Eastern Orthodox Diet and Fasts

[Victrixa]

Hi there my Orthodox friends!

Yours truly again... with questions!

I was just wondering (I'm very interested as a matter of fact), what is the Orthodox diet like?

I know you fast on Wednesdays and Fridays but do you fast completely (no food all day) or just abstain from certain ingredients/foods, etc. on each of these days?

Are Orthodox fasts complete fasts are just partial fasts?

Please explain to me the Orthodox 'menu' of fasting and dieting, etc.

Can someone post the Orthodox fasts/diet so I can see what it's like and what it consists of?

Thanks again for your help!

 

[VickiY]

The normal fast days are (by canon) to consist of one small meal, preferably eaten after 3 pm, which has no meat, fish (with a backbone), eggs, dairy, wine or olive oil. Also by canon, this is to be adapted to the needs and physical condition of the individual under the submission to his spiritual father. There are several days that we are, if able, to eat nothing except water....notably, from sundown on Forgiveness Sunday, until after the Pre-Sanctified Liturgy on Wednesday, when one can have one small fasting meal, then nothing again until after the Pre-Sanctified Liturgy on Friday.

During the course of the fast, if there is a great feast, we are permitted fish, wine, and olive oil to celebrate (Dormition, Transfiguration, and Annunciation being 3 that readily come to mind).

Does that help?

 

[Victrixa]

Thank you Vicky.

The 'normal fast days' are Wednesday and Friday?

 

[VickiY]

Wednesday, Friday (with a couple of exceptions, when we are celebrating, such as the week following the Nativity, and following Pascha and Pentecost), Great Lent, where we are fasting for 40 days prior to the beginning of Holy Week, where we are ALSO fasting, The two weeks prior to the Dormition of the Theotokos in August, the Apostle's Lent, which varies in length and ends with the Feast of the Holy Apostles, and the Nativity Fast, which is more relaxed, and allows fish in the beginning of the fast, getting stricter the last 2 weeks before Christmas. There are also several one day fasts, such as the beheading of St. John the Forerunner, and Holy Cross....

In all, the Orthodox are fasting for approximately 1/2 the year.

 

[Maximus]

Here is something from the Metropolitan Anthony Khrapovitsky on true Orthodox asceticism that is important to keep in mind.

This concept does not in general predetermine the way of our life; it requires neither virginity, nor fasting, nor seclusion. Asceticism, or spiritual struggle, is a life filled with work on oneself, a life aimed at the destruction of one's own passions -- adultery, fornication, self-love, spite, envy, gluttony, laziness, etc., -- and filling the soul with the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love; love never survives as a stand-alone virtue, but always follows and helps accomplish other traits of a human soul mentioned above. (What is the Difference Between Orthodoxy and Western Confessions?)

 

[OnTheWay]

I think it is important to note that one fast for the correct reasons, and not simply to follow the rules. I mean if you know how many hours and minutes there are until you can have a hamburger then you might as well just go now and get one because your fast is meaningless.

Getting into the proper spirit of the fast is much more important than merely following a few rules for the sake of following rules.

 

[Victrixa]

Can someone link a calender of fasting throughout the Orthodox liturgical year plus what a Wednesday and Friday 'menu' looks like?

 

[Akathist]

I am sure someone will post a link to a calender, I get a calender from my church and that is the one I follow.

Also the "menu" varies, person to person with what we like or don't like to eat.

Here is what I eat on two days in which I follow the full fast:

AM I drink water when I get up, after my morning prayers.
Then nothing until after my noon prayers. At this time I might eat a peanut butter sandwhich and some fruit and cold veggies.
I personally need a snack in the afternoon. I try to say 3 pm prayers, even if just the Jesus Prayer, then have a snack... maybe some nuts or a slice of bread with hummus on it.
Supper: I say a prayer before my evening meal, I might have spagheti with marinara sauce and no cheese. I like to make toast and rub some garlic on it instead of using butter or margerine, sometimes I sprinke garlic powder on toaste too. I also like to eat cooked veggies with my supper.
Evening, I almost always have a snack in the evening, often half a peanut butter sandwhich or some canned fruit. I like applesauce for a snack.

Another day: (same prayers as before)
AM: I might be unusually hungry some day and choose to eat breakfast, in which case i like oatmeal or cream of wheat made without milk. Sometimes I might add soy milk, but usually I just make it out of water and have some brown sugar in it.
Lunch: A favorite lunch for me is lentin sloppy joes made with cooked lentils in sloppy joe mix on bread. I also like a side salad with fat free italian dressing as it has no oil in it. I sometimes cut up potatoes into wedges and bake them without oil for "french fries".
Supper: I like Rice a Roni or vegetarian chili for supper choices. BTW, shrimp and lobster and I think crab is allowed. I usually have shrimp once a week in a long fast.
Snack: I buy vegitarian backed beans, they are a good lunch or evening snack. There is also some fast friendly cocoa that someone here gave me the recipie for that is goooooodddd.

Ok, it is midnight here, time to say my prayers and go to sleep.

Others may eat less then this or more.

I have modifications to the fast due to health problems. In fact, it is very common for someone in the conversion process to have their Priest modify the fast for them.

One other time of fasting that was not mentioned above is the fast we have from about midnight Saturday until after our Sunday services (Which we call "Divine Liturgy"). This is a total fast, with no water or any kind of food. If we don't plan to recieve the Eucharist, we don't have to follow this Saturday evening/Sunday morning fast though.

 

[Victrixa]

Wow, thank you thornygrace!

I think I found something I was searching for:

http://www.goarch.org/en/chapel/calendar.asp?Y=2005&M=11

And Orthodox calendar of saint and fast days! (that's part of my answer!)

 

[Victrixa]

A related question to fasting:

Are daily readings in the Orthodox liturgical year only in the Gospels and the Epistles? Are there any readings in the Old Testament, i.e., the Psalms, the Prophets, the Law, etc. (any book of the O.T.)? Just wondering...

 

[gzt]

On the eves of feasts, OT readings which are somehow related are read. During Lent, there isn't a Gospel reading, but there are several readings from the OT. Readings from the Psalms are part of the Daily Office. The psalter is covered in its entirety every week [not many people follow it], though some psalms are read multiple times [esp psalms 50 and 117].

 

[choirfiend]

Fasting guidelines as listed above are also the fasts for monastics. Lay people often follow a very different rule of fasting.
Generally speaking, animal products are out on Wednesday and Friday in remembrance of Christ's betrayal and crucifixion, and one fasts from all food and drink from at least the midnight before a day where once receives communion. During longer fasting periods (Advent, Lent) there are no animal products, oil, wine, etc. People also try to attend to the amount of food they eat and similar concerns. Fasting also has to go hand in hand with further attention to prayer and alms-giving, the "non-physical" side of fasting that sometimes gets left out in discussions about fasting. Variations depending on the abilities and spiritual preparation of a person abound.

This book would be helpful for looking for food ideas. I bought it and I can vouch (having had some of the recipes when over at Catherine's sister's house) that they are very good.http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product/?item_no=412627&p=1021545

 

[Monica child of God 1]

There are also OT readings appointed during Great Lent. See here. The OT is also refered to quite a bit in our liturgical services, which helps us to meditate on its relevance to us as members of the New Israel. The Canon of St. Andrew is a wonderful example.

Also, there is no general restriction on private reading any of the Scriptures. I was lead to believe this by a misinformed Protestant when I first began to look into Orthodoxy. The daily readings keep us in step with the Church but there is usually no reason that one cannot choose to study the OT privately.

Welcome to TAW

Monica

 

[Monica child of God 1]

Also, as has been said, the Psalms are hugely important to us. Even if one does not attempt the Hours of Prayer with the weekly reading of the Psalter, there are Psalms in private prayer, Psalms that prepare us for the Eucharist, Psalms that are our hymns in public worship, Psalms that aid us in confession and repentance, etc.

M.

 

[Stephanida]

As Tornygrace mentioned, many many many people have modified fasts. For example my friend, she for a period of time had to have two glasses of milk a day to take with a certain medication. I am for awhile had to eat dairy and fish during fasts and now I am not allowed to fast at all.

But the most important part of the fast is remembering why you are fasting, in preparation for which ever Holy day is coming up. You must increase your alms, your prayers, and basically your christian attitude towards others.

 

[Victrixa]

Thank you all sooo much!

 

[autumngirl]

Hey Thornygrace, thanks for posting that!! That was really helpful for me too, because this is my first fast. I think I've eaten at least 100 Boca burgers....

 

[cjfile2000]

As Tornygrace mentioned, many many many people have modified fasts. For example my friend, she for a period of time had to have two glasses of milk a day to take with a certain medication. I am for awhile had to eat dairy and fish during fasts and now I am not allowed to fast at all.

But the most important part of the fast is remembering why you are fasting, in preparation for which ever Holy day is coming up. You must increase your alms, your prayers, and basically your christian attitude towards others.

economia is VERY helpful