Lazarus Saturday

[Anhelyna]

I was chatting with my GodPapa this morning. He's still UGCC even though I'm now Orthodox and he mentioned that he'd organised some caviar for Saturday. This left me puzzled.

I remember one year [ many many years ago ] being in the house attached to the UGCC Church in Lourdes and we had caviar one Saturday [ possibly Lazarus Saturday ? ] which astonished me as it was in a Fast Period. I cannot remember what I was told then when I asked - the priest was from Australia , but the resident nuns were genuinely from Ukraine.

Now according to our Calendar [ published by the Orthodox Fellowship of St John the Baptist ] Saturday is a ' wine and oil day' and Sunday , being Palm Sunday is a ' fish, wine and oil day'

Now I'm really scratching my head over this - can anyone elucidate ? Is the caviar a 'general' thing or is it a Ukrainian tradition ?

 

[prodromos]

I thought fish eggs were considered fasting food. Taramasalata is a staple in Greece and I seem to recall it being eaten through most fasting periods. I may well be wrong though.

 

[ArmyMatt]

I always heard it was a fish day, so caviar would be good

 

[ArmyMatt]

Now I'm really scratching my head over this - can anyone elucidate ? Is the caviar a 'general' thing or is it a Ukrainian tradition ?

it might be more high priority as a cultural thing.

 

[nutroll]

If you catch a fish on Lazarus Saturday to cook for Palm Sunday and it has a roe sac what else would you do? It is on the calendar as a caviar day in the Russian tradition.

 

[ArmyMatt]

thanks for the clarity, Father

 

[Justin-H.S.]

What about shrimp? I'm getting mixed messages regarding shrimp.

 

[ArmyMatt]

shrimp is Lenten no matter what, since there is no backbone

 

[Justin-H.S.]

That's what I thought, but a very pious Lebanese lady seems to think otherwise, so we were confused.

 

[ArmyMatt]

no problem! the difference might be a local custom or something

 

[prodromos]

That's what I thought, but a very pious Lebanese lady seems to think otherwise, so we were confused.

I vaguely recall one of the Oriental Orthodox commenting jokingly that they weren't even allowed to eat vegetables that looked like fish during a fast.

 

[ArmyMatt]

I vaguely recall one of the Oriental Orthodox commenting jokingly that they weren't even allowed to eat vegetables that looked like fish during a fast.

haha, nice. I don’t remember that, but it sounds like something they would joke about.

 

[ArmyMatt]

hope you all have a blessed Feast tomorrow!