What kind of fasting does the Orthodox have in June? Calendar of fasts and meals

04.06.2024

The total duration of fasting is 48 days. It begins on the Monday, seven weeks before Easter, and ends on the Saturday before Easter.

The first week of fasting is carried out with particular strictness. On the first day, complete abstinence from food is accepted. Then, from Tuesday to Friday, dry eating is allowed (eat bread, salt, raw fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, nuts, honey, drink water), and on Saturday and Sunday - hot food with butter.

In the second to sixth weeks of Lent, dry eating is established on Monday, Wednesday and Friday; hot food without oil is allowed on Tuesday and Thursday, and hot food with butter is allowed on Saturday and Sunday.

During Holy Week (the last week of Lent), dry eating is prescribed, and on Friday you cannot eat until the shroud is taken out.

On the feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (April 7) (if it does not fall during Holy Week) and on Palm Sunday (a week before Easter), it is allowed to eat fish. On Lazarus Saturday (before Palm Sunday) you can eat fish caviar.

It begins on Monday, the 57th day after Easter (a week after Trinity), and always ends on July 11 (inclusive). In 2017 it lasts 30 days.

During Petrov's Fast, fish is allowed on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, hot food without oil on Monday, and dry eating on Wednesday and Friday.

On the Feast of the Nativity of John the Baptist (July 7), you can eat fish (regardless of what day it falls on).

During the Dormition Fast, dry eating is allowed on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, hot food without butter on Tuesday and Thursday, hot food with butter on Saturday and Sunday.

On the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord (August 19), you can eat fish (regardless of what day it falls on).

In the period from November 28 to the feast of St. Nicholas (December 19 inclusive), hot food without oil is allowed on Monday, fish is allowed on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, and dry eating is allowed on Wednesday and Friday.

From December 20 to January 1, on Tuesday and Thursday it is already prohibited to eat fish; instead, hot food with butter is allowed. The remaining days remain unchanged.

From January 2 to 6, dry eating is prescribed on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, hot food without oil on Tuesday and Thursday, hot food with butter on Saturday and Sunday.

On Christmas Eve (January 6), you cannot eat until the first star appears in the sky, after which it is customary to eat sochi - wheat grains boiled in honey or boiled rice with raisins.

On the holidays of the Entry of the Virgin Mary into the Temple (December 4) and St. Nicholas (December 19), you can eat fish on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

The fast is called Petrov in honor of the holy apostles Peter and Paul. It was installed in memory of how the apostles fasted before preaching the Gospel to the whole world. This post is also called Apostolic.

Dates of Petrov's fast

The beginning of Peter's Fast is always on Monday, a week after the Feast of the Trinity (Pentecost), the day after the Feast of All Saints. The date of Trinity depends on the date of Easter, so the beginning of Peter's Lent falls on different dates. And it can last from 8 to 42 days. In 2017, fasting begins on June 12.

Petrov's fast always ends on July 12 (July 11 is the last day of fasting). This is the day of remembrance of the holy supreme apostles Peter and Paul. In honor of this holiday, the fast is called Petrov, or Apostolic.

What can you eat on Petrov fast?

Petrov's fast is not strict. On all days of fasting, except Wednesday and Friday, believers can eat fish. Those who are strictly fasting cannot eat meat, eggs and dairy products. Moreover, if on Wednesday or Friday the memory of a holy temple or a saint who is entitled to an “all-night vigil” is celebrated, then on these days the consumption of fish is also allowed.

The holiday that ends the fast - the day of remembrance of the holy apostles Peter and Paul - is not included in the fast itself. But if it falls on Wednesday or Friday, then you need to fast. In 2017, July 12 is Wednesday, a fast day, but fish is allowed.

History of Petrov's Fast

We have known about Peter's Fast since the very first centuries of Christianity. We first read about it in the “Apostolic Tradition” of St. True, then Christians did not associate this fast with the name of Peter and Paul. It existed for those who, for some reason, were unable to fast during Lent before Easter.

Temples were built in Constantinople and Rome in the name of the apostles Peter and Paul. In Constantinople, the temple was consecrated on the day of remembrance of the apostles - July 12, according to the new style.

Since the 4th century, many holy fathers wrote in their works about the Apostolic Fast: for example, Athanasius the Great, Ambrose of Milan, Leo the Great, Theodoret of Cyrus.

The meaning of Petrov's fast

Peter's Fast, like any of the four multi-day fasts a year, calls us to self-improvement, to victory over sins and passions. These days and weeks we are trying to feel the correct internal hierarchy of our life: we decide for ourselves that the body should strive for the soul, the soul - for the spirit. And the whole person must be directed towards God. Fasting, that is, our voluntary abstinence, calls us to follow this path.

In addition, fasting unites people who believe in Christ. By fasting together, we feel like members of a single Church, a single community of faithful to the Savior and His commandments. Thus, we recognize that everything that Christ preached is true. That is, fasting is not only self-improvement, but also our testimony to the whole world that we are Christians.

Not each of us can fast as strictly as the Church prescribes, but each of us can testify that he is part of the Church by observing fasting to the best of our ability and with all sincerity. The measure of fasting is best agreed upon with your confessor.

On June 12, Orthodox believers begin the Petrov (Apostolic) Fast.

Beginning of Peter's Lent

What date will Petrov's fast be in 2017? In 2017, Petrov's fast lasts from June 12 to July 11.

Who is it named after? What is the history of its origin? Read all this and much more in our article.

The emergence of Petrov's fast

7 days after the feast of Trinity (Pentecost), the Apostolic or Petrine Fast begins, in memory of the two most revered apostles Peter and Paul.

The establishment of Peter's fast - previously called the fast of Pentecost - dates back to the very first times of the Orthodox Church. It was especially established when in Constantinople and Rome St. equal to Constantine the Great (d. 337; commemorated May 21) erected churches in honor of Sts. the supreme apostles Peter and Paul. The consecration of the Constantinople temple took place on the day of remembrance of the apostles, June 29 (old style; i.e. July 12, new), and since then this day has become especially solemn in both the East and the West. This is the day the fast ends. Its initial border is flexible: it depends on the day of Easter celebration; therefore, the length of fasting varies from 6 weeks to a week and one day.

People called Petrovka’s fast simply “Petrovka” or “Petrovka-hunger strike”: at the beginning of summer there was little left of the last harvest, and the new one was still far away. But why is the post still Petrovsky? Why the Apostles is clear: the apostles always prepared themselves for service by fasting and prayer (remember how, when the disciples asked why they could not cast out demons, the Lord explained to them that this kind comes only through prayer and fasting (see Mark 9:29)), and therefore the Church calls us to this summer fast, following the example of those who, having received the Holy Spirit on the day of the Holy Trinity (Pentecost), “in labor and in exhaustion, in watching often, in hunger and thirst, in fasting often” (2 Cor. 11:27) prepared for the worldwide preaching of the Gospel. And calling the post “Peter and Paul” is simply inconvenient - it’s too cumbersome; It just so happens that when we call the names of the apostles, we pronounce the name of Peter first.

The holy apostles were so different: Peter, the elder brother of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called, was a simple, uneducated, poor fisherman; Paul is the son of rich and noble parents, a Roman citizen, a student of the famous Jewish teacher of the law Gamaliel, “a scribe and a Pharisee.” Peter is a faithful disciple of Christ from the very beginning, a witness to all the events of his life from the moment he went out to preach.

Paul is the worst enemy of Christ, who incited hatred of Christians in himself and asked the Sanhedrin for permission to persecute Christians everywhere and bring them bound to Jerusalem. Peter, of little faith, denied Christ three times, but repented contritely and became the beginning of Orthodoxy, the foundation of the Church. And Paul, who fiercely resisted the truth of the Lord, and then just as fervently believed.

An inspirational simpleton and a fierce speaker, Peter and Paul personified spiritual strength and intelligence—two much-needed missionary qualities. After all, no matter how the call to missionary work should resonate in us with Petrovsky’s parish, i.e. Apostolic post? The Lord sent apostles into the world to teach all nations: “Go therefore, teach all nations... teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19; 20). “If you do not want to teach and admonish yourself in Christianity, then you are not a disciple and not a follower of Christ, - the apostles were not sent for you, - you are not what all Christians were from the very beginning of Christianity...” (Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow. Words and speeches: in 5 vols. T. 4. – M., 1882. pp. 151-152).

Questions and answers about Peter's Fast

What date is Petrov's fast in 2017?

When was Peter's Fast established?

The establishment of Peter's Fast dates back to the first times of the Orthodox Church.

The church establishment of this fast is mentioned in the apostolic decrees: “After Pentecost, celebrate one week, and then fast; justice requires both rejoicing after receiving gifts from God, and fasting after relieving the flesh.”

But this post was especially established when churches were built in Constantinople and Rome, which had not yet fallen away from Orthodoxy, in the name of the supreme apostles Peter and Paul. The consecration of the Constantinople temple took place on the day of remembrance of the apostles on June 29 (according to the new style - July 12), and since then this day has become especially solemn in both the East and the West. The Orthodox Church has established the preparation of pious Christians for this holiday by fasting and prayer.

Since the 4th century, the testimonies of the Church Fathers about apostolic fasting have become more and more frequent; St. Athanasius the Great, Ambrose of Milan, and in the 5th century - Leo the Great and Theodoret of Cyrus.

St. Athanasius the Great, describing in his defensive speech to Emperor Constantius the disasters caused to Orthodox Christians by the Arians, says: “The people who fasted in the week following St. Pentecost, he went to the cemetery to pray.”

Why does Peter's Fast follow the Day of Pentecost?

The Day of Pentecost, when on the fiftieth day after His descent from the tomb and on the tenth day after His Ascension, the Lord, seated at the right hand of the Father, sent down the Holy Spirit on all His disciples and apostles, is one of the greatest holidays. This is the making of a new everlasting covenant with people, which was foretold by the prophet Jeremiah: “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not such a covenant as I made with their fathers in the day when took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; They broke that covenant of mine, although I remained in covenant with them, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law within them, and write it on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they will be My people. And they will no longer teach one another, brother to brother, and say, “Know the Lord,” for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord, because I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sins no more” (Jer. . 31,31-34).

The Holy Spirit who descended on the apostles, the Spirit of truth, the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, instead of Sinai, inscribed the new Law of Zion, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of flesh of the heart (2 Cor. 3:3). The place of the Sinai law was taken by the grace of the Holy Spirit, law-giving, giving strength to fulfill the Law of God, pronouncing justification not by works, but by grace.

We do not fast on Pentecost because on these days the Lord was with us. We do not fast because He Himself said: Can you force the sons of the bridal chamber to fast when the bridegroom is with them? (Luke 5:34). Communication with the Lord is like food for a Christian. So, during Pentecost we feed on the Lord who deals with us.

“After the long feast of Pentecost, fasting is especially necessary in order to purify our thoughts through it and become worthy of the gifts of the Holy Spirit,” writes St. Leo the Great.- This festival, which the Holy Spirit sanctified with His descent, is usually followed by a nationwide fast, beneficially established for the healing of soul and body, and therefore requiring that we accompany it with due good will. For we have no doubt that after the apostles were filled with the power promised from above, and the Spirit of truth dwelt in their hearts, among other secrets of heavenly teaching, at the inspiration of the Comforter, the teaching of spiritual abstinence was also taught, so that hearts, purified by fasting, would become more capable to the acceptance of grace-filled gifts, ... it is impossible to fight with the upcoming efforts of persecutors and the fierce threats of the wicked in a pampered body and fattened flesh, since what delights our outer man destroys the inner one, and on the contrary, the more the rational soul is purified, the more the flesh is mortified.

That is why the teachers, who enlightened all the children of the Church with example and instruction, marked the beginning of the battle for Christ with a holy fast, so that, going out to battle against spiritual corruption, we would have a weapon for this in abstinence, with which we could kill sinful lusts, for our invisible opponents and bodiless enemies will not overcome us if we do not indulge in carnal lusts. Although the tempter has a constant and unchanging desire to harm us, it remains powerless and ineffective when he does not find in us a side from which he can attack...
For this reason, an unchangeable and saving custom has been established - after the holy and joyful days that we celebrate in honor of the Lord, who rose from the dead and then ascended into heaven, and after receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, to go through the field of fasting.

This custom must be diligently observed in order for those gifts that are now given to the Church from God to remain in us. Having become temples of the Holy Spirit and, more than ever, having been filled with Divine waters, we must not submit to any lusts, we must not serve any vices, so that the home of virtue is not defiled by anything ungodly.

With the help and assistance of God, we can all achieve this, if only, by cleansing ourselves with fasting and almsgiving, we try to free ourselves from the defilements of sin and bear the abundant fruits of love.” Further St. Leo of Rome writes: “Of the apostolic rules that God Himself inspired, the church leaders, at the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, were the first to establish that all deeds of virtue should begin with fasting.

They did this because the commandments of God can be fulfilled well only when the army of Christ is protected from all temptations of sin by holy abstinence.

So, beloved, we must practice fasting primarily at the present time, in which we are commanded to fast, after the end of the fifty days that have elapsed from the resurrection of Christ until the descent of the Holy Spirit and which we have spent in a special celebration.

This fast is commanded to protect us from carelessness, which is very easy to fall into due to the long-term food permit that we have enjoyed. If the field of our flesh is not constantly cultivated, thorns and thistles easily grow on it, and such fruit is brought forth that they are not gathered into the granary, but are doomed to be burned.

Therefore, we are now obliged to carefully preserve those seeds that we have received into our hearts from the heavenly Sower, and to beware lest an envious enemy somehow spoil what was given by God, and thorns of vices do not grow in the paradise of virtues. This evil can only be warded off by mercy and fasting.

Bl. Simeon of Thessaloniki writes that fasting was established in honor of the apostles, “because through them we were granted many blessings and they became for us leaders and teachers of fasting, obedience... and abstinence. The Latins also testify to this against their will, honoring the apostles with fasting in their memory. But we, in accordance with the apostolic decrees drawn up by Clement, after the descent of the Holy Spirit, celebrate one week, and then, the next week, we honor the apostles who gave us over to fast.”

Why are the apostles Peter and Paul called supreme?

According to the testimony of the word of God, the apostles occupy a special place in the Church - everyone should understand us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God (1 Cor. 4:1).

Endowed with equal power from above and the same power to forgive sins, all the apostles will sit on twelve thrones next to the Son of Man (Matthew 19:28).

Although some of the apostles were distinguished in Scripture and tradition, for example Peter, Paul, John, James and others, not one of them was the main or even superior in honor to the rest.

But since the Acts of the Apostles mainly narrates the works of the apostles Peter and Paul, the Church and the holy fathers, reverent at the name of each of the apostles, call these two supreme.

The Church glorifies the Apostle Peter as the one who began from among the apostles to confess Jesus Christ as the Son of the living God; Paul, as if he labored more than others and was numbered among the highest of the apostles by the Holy Spirit (2 Cor. II, 5); one - for firmness, the other - for bright wisdom.

By calling the two apostles supreme in terms of the primacy of order and work, the Church suggests that its head is Jesus Christ alone, and all the apostles are His servants (Col. 1:18).

The Holy Apostle Peter, who before his calling bore the name Simon, the elder brother of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called, was a fisherman. He was married and had children. In the words of St. John Chrysostom, he was a fiery man, unbookish, simple, poor and God-fearing. He was brought to the Lord by his brother Andrei, and at the first glance at a simple fisherman, the Lord predicted for him the name Cephas, in Syriac, or in Greek - Peter, that is, stone. After the election of Peter to the number of the apostles, the Lord visited his poor home and healed his mother-in-law from a fever (Mark 1:29-31).

Among His three disciples, the Lord deigned Peter to be a witness of His Divine glory on Tabor, His Divine power at the resurrection of Jairus’s daughter (Mark 5:37) and His humiliation according to humanity in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Peter washed away his renunciation of Christ with bitter tears of repentance, and was the first of the apostles to enter the tomb of the Savior after His resurrection, and the first of the apostles was honored to see the Risen One.
The Apostle Peter was an outstanding preacher. The power of his word was so great that he converted three or five thousand people to Christ. According to the word of the Apostle Peter, those convicted of a crime fell dead (Acts 5:5.10), the dead were resurrected (Acts 9:40), the sick were healed (Acts 9:3-34) even from the touch of one shadow of a passing apostle ( Acts 5:15).

But he did not have primacy of power. All church matters were decided by the common voice of the apostles and elders with the entire Church.

The Apostle Paul, speaking about the apostles, revered as pillars, puts James in first place, and then Peter and John (Gal. 2:9), but he ranks himself among them (2 Cor. 11:5) and compares him with Peter. The Council sends Peter to the work of ministry in the same way as other disciples of Christ.

The Apostle Peter made five journeys, preaching the Gospel and converting many to the Lord. He ended his last journey in Rome, where he preached the faith of Christ with great zeal, increasing the number of disciples. In Rome, the Apostle Peter exposed the deception of Simon the Magus, who pretended to be Christ, and converted two wives loved by Nero to Christ.

By order of Nero, on June 29, 67, the Apostle Peter was crucified. He asked his tormentors to crucify himself head down, wanting to show the difference between his suffering and the suffering of his Divine Teacher.

The story of the conversion of the holy Apostle Paul, who previously bore the Hebrew name Saul, is wonderful.

Saul, brought up in the Jewish law, hated and tormented the Church of Christ, and even asked the Sanhedrin for the power to find and persecute Christians everywhere. Saul tormented the church, entering houses and dragging out men and women, putting them in prison (Acts 8:3). One day, “Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, came to the high priest and asked him for letters to Damascus to the synagogues, so that whoever he found following this teaching, both men and women, would be tied up and brought to Jerusalem. As he walked and approached Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly shone around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him: Saul, Saul! Why are you persecuting Me? He said: Who are you, Lord? The Lord said: I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It's hard for you to go against the grain. He said in awe and horror: Lord! what do you want me to do? and the Lord said to him: Arise and go into the city; and it will be told to you what you need to do. The people walking with him stood in a daze, hearing the voice but not seeing anyone. Saul got up from the ground, and with his eyes open he saw no one. And they led him by the hands and brought him to Damascus. And for three days he did not see, nor did he eat, nor did he drink” (Acts 9:1-9).

A persistent persecutor of Christianity becomes a tireless preacher of the Gospel. Paul's life, actions, words, epistles - everything testifies to him as a chosen vessel of God's grace. Neither sorrow, nor distress, nor persecution, nor famine, nor nakedness, nor danger, nor sword, nor death could weaken the love for God in Paul’s heart.

He made constant travels to different countries to preach the Gospel to the Jews and especially to the pagans. These travels were accompanied by extraordinary power of preaching, miracles, tireless work, inexhaustible patience and high holiness of life. The labors of Paul's apostolic ministry were unparalleled. He said about himself: he labored more than all of them (1 Cor. 15:10). For his labors, the apostle endured innumerable sorrows. In the year 67, on June 29, at the same time as the Apostle Peter, he suffered martyrdom in Rome. As a Roman citizen he was beheaded by the sword.

The Orthodox Church venerates the apostles Peter and Paul as those who enlightened the darkness, glorifies Peter’s firmness and Paul’s mind and contemplates in them the image of the conversion of those who sin and those who are corrected in the Apostle Peter - the image of one who rejected the Lord and repented, in the Apostle Paul - the image of one who resisted the preaching of the Lord and then believed.

How long does Peter's fast last?

Peter's Fast depends on whether Easter occurs sooner or later, and therefore its duration varies. It always begins with the end of the Triodion, or after the week of Pentecost, and ends on July 12th.

The longest fast is six weeks, and the shortest is a week and one day.

Antioch Patriarch Theodore Balsamon (12th century) says: “Seven days or more before the feast of Peter and Paul, all the faithful, that is, laymen and monks, are obliged to fast, and those who do not fast will be excommunicated from the communion of Orthodox Christians.”

Petrov fast: what can you eat?

The feat of Petrov's Fast is less strict than Pentecost (Lent): during Petrov's Fast, the Church Charter prescribes weekly - on Wednesdays and Fridays - to abstain from fish. On Saturdays and Sundays of this fast, as well as on the days of remembrance of some great saint or the days of a temple holiday, fish is also allowed.

How to spend Petrov's fast?

Archpriest Igor Pchelintsev:

The Orthodox Petrov fast is coming, otherwise it is also called the apostolic fast. We know that it ends with the feast of the holy supreme apostles Peter and Paul. We know that this is a summer fast, not as strict as the Great Fast or the Assumption Fast, that at this time the first fresh vegetables already appear, so this fast is generally light. But, unfortunately, for many Orthodox Christians this is where the meaning of Peter’s Fast ends.

To fast - we've celebrated Pentecost, we've eaten a hearty meal, and now we can fast. You need to take communion, confess, well, as it should be during fasting. And for some, just as there is no such fast, well, they say - “it’s not Great Lent, we don’t have time (we don’t have the strength, time, etc.) to fast “all the time.”

It seems that it would be much more logical to devote the time of this post to understanding the apostleship in the Church. Even so, devote it to active comprehension.

Please understand me correctly. It would be too bold to take upon oneself the title of apostle without blessing; there are not many saints equal to the apostles in the Monthly Book. But, nevertheless, every Christian should still be a minister of the Word of God. The Word of Christ spoken to the Apostles at the Ascension: Go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen” (Matthew 28:19,20) – determined the main apostolic task.

God sent the Holy Spirit to the apostles so that they would carry the news of the resurrection to all corners of the world. Through the apostles, this obedience was established in the church hierarchy - among bishops and priests. A bishop and priest living in Christ, trying to do this, can sincerely repeat after the Apostle: “For if I preach the gospel, then I have nothing to boast about, because this is my necessary duty, and woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! "(1 Cor. 9:16); But this does not remove the responsibility of the laity to be obedient to the gospel. Especially among Orthodox Christians. And it’s very good if we can test our strength during Lent, which in the Church is called Apostolic Lent.

I would highlight two main directions in this task - internal apostolate and external apostolate (please do not judge categorically for the terminology - there may be other words if someone sees some kind of “Protestant touch” here).

The internal - for the majority of church people and those still looking for their path and place in the Church - is probably the most important. To convey the Good News about the Resurrection of Christ, about repentance and the transformation of man by the Holy Spirit, first of all, to your heart and mind. Internally, with humility, accept what the Church gives to a person seeking God. Learn simple things (simple at first glance, but not complicated at the same time) - just believe, trust God and His Word, trust the Church as a mother, just pray, as I tell my students: “Without wringing your hands and rolling your eyes” (figuratively, of course - simple means - reasonable and without mental breakdown).

Archpriest Igor Pchelintsev

There is a beautiful expression: “Fasting and prayer are two wings that lift a Christian into the Kingdom of Heaven.” Well, if this is so, and if prayer should be simple and reasonable, then fasting should be simple and reasonable. We already discussed this during Lent. Fasting should be possible without the molecular-ingredient approach. For Christ's sake. For the sake of the transformation by the Spirit of God of our decayed or decaying nature.

Our inner conviction in the correctness of the Word of God, together with repentance and life in the Church, should give us the most creative basis for our apostleship - peace of heart, a different attitude towards God, the Church, man and ourselves, compared to the vain world. Peace, love, forgiveness, compassion, empathy, heartache about untruth and injustice are the opposite qualities of hatred and indifference of a Christian soul.

We must let God graft these good things into the branches of our personality. To grow us to Himself, He is the vine, we are the branches. And without Him we cannot create anything. Everything is in God and finds its value, including the gospel. The most decent thing to do during Lent.

And external apostleship is very important, because, as Christians, we are responsible for others, for those near and far, for the whole world. Even if it seems that there is no way our soul will have enough strength for itself, let alone the whole world!

One person will never have the strength to save the world - he can only cooperate with God, contribute to the fulfillment of His will in the world - so that everyone knows the Truth and is saved ...But instruct one another every day... lest any of you become hardened by being deceived by sin"(Heb. 3:12-13).

In times of “wild markets” and intrusive marketing, we have learned to fear those who promise us something good. In such a context, the gospel word “evangelize” can frighten a person. Out of spiritual timidity, we are afraid to offer our faith to others, as if we were talking about a product. We have a sense of respect for others and do not want to be thought of as imposing our point of view or trying to convince one hundred percent of something “the truest and most correct.” Especially when it comes to such a personal topic of conversation as trusting God.

For Christians, proclaiming the Good News of the resurrection does not mean talking about a doctrine, a set of paragraphs and points that must be memorized. To evangelize means, first of all, to testify to the internal transformation of a human being. The Lord Jesus Christ restored each person's value and dignity with infinite respect. To evangelize does not only mean to talk to someone about Jesus or about Orthodoxy as such, but, much more deeply, to draw a person’s attention to how valuable he is to God. This is how the holy fathers and many ascetics spoke about this, knowing about the action of the grace of the Holy Spirit in man.

But our external witness to Christ and the Church can only stem from the consequences of internal apostleship, assimilation through legal church means - fasting, prayer, almsgiving, the Sacraments (how much has already been said about this!) of life in Christ. Otherwise, our words will not have spiritual power. They won't tell us anything either.

I recently found a very bright Christian discussion; it seemed to me that it is very suitable for our conversation about the internal and external apostleship of every Christian. Therefore, instead of a traditional parable, I would like to conclude my note about Peter’s Fast with these words, filled with the love of Christ:

1. People can be unreasonable, illogical and selfish - forgive them anyway.
2. If you show kindness, and people accuse you of secret personal motives, show kindness anyway.
3. If you achieve success, then you may have many imaginary friends and real enemies - still achieve success.
4. If you are honest and frank, then people can deceive you - still be honest and frank.
5. What you have been building for years can be destroyed overnight - keep building anyway.

Fasting is an integral part of the Christian faith. This is a voluntary refusal of mental and physical saturation. In other words, abstinence. At such a time, a person limits himself in pleasures, amusements, food and drinks for the sake of prayer and godly deeds. In Orthodox Christianity, fasting times are equated to holidays. Sometimes the number of fasting days reaches two hundred.

Basic information

Every year, all Christian believers observe 4 multi-day and 3 one-day fasts. All alone are equated with the great celebrations of the church. Also, the tradition of fasting on Fridays and Wednesdays has survived to this day. The exception was the days of continuous weeks, when you cannot limit yourself from food.

Modest nutrition is considered an important component of any fast, although against the backdrop of spiritual cleansing it is only a kind of addition to complete harmony with oneself. At the same time, very often switching to eating more modest food improves human health. It should be remembered that during any fast without exception, it is prohibited to eat food of animal origin: meat, fish and eggs. Under no circumstances should you consume dairy products: sour cream, kefir, butter, fermented baked milk, etc. Also, during fasting, you should not eat fatty desserts, fast food and sweet pastries. It’s also a good idea to limit the consumption of salt, spices in dishes and sugar. But alcohol in the form of unfortified wine is allowed only on Saturdays and Sundays, or on the days of remembrance of saints.

You can also mark a diet such as dry eating on the calendar. This means that a person must refuse any food that has previously been cooked. Most often, this diet includes bread, dried fruits, honey, nuts, raw fruits and vegetables. Typically, dry eating is used during fasting only by Old Believers and monks. In the world, such abstinence is inherent in priests.

The rest period between fasts is called meat-eaters and it is better to know in advance what date it begins. During this time, it is allowed to use food of animal origin. A person absolutely needs a meat-eater so that the body can restore the necessary level of protein in the body and the most important vitamins. True, you shouldn’t be too fanatical about it, and indulge in gluttony at any opportunity. After abstinence, sudden overeating of fatty and sweet foods can lead to a sharp jump in blood sugar.

Post calendar

Lent – 27.02-15.04

The most important fast in 2017 for all Christians. It precedes the Easter holiday and honors the memory of Jesus Christ. On weekdays, food can be taken only once a day, cold (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) or warm (Thursday, Tuesday). On weekends, you can eat twice a day and even drink unfortified wine. Such strict rules of abstinence must be observed especially carefully in the first and last week of this fast. On February 27, as well as on April 14 and 15, eating is not allowed at all. If you cannot fast for health reasons, you should simply eat only vegetables, nuts and unprocessed fruits.

Hot food with butter can only be consumed on the days of remembrance of great saints, which usually fall on Monday, Tuesday or Thursday. If such holidays fall on Wednesday or Thursday, you should not add oil to your food, although you can drink wine. But you can eat fish on April 7, on the day of the Annunciation, and on April 9, when Palm Sunday takes place in 2017.

1. Monday – dry eating.

3. Environment – dry eating.

5. Friday – dry eating.

Petrov post – 12.06-11.07

The main difference between the Petrine Fast and the Great Fast is the possibility of eating fish. This post is dedicated to the memory of Peter and Paul - two disciples of Christ. The period of abstinence should begin 7 days after Trinity, while the diet itself will no longer be as strict as during Lent. For example, on Monday you can use hot food with butter. On the birthday of Ion the Baptist, June 7, you can add fish to your diet. It is better to serve seafood to the table boiled, baked or stewed. But the church strictly prohibits fried fish. On weekends you can drink some wine.

2. Tuesday – fish dishes.
3. Environment – dry eating.
4. Thursday – fish dishes.
5. Friday – dry eating.
6. Saturday – fish dishes.

This post was established by the church in honor of the Virgin Mary. In 2017, believers will honor the memory of this saint through restrictions on food and entertainment. During the two-week fast, the diet is quite simple. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, only cold dry food is allowed, while on all other days hot food without oil is allowed.

August 19 – the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord is considered fish day. This day is called the Savior, of which there are only 3 in the Orthodox calendar.

1. August 14 – Honey Savior or the Origin of the Holy Cross. On this day, the products of apiaries are blessed in the church, which can be freely consumed on this day.

2. August 19 – Apple Savior or Transfiguration of the Lord. On this holiday, fruits are brought to church, which must be included in the diet.

1. Monday – dry eating.
2. Tuesday – hot food without adding oil.
3. Environment – dry eating.
4. Thursday – hot food without adding oil.
5. Friday – dry eating.
6. Saturday – hot food with butter.
7. Sunday – hot food with butter.

Nativity Fast – 28.11-06.01

Winter Lent coincides with the Feast of the Nativity of Jesus Christ. The period of long abstinence begins on Philip's day and ends on Bright Christmas Eve. In the first week of fasting, the menu completely coincides with Peter's fast. True, fish is strictly prohibited at this time.

December 4 marks the Entry of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the Temple - a great holiday, in honor of which we can only serve fish dishes, hot food with butter and wine. After Nikolai, fish was again excluded from the diet. But after the New Year 2017, oil can be added to food only on weekends. On January 6, you should abstain from food throughout the day until the first star appears in the sky. On this day it is better to pray and drink water. Kutia is usually prepared for a festive dinner, and uzvar is used as a drink.

1. Monday – hot food without adding oil.
2. Tuesday – fish dishes.
3. Environment – dry eating.
4. Thursday – fish dishes.
5. Friday – dry eating.
6. Saturday – fish dishes.
7. Sunday – fish dishes.

1. Monday – hot food without adding oil.
2. Tuesday – hot food with butter.
3. Environment – dry eating.
4. Thursday – hot food with butter.
5. Friday – dry eating.
6. Saturday – fish dishes.
7. Sunday – fish dishes.

From January 2 to January 6

1. Monday – dry eating.

2. Tuesday – hot food without adding oil.
3. Environment – dry eating.
4. Thursday – hot food without adding oil.
5. Friday – dry eating.
6. Saturday – hot food with butter.
7. Sunday – hot food with butter.

Fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays

Both Wednesday and Friday are considered weekly one-day fasts. Abstaining from food on Wednesday commemorates the betrayal of Christ by Judas, and on Fridays people commemorate the torment of Christ on the cross. On these days, it is strictly forbidden to consume any food of animal origin. If any of these days falls on the day of remembrance of some saint, then the ban on eating food with vegetable oil is lifted. On major Christian holidays, you can also add fish to your diet. Another restriction regarding food is lifted during the period of Continuous Weeks:

January 7-18 – Christmastide period;
February 6-12 – Week of the Publican and the Pharisee;
February 20-26 – Maslenitsa or Cheese Week, when you can’t eat meat;
April 17-23 – Bright or Easter Week;
June 5-11 – Trinity Week.

One-day posts

There are 3 additional holidays in the Orthodox calendar when you also need to fast. Believers should not eat food of animal origin or fish during this time. But hot food with vegetable oil is allowed.

1. January 18 - Christmas Eve before Epiphany. On this day, you should prepare for the upcoming holiday, not eat or drink until the candle is taken out of the church after the morning liturgy. On this day it is also customary to cook kutya and uzvar. All other dishes on the table must be lean, while their total number must be seven, nine or twelve.

2. September 11 – Beheading of John the Baptist. On this day in 2017, all Orthodox Christians commemorate the death of John the Baptist, whose head was cut off by order of King Herod. On this day you can’t cut anything, so any dish should be prepared in advance. Also, you should not place food in round dishes on the table. Usually these days people prefer to eat pies, oatmeal jelly and mushroom soup.

3. September 27 – Exaltation of the Holy Cross. On this day, Christians around the world commemorate Jesus Christ, who was tortured on the cross. Also at this time in 2017 it is prohibited to eat food of animal origin.

It is worth noting that there are some groups of believers for whom the prohibitions during Lent may be slightly relaxed. These are pregnant women, nursing mothers and children under 14 years of age. Elderly and sick people, as well as all those who engage in heavy physical labor, can also count on relief. True, before this you should still talk to your spiritual mentor in advance.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that fasting is mainly aimed at repentance and humility, so even if you cannot refuse some food, just pray. Believe me, you will always be heard.

Orthodox calendar contains two annual circles of events: , all dates of which are firmly established in , and , all of whose events are established relative to the day of celebration.

Easter Day is calculated according to (Alexandrian) and is celebrated simultaneously by all Orthodox Churches (except for the Finnish Church, which switched to the Gregorian calendar), as are all related events of the Easter circle.

The dates of the fixed circle are marked in different ways: according to Julian calendar (the so-called “old style”) and according to Gregorian calendar (modern civil calendar, or “new style”).

In the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as in the Jerusalem, Georgian, Serbian Churches and in the monasteries of Athos, the events of the motionless circle are celebrated, which in the 20th-21st centuries differs by 13 days. Thus, the beginning of the church year (), established on September 1, is celebrated according to the civil calendar on September 14.

In the other eleven Local Orthodox Churches, the dates of the fixed circle are celebrated. So, it is celebrated before the civil new year, on December 25.

The presented Orthodox calendar allows you to determine the dates of fasts and holidays from 100 to 20000. When you hover the cursor over a calendar date, information about the features of this day appears. When you click on any day of the month, the link will take you to the corresponding date in the detailed daily calendar of the Russian Orthodox Church. Links to the daily calendar work plus/minus 10 years from the current date.

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Lent is one of the most important events in the Orthodox church calendar. It is called upon to spiritually prepare a person to meet the brightest holiday, Easter.

Any fast is a time of strict abstinence. The clergy identify 5 things that must be given up during Lent. It is not only fatty and animal foods, but also entertainment that makes us slaves to television and the Internet. These are also bad habits that destroy our soul and body. During Lent, the inner world is cleansed, so the body should be dealt with last.

The essence of Lent

Some historical sources claim that the first beginnings of Great Lent were during the lifetime of the apostles, who prayed to the Lord for 40 days in honor of the miraculous Resurrection of the Lord. They, like no one else, knew what Jesus Christ felt and experienced, who was praying at that time in the desert, being a hermit. It took him 40 days and nights.

The form that the post has now, it acquired relatively recently. For about two hundred years in Orthodoxy, fasting has been observed according to approximately the same rules that exist now. Its goal is to increase spirituality, get rid of vices and draw closer to God. Many people mistakenly believe that by following a strict diet they fulfill all the laws of God, but this item has the lowest priority on the list of things to do for Lent. In general, first comes the preparation in the post itself. For this there are 4 weeks or, as they are called, weeks:

First week: week about Zacchaeus;
Second week: about the Publican and the Pharisee;
Third week: about the prodigal son;
Fourth week: about the Last Judgment.

Every week is dedicated to something very important. The first three shed light on the sins of humanity, from which there is no escape. The last week reminds us that the moment will come when everyone will answer for their actions before God at the Last Judgment, which will take place at the end of time. Its details and background are described in the book of the Apocalypse.

From the first day of Lent to the last day of Holy Week, people must forget all the bad and open their hearts to the good. Help your loved ones, do not quarrel with them and do not commit any evil. Pray often and, finally, follow strict dietary rules.

Each week of Lent is filled with a unique meaning:

in the first week they pray for all who died for their faith in Christ and for all living Christians;
in the second week they remember the theologian Gregory Palamas;
on the third week they worship the cross as a symbol of faith;
fourth week - prayers to the Most Holy Theotokos;
the fifth week is dedicated to Mary of Egypt;
sixth - the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem;
The seventh week is called passionate week, since it was at the end of this week that the most terrible events took place - the betrayal of Judas, the crucifixion.

Lent in 2017

Lent begins at a different time every year. Lent will begin in 2017 February 27. It will last until April 15.

During these days, do not forget to go to confession and communion in order to celebrate Easter with a pure soul. Get rid of bad habits and things that make you less spiritual. Do good and thank God for every day of this time. Many people think that Lent is a time of sorrow, but this is not entirely true. From February 27th there is no need to be depressed and sad, because despondency is a sin. Enjoy life and every moment of it, without doing harm to anyone, then everything will be fine.

You should also prepare for February 27, constantly thinking about what you will do during Lent. You can find some time to visit a special holy place. This will allow you to change your surroundings, gain strength, and relax. Physical and mental rest during Lent is always good. This is a great time to go on vacation. The only thing that can force you to reschedule your vacation is a restriction on entertainment activities. This doesn't mean you have to be in a sad mood. You just have to avoid parties and drinking alcohol, but everyone can have a good rest without it.

For this is a time of repentance and preparation for the holiday, which can safely be called a symbol of Christianity. The approach of Easter should be a salvation, a miracle for you. Try to survive hardships to find great joy in 2017. Good luck and don't forget to press the buttons and

13.02.2017 04:28

Lent is not just days when a person needs to give up animal food. IN...