What days of the week do Orthodox fast?
The Fast of Wednesdays and Fridays/ In observance of the Wednesday decision by the Sanhedrin to seize Christ, and the Friday Crucifixion, all Wednesdays and Fridays are considered obligatory fasting days (except during the 50 days after Easter, and the feasts of Christmas and Theophany (Timket) if they should fall on …
What do you eat on Orthodox fast days?
Foods That Are Okay for Serbian Orthodox Lent and Other Fasting Times
- All vegetable oils.
- All fish oils.
- All seafood.
- Shortening containing vegetable ingredients only.
- Margarine containing vegetable ingredients only.
- Noodles and pasta NOT made with eggs.
- All-natural grain flours, cornstarch, cocoa powder.
Why do Orthodox fast on Wednesday and Friday?
Throughout the entire Christian year, many Christians keep the Black Fast on Wednesdays (in memory of Jesus’ betrayal) and on Fridays (to mourn the crucifixion of Jesus).
What days do Greeks fast?
Fasting Days
- Every Wednesday and Friday.
- The Great Fast (Lent)-beginning on a Monday 7 weeks before Easter.
- Fast of the Apostles- it begins on a Monday, 8 days after Pentecost, and ends on June 28.
- Fast of the Repose of the Virgin Mary–August 1 to 14.
- Christmas Fast–lasting 40 days, from November 15 to December 24.
What do Greek Orthodox eat during fasting?
Seafood such as shrimps, squid, cuttlefish, octopus, lobsters, crabs as well as snails are allowed on all fasting days throughout the year. The Greek Orthodox fasting practices can therefore be characterized as requiring a periodic vegetarian diet including fish and seafood.
What is strict fast in Greek Orthodox?
Orthodox Fasting (“Nistia”) Fasting entails abstinence from meat, dairy products and fish – but not shellfish. What’s more, every Wednesday and Friday throughout the year are fast days, except for certain dates that follow major feast days.
Is Orthodox fasting healthy?
In sum, Greek Orthodox Christian fasting appears to lower body mass. Carbohydrate intake appears to increase, while the intake of protein, total fat, saturated fat, and trans fatty acids decrease during fasting periods. Both total and LDL-C decrease, although the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio does not appear to change.
Why do Greek Orthodox fast for 40 days?
The 40-day fasting period otherwise known as Christmas Lent is when the Greek Orthodox Church gives the faithful periods of fasting and reflection in order to refocus on the spiritual life, to challenge them and to help them make adjustments, as they experience the Holy Nativity of our Lord and Saviour in a real and …
Are there any fast days in the Orthodox Church?
Individual fast days include the feast of the Elevation of the Holy Cross (September 14), the Beheading of St. John the Baptist (August 29), and the eve of Epiphany (January 5), as well as all Wednesdays and Fridays. There is no fasting, however, between Christmas and Epiphany, during the tenth week before Easter,…
Can you fast for a week on the Greek diet?
Nowadays most people (and kids) fast only this week. Growing up in the states, we would follow the traditional Greek fasting diet for the week, but there was such variety in the food, that we really didn’t notice any difference.
Why was fasting important to the Greek Orthodox Church?
In the New Testament, Christ fasted for forty days in the wilderness before starting his ministry. This period of fasting subsequently became a common practice, first under the apostles and then throughout early Christianity. In the Orthodox Church, it has retained its role as a form of ascesis, or spiritual self-discipline for the faithful.
When does the Great Fast of the Apostles start?
The days that the fast is followed are as following: Every Wednesday and Friday. The Great Fast (Lent)-beginning on a Monday 7 weeks before Easter. Fast of the Apostles- it begins on a Monday, 8 days after Pentecost, and ends on June 28. Fast of the Repose of the Virgin Mary–August 1 to 14.