Universal fasting rules

[Principal Moo]

Hello everyone,

Some background (for those that don't know me here): I was recently received into the Eastern Orthodox Church. I was a catechumen "at-large:" there are no EO churches here, but I have been reading and praying for conversion for three years. I discovered that a Russian Orthodox priest visits the area a few times a year, so I asked to be chrismated during his next visit. I was chrismated this past April.

Because of my situation, I have not really received much catechesis. I do read on my own, and I'm a Catholic convert, so I'm confident with the similarities. But, my understanding of fasting is limited to this:

1. One should not begin to fast until directed by their priest.
2. There is fasting for more than half of the calendar year.

I have not tried fasting, nor have I asked my priest about it (I planned to during his next visit). However, someone from the Russian Orthodox group here (a very kind man who has taken me under his wing and is like the main representative here for our priest), sent me some guidelines for fasting this weekend (our priest will be arriving to celebrate the Divine Liturgy). The fasting guidelines are:

1. No meat, fish, eggs, or milk.
2. No marital relations this Thursday through Sunday.
3. No eating or drinking anything after 12 PM this Saturday until reception of Communion.

However, when I look at the Russian Orthodox fasting calendar, it just says "fasting, fish allowed."

Which rules are correct? What should I do? I didn't receive these rules until today (Friday). Are there "universal" fasting rules?

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[GreekOrthodox]

There are some differing fasting guidelines depending on communion or the season or "everyday" fasting. So if you are not taking communion, you don't HAVE to follow the stricter fast. There are some things that are permitted for health reasons, such as taking medicine at a certain time or with food. In those cases, you would talk to the priest about extenuating circumstances. For example, someone with celiac cant really do the lenten fasts because of the medical restrictions on their diet to begin with. A normal Wednesday/Friday fast is pretty much vegetarian but you can have fish if allowed. IMHO, I wouldnt get hung up with fasting until you talk to the priest.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Hello everyone,

Some background (for those that don't know me here): I was recently received into the Eastern Orthodox Church. I was a catechumen "at-large:" there are no EO churches here, but I have been reading and praying for conversion for three years. I discovered that a Russian Orthodox priest visits the area a few times a year, so I asked to be chrismated during his next visit. I was chrismated this past April.

Because of my situation, I have not really received much catechesis. I do read on my own, and I'm a Catholic convert, so I'm confident with the similarities. But, my understanding of fasting is limited to this:

1. One should not begin to fast until directed by their priest.
2. There is fasting for more than half of the calendar year.

I have not tried fasting, nor have I asked my priest about it (I planned to during his next visit). However, someone from the Russian Orthodox group here (a very kind man who has taken me under his wing and is like the main representative here for our priest), sent me some guidelines for fasting this weekend (our priest will be arriving to celebrate the Divine Liturgy). The fasting guidelines are:

1. No meat, fish, eggs, or milk.
2. No marital relations this Thursday through Sunday.
3. No eating or drinking anything after 12 PM this Saturday until reception of Communion.

However, when I look at the Russian Orthodox fasting calendar, it just says "fasting, fish allowed."

Which rules are correct? What should I do? I didn't receive these rules until today (Friday). Are there "universal" fasting rules?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Yes, you really need some guidance.

The fasting after midnight on Saturday is a pre-communion fast. If you are not receiving the Eucharist, there is no reason to worry about that one.

The Lenten fasts - especially Great Lent - involves more than just abstaining from foods and is a very intense time spiritually. You really need to be under guidance from a priest for that. There are many pitfalls, and it can be much more spiritually dangerous to fast "perfectly" without guidance than not fasting at all.

The Wed/Fri fasts probably have some jurisdictional variations (as just about all fasting does to some degree). For me it tends to work as a very simple discipline, and other than getting a blessing from my priest to do it, I have not needed any particular guidance myself, though there are sometimes minor questions on the details.

As for marital relations, I have seen a tremendous amount of debate on this issue (elsewhere, not here). The only hard and fast rule I know of is to abstain for a period before and after receiving the Eucharist. Most commonly the advice I have seen is roughly a liturgical day (early Saturday evening until Sunday evening) but there is a LOT of variation - please don't take my word for it but ask your priest. It is also very common to apply this to other fasting periods as well, but apparently not universally. Again, ask your priest. If your wife is not Orthodox, this may factor in as well, if it will strain your marriage.

I offer this just as "another example" and a very small amount of explanation and my own experience. I certainly don't mean it as any kind of guide as that is not my place.

 

[buzuxi02]

Usually the badic rule for food is we abstain from everything thats derived from a blood source. And yes fish have blood, some will say we abstain from everything that has blood or a backbone.
So you can have shellfish and shrimp and so on. But no meat, eggs, dairy, fish. Regular fish is allowed when there is a feast day which coincides with a fast day. For example Anunciation falls during lent you can have fish.
Keep in mind this is not some rigid thing, we do it because we want to, not because we have to. Your not going to hell if you cheat nor is anyone going to firebomb your house or anything.

 

[GreekOrthodox]

Your not going to hell if you cheat nor is anyone going to firebomb your house or anything.

But you will face the wrath of the internet, so going to hell might be the better option

 

[gzt]

2 and 3 are common Eucharistic preparation and the midnight is universal. The first was probably made without glancing first at the calendar for the specifics.

 

[Principal Moo]

Keep in mind this is not some rigid thing, we do it because we want to, not because we have to. Your not going to hell if you cheat nor is anyone going to firebomb your house or anything.

So, it is not sinful if one does not fast?

 

[GreekOrthodox]

St. John Chrysostom wrote: Fasting is a medicine. But like all medicines, though it be very profitable to the person who knows how to use it, it frequently becomes useless (and even harmful) in the hands of him who is unskillful in its use.
For the honor of fasting consists not in abstinence from food, but in withdrawing from sinful practices, since he who limits his fasting only to abstinence from meats is one who especially disparages fasting.
Do you fast? Give me proof of it by your works. If you see a poor man, take pity on him. If you see an enemy, be reconciled with him. If you see a friend gaining honor, do not be jealous of him. And let not only the mouth fast, but also the eye and the ear and the feet and the hands and all members of your bodies.

 

[gzt]

It's a sin not to fast if you're not fasting out of a spirit of disobedience and rebellion. But there are other possible motivations to not fast - for instance, one should only fast under direction. Also, generally, it's better not to refuse hospitality.

 

[GreekOrthodox]

It's a sin not to fast if you're not fasting out of a spirit of disobedience and rebellion. But there are other possible motivations to not fast - for instance, one should only fast under direction. Also, generally, it's better not to refuse hospitality.

There is a story about a monk who was very prideful on his fasting. His abbot told him that for Lent, he was to have a very strict fast and to eat in public to demonstrate his discipline and that he could tell no one of his new fasting rule which was, meat only.

 

[~Anastasia~]

There is a story about a monk who was very prideful on his fasting. His abbot told him that for Lent, he was to have a very strict fast and to eat in public to demonstrate his discipline and that he could tell no one of his new fasting rule which was, meat only.

Reminds me of a story of a seminarian who was told to eat a cheeseburger with his fellows, during fasting, and was not permitted to explain why.

This would cause such a scandal at Church - I would very much dislike being told to do this!

(As it is, I had to take yogurt to Church to eat during Lent, and I hid to eat it.)

 

[ArmyMatt]

Which rules are correct? What should I do? I didn't receive these rules until today (Friday). Are there "universal" fasting rules?

the rule is to listen to your priest and follow what he gives you and let him guide you

 

[prodromos]

Hello everyone,

Some background (for those that don't know me here): I was recently received into the Eastern Orthodox Church. I was a catechumen "at-large:" there are no EO churches here, but I have been reading and praying for conversion for three years. I discovered that a Russian Orthodox priest visits the area a few times a year, so I asked to be chrismated during his next visit. I was chrismated this past April.

Because of my situation, I have not really received much catechesis. I do read on my own, and I'm a Catholic convert, so I'm confident with the similarities. But, my understanding of fasting is limited to this:

1. One should not begin to fast until directed by their priest.
2. There is fasting for more than half of the calendar year.

I have not tried fasting, nor have I asked my priest about it (I planned to during his next visit). However, someone from the Russian Orthodox group here (a very kind man who has taken me under his wing and is like the main representative here for our priest), sent me some guidelines for fasting this weekend (our priest will be arriving to celebrate the Divine Liturgy). The fasting guidelines are:

1. No meat, fish, eggs, or milk.
2. No marital relations this Thursday through Sunday.
3. No eating or drinking anything after 12 PM this Saturday until reception of Communion.

However, when I look at the Russian Orthodox fasting calendar, it just says "fasting, fish allowed."

Which rules are correct? What should I do? I didn't receive these rules until today (Friday). Are there "universal" fasting rules?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Preparation for receiving Holy Communion supersedes whatever the general fasting (or feasting ) rules may be for the days prior to the Liturgy.