Lent's Almost Here!

[Orthodox Andrew]

I actually have an easier time fasting over long periods than I do over short ones--I don't know why. I forget about Wednesdays and Fridays so easily. But Great Lent and the Nativity fast are hard to forget. I put one of our church calendars in the kitchen to help remind me to keep my chicken and my ground beef in the freezer until April 11th.

The calendars for the Antiochian Orthodox churches of South Carolina, as ChoirDir can probably attest , have all the fast days shaded in pink so it's easy to see when the fasts are. But it can be hard for me to remember what day of the week it is!

Same here. I can do 40 days ten times easier than 1 day.

 

[Momzilla]

Photini, thank you for that passage. It was very helpful!

 

[Photini]

Photini, thank you for that passage. It was very helpful!

You are very welcome. I wish more of our friends from P/R/E would try to understand the reasons why fasting is necessary, and the benefits received by it.

 

[Oblio]

Yes, it was a wonderful passage. I finished it late last night/AM and saw that it was time for a beer
Today is Carnivest at Logans Steakhouse for lunch, then an afterfoon discussion on Orthodox seminars/expositions for our community, Vespers, then perhaps out again for Pizza

 

[prodromos]

I've been doing a bit of reading in the dictionary (a bit light on plot, but I haven't lost my place yet) on the names of the days or period leading up to Lent, and I must say that it is both eye opening and saddening given how those days have come to be understood by most people.

For example, "carvival or carnivale" appears to originate in the Latin "carnem levare" or Italian "carne levare" meaning the putting away or removal of flesh (as food), the name being originally proper to the eve of Ash Wednesday. The actual Italian "carnevale" appears to have come through the intermediate "carnelevale". In Greek, it is known as "apokreo" which is formed from "apo" and "kreas", meaning "away from meat". All the historical references to the term reject the suggestion founded on another sense of levare, "to relieve, ease", that carnelevarium meant "the solace of the flesh (i.e. body)" before the austerities of Lent. Obviously, the indulgence of the passions that carnival has become known for today has absolutely nothing to do with its original intent.

Similiarly, the period leading up to Lent is known as "Shrove-tide". Shrove is undoubtedly related to shrive (and shrift) and refers to the custom of being shriven in preparation for Lent, "shrive" meaning confession and penance. In many countries, carnival has been extended to the last three days or the whole week before Lent. In France it comprises Jeudi gras, Dimanche gras, Lundi gras and Mardi gras, i.e. Thursday before Quinquagesima, Quinquagesima Sunday, Monday, and Shrove Tuesday. "Mardi gras" means literally "fat (as in obese) Tuesday" and I'm not sure that it had to do with stopping the use of fat in cooking. "Quinquagesima" has to do with the number 50, and names the whole period from this Sunday until Holy Pascha (Easter) which is 50 days. In Greece, this period of fasting is called Sarakosti, meaning Forty, because from Apokreo until Pascha there are forty weekdays where we eat no meat (weekends are not included in Lent)

I thought you might find this interesting

John

 

[Oblio]

Wow !

I just kinda made up Carnivest (Carniverous fest), I had no idea that carnival was related as you described above. Now I feel a bit guilty about the full rack of ribs I had for lunch As Emeril Lagasse (a US TV cooking chef) says: Pork Fat Rules !

 

[xenia]

I am going to be in France for 8 days during Great Lent. What can I eat and drink besides French bread and Perrier? Man, what a time to visit France! Really... any suggestions? I imagine the salads will all have olive oil on them, even, and I think my French is too lousy to ask them to leave it on the side.

-Xenia

 

[Matrona]

Oh, how wonderful! J'aime la France beaucoup!

As long as you're not going during Holy Week, if I were you, I wouldn't worry about fasting. Do what you can, but I think that since it's hard enough to get food in France that doesn't turn out to be from a rather undesirable portion of an animal, your spiritual father will likely give you a dispensation.

 

[prodromos]

Snails are acceptable and are apparently delicious with garlic . They will probably be cooked with butter though . As Matrona suggests I wouldn't worry too much, just try to stick with simple food. You want to follow as much as you can the spirit of the law, not the letter. Focus on bringing your passions to heel through increased prayer since this is the whole point of fasting .

John.

 

[Dismas]

Here is a start on a list of reading for Great Lent.


The rule of fasting
antiochian.org/ Midwest/ Articles/ Fasting_and_Great_Lent.htm

Three Helpful Principles of Fasting
Simplicity, Satiety, and a Litmus Question
orthodoxinfo.com/ praxis/ fasting_principles.htm

Great Lent
monachos.net/great_lent/schmemann_intro.shtml

Prayers of St Ephraim
monachos.net/patristics/ephraim/index.shtml
Akathist Hymn to the Most Holy Mother of God
monachos.net/other/akathist_to_theotokos.shtml

Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
oca.org/pages/orth_chri/orthodox-faith/worship/presanctified.html

antiochian.org/Midwest/Articles/Great_Lent/A_Lenten_Discipline.htm