friday in memory of the suffering on the cross and death of the Savior.

So, fasting is observed weekly on Wednesday and Friday (with the exception of fasting-free Weeks and Christmastide (“holy days”), which begin with the arrival of the Feast of the Nativity of Christ (January 7) and last until Epiphany (January 19).

On weekly fasting days, eating animal products (meat, milk, butter, cheese, eggs) is prohibited; plant foods, vegetable oil and fish are allowed. A particularly strict fast must be observed a week after Trinity (from the Sunday of All Saints) until the Nativity of Christ - on Wednesdays and Fridays it is forbidden to eat not only meat and dairy foods, but also vegetable oil and fish.

From the book Lenten Table author Bushueva L A

One-day fasts 1. Epiphany Eve - January 18, on the eve of the Epiphany. On this day, Christians prepare for cleansing and consecration with holy water on the feast of Epiphany.2. The beheading of John the Baptist - September 11. This is the day of remembrance and death of the great prophet John.3.

From the book Kulich, Easter, pancakes and other dishes of Orthodox holiday cuisine author Kulikova Vera Nikolaevna

Fasting and meat-eaters The first mention of fasting can be found in the Third Book of Kingdoms of the Holy Scriptures, which tells about events that took place several thousand years before the birth of Christ. The ancient Jews fasted once a week, on days of purification. Long fast

From the book Cookbook of Orthodox fasts and holidays author Isaeva Elena Lvovna

Fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays Fasting on these days of the week is established in memory of the fact that Jesus Christ was betrayed by Judas (on Wednesday) and crucified (on Friday). Saint Athanasius the Great said that “by allowing one to eat modest food on Wednesday and Friday, this person crucifies the Lord.” During the summer (between

From the book Orthodox fasts and holidays author collection of recipes

One-day fasts One-day fasts, if they fall on any day of the week except Friday and Wednesday, are strict days (without fish, but with vegetable oil). The first one-day fast was established on January 18 - Epiphany Christmas Eve. On this day before the feast of Epiphany

From the book Fast Tasty! Orthodox Lenten table author Mikhailova Irina Anatolyevna

Multi-day fasts There are only four multi-day fasts: these are the Great, Nativity, Assumption and Petrov (Filippov, or Apostolic) fasts. The most important and strictest food restrictions have always been Lent. It continues for forty days in memory of the fast.

From the book Orthodox Lent. Lenten recipes author Prokopenko Iolanta

One-day fasts Weekly fasts on Wednesday and Friday, except for: Easter week (Bright Week after Easter) week after Trinity Christmastide (from Christmas to Epiphany Eve) week about the publican and the Pharisee before Lent (so that we do not become like the Pharisee,

From the book Cookbook of Orthodox Fasts author Kashin Sergey Pavlovich

One-day fasts - fasting on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord (September 27) was established in honor of the memory of the suffering of Christ on this day; - fasting on the day of the Beheading of the Baptist of the Lord John the Baptist (September 11) was established in order to honor the memory

From the book Cookbook-calendar of Orthodox fasts. Calendar, history, recipes, menu author Zhalpanova Liniza Zhuvanovna

Multi-day fasts - Nativity Fast, or Filippov Fast (from November 28 to January 7 - 40 days); - Great Lent (from Forgiveness Sunday to Easter - 49 days); - Petrine (or Apostolic) Fast (from All Saints Week (a week after Trinity) until the day of the apostles Peter and Paul (12

From the author's book

Fasts Nativity (Philippovsky) Fast This fast begins on November 28 and serves to prepare believers for Christmas. This fast lasts until January 7. Fasting begins the day after the celebration of the memory of the Holy Apostle Philip (November 27), which is why it is called

Even people who are very far from the Church now know when Lent begins and how long it lasts. They talk about Pentecost on television, cafes and restaurants advertise Lenten menus, and in the evening the ringing of bells calls believers to penitential services. But only those who visit the temple regularly know that there is another equally important fast - Wednesday and Friday throughout the year. Higumen Theognost (Pushkov), candidate of theology, cleric of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, talks about the importance of fasting established in honor of Christ’s suffering on the cross.

Since ancient times, the Orthodox Christian Church has observed fasting on Wednesday and Friday. Evidence of this fast is found in written Christian monuments of ancient times (Didache, early 2nd century; Tertullian, 3rd century). However, we often carry out certain “ritual instructions” without thinking about their meaning, thereby incurring the accusation of “formalism”. This accusation is partly fair, because all Christian actions and rituals, deeds and exploits must be meaningful.

But before we talk about the features of fasting on Wednesday and Friday, it is necessary to briefly clarify the very essence of fasting (as such). Fasting, in the understanding of Christians, can have a threefold meaning: either it is an expression of repentant “mourning”, when a person, realizing his sins, refuses fine food, mourns his spiritual state, praying to God for cleansing.

Penitential mourning

The 3rd century Christian writer Tertullian writes that it is common for a penitent to “immerse his spirit in lamentation, to reflect with bitterness on what he has sinned, to eat only simple bread and water - not for the stomach, but to support life, to do more often, during fasting, prayers, groaning, crying, crying out to the Lord God day and night" ( Tertullian. About repentance). We see that fasting here is an expression of grief and a plea for forgiveness. But here it is important that this grief be “natural” and not feigned. The same Tertullian sarcastically ridicules those who limit themselves only in terms of food, remaining in everything else “as always”: “But is it really right for us to pray for the forgiveness of sins in a pink dress and purple? Will you say: “Give me some pins to decorate your hair and let ...the servant will put on my lips and cheeks something that gives a fake shine, artificial color"? Besides, will you look for pleasant baths, settling in the gardens, or by the sea? Will you multiply the expenses on your toilets? ... And if someone asks you, for to whom you are preparing this, say: “I have sinned against God and I fear to perish forever. Therefore, now I am weakened and lamented and tormented, so that I can be reconciled with God, whom I have offended with sin." Who would recognize in you, dressed in silk, a repentant soul?" writes Tertullian.

Prayer

The second type of fasting is a prayer for something or someone. When a neighbor voluntarily shares a person’s pain, imposing restrictions on himself in order to somehow help or comfort his neighbor. The Apostle Paul said about this: “If food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble” (1 Cor. 8:13). Also, from ancient times, Christians imposed fasting on themselves before decisive events in their lives. It was a fast that helped them weed out the excesses of worldly concerns in order to focus in prayer on vital things.

Participation in Christ's suffering on the cross

And the third type of fasting is our participation in the suffering of Christ on the cross. The basis of the Christian faith is the belief that the world and man are redeemed from damnation and hell by the Cross, death and Resurrection of Christ. This is the greatest joy of humanity, but the price of this joy is the greatest pain that God Incarnate endured on the Cross. The price of our salvation is the injustice that God endured at the hands of men. On the days when the Church remembers these terrible and for us saving sufferings of Christ, fasting is prescribed. These days of fasting are called “The Fast of the Passion of Christ.” This is the name of the last six days before Easter and the days of Wednesday and Friday. Divine services these days are focused on the remembrance of the sufferings of the Savior of the world on the cross.

Like any fast, the fast of Christ’s suffering consists not only of abstaining from gourmet food. It is not appropriate for a person who mentally experiences everything that happened on Calvary to have fun, talk idle talk, or indulge himself in carnal pleasures. Therefore, along with abstaining from food, the fasting person must abstain from amusements, idleness, and marital intimacy. After all, these are days of mourning.

Why are these two days a week set for fasting - Wednesday and Friday?

Fasting on these days is prescribed for every week of the year, with the exception of Bright Week (immediately after Easter) and the week after Trinity, as well as Christmastide (days from Christmas to the Baptism of Christ), the week of the publican and the Pharisee, and Maslenitsa, when the "godmother" is canceled. "theme in worship.

These two days are especially associated with the suffering of Christ: Wednesday is the day of Judas' betrayal, when he went to the Jewish elders and offered “his services.” Friday is the day of the death of the Savior of the world on the cross, the day when He said, going to suffer: “At this hour I have come into the world,” and, dying an atoning death on the Cross, exclaimed: “It is finished”!

On Wednesday we should reflect on our place in the Church - in the community of Christ's disciples. Closeness to the Savior of the world did not become a guarantee of salvation, and one of the disciples fell away and betrayed. Who are we in the community of Christ? Does our heart always remain faithful to God? Do we always follow His ways with joy and love, or are we afraid to admit to ourselves that sin is more kind to us than virtue? Wednesday is the central day of the week, a symbol of the crossroads of life. This is a day of prayerful reflection when, peering at the already clearing strokes of Calvary (which clearly looms on Friday), we pray to God to give us the strength to bear our life’s cross and remain faithful to Christ to the end. We ask God for the strength to always make the right choice, without deviating from the path of salvation and not daring to justify our sins later.

Many Orthodox Christians are tormented by doubts about whether they need to fast on Wednesday and Friday.

This article will tell you why you should do this and how to fast without violating church traditions.

Why are Wednesday and Friday considered fast days?

People who have only recently come to a conscious choice of spiritual life do not always know why exactly fasting is observed.

But especially, they are tormented by the obligatory fasting on the third and fifth days of the week, which are considered fast days regardless of whether fasting is currently underway or not.

On Wednesday, fasting people, by refusing to eat fasting food, remember the day of Judas' betrayal of Christ. Friday is the day when Christ was crucified, condemned to death on the cross.

In this way, mourning is observed for the tragic events that occurred during the earthly life of Jesus.

But, besides this, these days have the ability to save the souls of people, tirelessly showing the devil the strength and inviolability of faith. Fasting strengthens the spirit of an Orthodox person, purifies it, and promotes the development of spirituality. This is like regular training for an athlete.

Fasting days allow you to stay in shape, only spiritually, and thus have a beneficial effect on physical fitness.

Refusal of certain foods on these days of the week allows you to think about the frailty of your existence and once again turn to prayer.

How to fast on Wednesday and Friday

When observing fast days, you need to know the rules so that you don’t accidentally, out of ignorance, offend the memory of such important days in Christianity. The day according to church time does not begin at the usual time.

In each church, such a service may begin at a different time, but the parish must know the schedule of services and, thus, know what time the new day begins.

Usually Vespers is served from 4 to 8 pm. Therefore, the countdown of the beginning of the fast day occurs at the same time. A Christian can take regular food before evening prayer, and only fast food after it. The fast day ends in the same way, that is, at the end of the service in the evening.

Based on these rules, it follows that, for example, Friday fasting begins with the Thursday evening service and ends with the service on Friday evening, regardless of what time it was.

As for the severity of fasting days, everything is individual. The priest at the temple will help you identify it. If such questions arise, you should first contact the abbot for clarification. In some cases, keeping a strict fast is not recommended, since this can negatively affect the physical health of an Orthodox person, and fasting in no case allows harm to a believer.

So, there are concessions for women who are expecting a child or are breastfeeding. People who work in difficult physical conditions and children under 7 years of age use an easier version of fasting, which will be discussed below. This also applies to athletes who train hard.

But a person does not have the right to determine the degree of severity of a fast day on his own; he must definitely ask for the blessing of a sacred person.

Also, fasting is not observed on Christmastide, the first week after Easter, the first week after Trinity and on the days of Maslenitsa.

Can I fish on Wednesday and Friday?

Fasts on Wednesday and Friday, according to church rules, must be carried out with the same severity as each fast.

These days you need to exclude foods such as eggs, meat, and dairy products from your diet. Fish is also excluded from the diet.

In a co-eating or raw food diet, you can eat vegetables, fruits, berries, nuts, and honey.

All these rules do not apply to those who have received a blessing from the priest to relax fasting days. The categories of such people were noted above.

In addition to these rules, there are also special days when eating fish is allowed on Wednesday and Friday.

This is the time when fasting days fall on winter and spring meat-eaters. The period of the winter meat-eater refers to the period of time between the Nativity and Great Lents, and the spring meat-eater refers to the period between the Great Feast of Easter and the day of the celebration of the Holy Trinity.

Slaves can be eaten during major church holidays. Many church holidays tend to move from one date to another. And every year they are celebrated on a different date. Therefore, it is best to check the Orthodox calendar or ask the rector of the temple about upcoming holidays. On these days, revered by Christians, services are held in churches and fasting is not observed.

Fasting days are necessarily accompanied by intense prayer, pious deeds, almsgiving, and repentance.

This is extremely important for an Orthodox person. Not only avoid eating fast food, but also work on your spiritual awakening.

The main task of people in fasting is to resist temptations and unbridled desires. A fasting Christian trains his spirit, teaches it to control thoughts, lust, and passion. This is quite difficult, you need to make every effort to develop fortitude. Fasting requires a person to show restraint and give up their usual food.

Many people think that fasting is hunger. The poor, the rich, the beggars, and prisoners are starving. But this has nothing to do with the post. The Church calls for physical and spiritual fasting. A fasting person achieves his cherished goal only when he combines refusal of habitual food with spiritual fasting. He goes to church, reads appropriate prayers, does not swear, does not lie, and helps his neighbors.

Wednesdays commemorate the death and torment of Jesus and how he was betrayed by Judas.

On Friday they commemorate the Savior, His mortal torment and death.

The teachings of Jesus teach that: “Demon possession can only be driven out by fasting and prayer” (Matthew 17:21). Fasting is a two-winged dove, one wing is fasting, the second is prayer. A dove cannot live without one wing, so you and I cannot, and do not have the right to share one whole.

By adhering to fasting days all year round, a person strengthens and maintains the protection of his soul and astral body from the evil eye and damage. This is the only thing that works one hundred percent and gives results. By adhering to such simple rules, you will always be fully armed, and evil spirits will not be able to tempt you.

For Orthodox Christians who work exhaustingly, very hard, those who are sick, children, pregnant women, the church allows them not to fast to the fullest extent. The only exceptions can be those days that Orthodox Christians spend completely abstaining from food; the church allows, as an exception, such people to consume dry food, teas, and compotes.

If a religious festival falls on these days, they become non-fasting days; it is allowed to cook fish. If there is such a big and bright holiday as the Nativity of the Savior or His Epiphany, then it is completely canceled.

During the summer fast days, which begin from Petrovsky to the beginning of Christmas, it is necessary to fast strictly. During the period from the beginning of Christmas to the beginning of Maslenitsa, a non-strict fasting period lasts, it is allowed to prepare fish dishes from low-fat varieties.There is no fasting during the week.

Whatever the fast days, this is a complex event that brings humanity both in spirit and body to the Savior.

For example, humanity is comparable to a rider on a thoroughbred horse. The human soul is the same rider, and the physical body is a thoroughbred horse. The rider’s task is to lead his horse to a certain goal, but the horse must also be in shape and not let the rider down. It’s about the same with a person. The soul must lead the body to its goal - the Kingdom of Heaven.

First of all, we must adhere to the canons of the church. After all, Adam and Eve were punished only because, unable to withstand the fast, they could not resist and were tempted by eating a banal apple. This is lesson number one for all of us.

The second thing to note is the philosophy of fasting itself. By abstaining from carnal pleasures, ordinary food, spending time in prayer and repentance, we rise to a higher level. Let's get closer to God.

If you simply limit yourself to food intake and at the same time eat each other, then you will end up with nothing more than a banal diet, and it will not bring any benefit to the soul.

One day post January 2019

One-day January fast days include 1,18,23,25,30. It is allowed to cook dishes with the addition of refined oil and fish.

Strict fasting days continue from 2 to 6.18th, religious celebration of Epiphany Eve. It is supposed to be carried out in complete strictness, refusing food and all kinds of entertainment programs. Orthodoxy is preparing its soul for the Baptism of the Savior. Believers spend the entire next day in prayer, visit the temple, and bless the water. At dawn you are supposed to take a swim; it is believed that the water that flows from the tap is blessed and has healing properties.

One day post February 2019

The month of February is rich in fasting days. These include numbers 1,6,8,13,15,27. It is allowed to cook fish dishes and food with the addition of refined oil.

Orthodox Christians celebrate the Presentation of the Lord and do not fast on this day.

The last week of February is Cheese Week or popularly Butter Week. During this period no one fasts. With the exception of consumption of animal products. Preparations for Easter Lent are beginning.

One day post March 2019

The first day is singled out as the only one-day fasting period. It is allowed to prepare fish dishes by adding refined oil in cooking. The 2nd, 23rd, and 30th dates are set aside to commemorate deceased relatives.

From the 4th to the 10th you need to strictly fast, this is dedicated to the resurrection of the Savior. From 11 to 31, cooking with the addition of refined oil and fish products is allowed.

One day post April 2019

Believers fast for the entire month. The 6th day will be set aside to commemorate deceased relatives.

The church allows you not to fast on the 7th and 21st. Because religious celebrations fall on them. Annunciation of the Mother of God and Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem.

The preparation of fish products is allowed, and the consumption of red wine is allowed. The Lenten period ends with the celebration of Easter.

One day post May 2019

The month is rich in fasting days: 8,10,15,17,22,24,29,31. It is allowed to prepare fish dishes and add refined oil to food. The 7th and 9th are designated to remember deceased relatives.

One day post June 2019

The numbers 5,7,12,14 are highlighted. Cooking with the addition of refined oil and fish products is allowed.The 15th is set aside to remember deceased relatives.

Orthodoxy celebrates the Ascension of the Lord and Trinity.

In the last week of the month, believers keep the St. Peter's Fast. It is allowed to prepare fish products with the addition of refined oil.

One day post July 2019

The numbers 17,19,24,26,31 are distinguished. Cooking with the addition of refined oil and fish products is allowed.Peter's Fast lasts from 1 to 11 inclusive. They fast intensively on the 3rd, 5th and 10th.

Believers celebrate the Nativity of John the Baptist, Peter and Paul.

One day post August 2019

The numbers 2,7,9,30 are highlighted. Cooking with the addition of refined oil and fish products is allowed.Believers fast intensely from the 14th to the 27th.

They celebrate the Transfiguration of the Lord and the Dormition of the Virgin Mary. There is no fasting on these days.

One day post September 2019

The numbers 4,6,11,13,18,20,25,27 are distinguished. Cooking with the addition of refined oil and fish products is allowed. The exceptions are the 11th and 27th.

Believers fast in all severity, dedicated to the religious celebration of the Beheading of John the Baptist andExaltation of the Holy Cross.

The Mother of God does not fast on Christmas Day.

One day post October 2019

The numbers 2,4,9,11,16,18,23,25,30 are distinguished. Cooking with the addition of refined oil and fish products is allowed. OnThe Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos is not fasted.

One day post November 2019

Numbers 1,6,8,13,15 are distinguished. Cooking with the addition of refined oil and fish products is allowed.From the 27th, believers enter the Christmas fasting period. The 2nd number is allocated to remember deceased relatives.

One day post December 2019

They fast for the whole month. The dates 6,11,13,18,20,25,27 are strictly observed.On the day of the Entry of the Mother of God into the Temple of the Lord.

It is allowed to cook food with the addition of refined oil, fish products, and drink wine.

Food diary for Lent 2018 - 2019

In 2018 and 2019, 4 large Lenten periods were identified: Easter, Petrov, Assumption, Christmas.

The special fast days designated in the Orthodox calendar are strictly observed. Only the consumption of dry foods, baked or boiled fruits and vegetables, and food without oil is allowed. It is allowed, subject to partial strictness, to prepare lean liquid and boiled food with the addition of refined oil. You can take the approximate menu from the provided diary as a basis. The menu can be expanded and improved. But be sure to adhere to the Orthodox calendar.

Diary of food during the very strict Easter and Dormition Lent.

Diary of food during Christmas and Peter's fast.

Any fast is a kind of complex for the spiritual approach of a person to the divine essence. The ascetic practice of the Orthodox Church created a universal structure of food consumption so that consciousness could more easily reach the Highest Abode.

Fasting on Wednesday and Friday is a means of thinning the coarse bodily shell through abstinence in food and sexual relations. Such a spiritual change allows one to move to higher levels of communication with the Holy Spirit through repentance, mercy and reading prayers.

The meaning of fasting days

Even before the advent of Christianity, people observed two-day food abstinence. The Enlighteners clearly understood that it was impossible to eradicate the habit from the minds of those who had just adopted a new faith. Therefore, the Church agreed to modify the old traditions and introduce them into the Orthodox faith.

This ancient practice is mentioned already in the New Testament and in the early Christian manuscript "Didache".

These fast days of the week in Orthodoxy are timed to coincide with tragic moments in the history of Christianity. Believers who abstain from food and sex pay tribute to the episode when God's Son was betrayed by the disciple Judas, sentenced to martyrdom and crucified on the cross.
The mourning meaning is not unique. Fast days incorporate the principles of year-round protection of the consciousness of a person immersed in the Orthodox faith. This is how a Christian shows God that he has not lost his attentiveness, strictly observes the principles of the Church and is always ready to join the fight against unclean creatures.
The constant practice of fasting strengthens the physical body, increases tone and drives away weak, groundless thoughts from the mind. Such abstinence is often compared to training the body, as a result of which it becomes stronger, stronger and more resilient.

Important! Every fast on Wednesday and Friday will become empty and useless if the Orthodox does not cultivate the basic virtues through abstinence. The main purpose of the practice is the desire to love the Heavenly Father and all his children.

Lenten food

Dry eating practice

An Orthodox believer is obliged to observe the practice of fasting on every third and fifth day of the week, giving up eggs, meat products, fish and milk.

Such abstinence, lasting 24 hours, involves dry eating - food (nuts, various fruits) prepared using a cold method. The degree of severity is determined by the spiritual superior or the person personally.

However, when preparing a Lenten diet, it is necessary to take into account the lifestyle and general health of the believer.

The priests do not have a unanimous opinion on this matter. The clergy takes one of two positions:
Strict fasting is characterized by the consumption of bread, dried, raw vegetables without the use of vegetable oil. Only berry juices and water are suitable for drinking; wine is strictly prohibited.

A less restrictive option allows you to eat baked foods. Here believers can drink instant teas and coffee.

The Orthodox Church has established weekly fasting days to improve the physical and spiritual condition of the laity. With the help of the practice of abstinence, a person becomes purer and comes closer to realizing the power of the Creator. Observing fasting in the world is a voluntary matter for everyone, and does not carry mandatory principles.

Watch the video about fasting on Wednesday and Friday