\"A life of fasting, properly understood as general self-limitation and abstinence, to the annual practice of which the Church always calls us with the Great Lent, is really that bearing of the cross and self-crucifixion which is required of us by our calling as Christians. And anyone who stubbornly resists this, wanting to live a carefree, happy, and free life, is concerned for sensual pleasures and avoids sorrow and suffering that person is not a Christian. Bearing one\'s cross is the natural way of every true Christian, without which there is no Christianity.\" —Archbishop Averky of Syracuse.
The question of fasting
Someone asks you if we should fast on Fridays, for example. Again, there\'s nothing in the Scriptures about it. So you have to advise them to do what\'s best (fine thing it would be if Christians did what\'s worst!). Of course, if you\'re a glutton, it\'s best to eat, but if you have any restraint and control it\'s best to fast.
On Fridays, we commemorate the fact that Christ was crucified, so it\'s a day of mourning. As, indeed, it was in the Old Testament (1 Kings 1:12. 31:13). When you fast on Fridays, you remember the Passion of Christ. And there\'s a Greek proverb which says: \"Whoever saw a son on the Cross and the mother at the table?\".
The Lord said: \"When the Bridegroom departs, then they (My disciples) will fast\" (Matth. 9:15). The Lord departed on the day of His Ascension, so from then on His disciples would have fasted, in line with His wishes. The first Christians certainly fasted (Acts 14:23). So did the Apostle Paul (2 Corinth. 11:27). It follows, therefore, that people who don\'t fast are not living in accordance with the wishes of the Lord nor in the ascetic spirit of the Holy Gospels. But the Orthodox fast on Fridays, Wednesdays, during Great Lent, Great Week, the Christmas fast, the Apostles\' fast, the Dormition fast and so on.
A HOMILY ON FASTING AND DISPASSION
Spoken at the beginning of the Great Fast by St Theodore the Studite
Brethren and fathers, the season of Lent, when compared to the whole
year, may be likened to a storm-free harbour, in which all who are
sailing together enjoy a spiritual calm. For the present season is one of
salvation not for monks and nuns only, but also for lay people, for great
and small, for rulers and ruled, for emperors and priests, for every race
and for every age. For cities and villages reduce their hubbub and
bustle, while psalmody and hymns, prayers and entreaties take their
place, by which our good God is propitiated and so guides our spirits to
peace and pardons our offences, if, with a sincere heart, we will only fall
down before him with fear and trembling and weep before him,
promising improvement for the future. But let the leaders of the
churches speak of what is suitable to lay people, for just as those who
run in the stadium need the vocal support of their fellow contestants, so
fasters need the encouragement of their teachers. But I, since I have
been placed at your head, honoured brethren, will also talk to you
briefly. Fasting then is a renewal of the soul, for the holy Apostle says,
Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward is being renewed
day by day. And if it is being renewed, clearly it is being made beautiful
according to its original beauty; made beautiful in itself it is being
drawn lovingly to the one who said, I and the Father will come and make
our dwelling with him. If then such is the grace of fasting, that it makes us
into a dwelling place of God, we must welcome it, brethren, gladly, not
grieving at the plainness of the diet, for we know that the Lord, though
he is able to nourish lavishly, made a banquet for thousands in the
wilderness from bread and water. Also because what is unusual, with
enthusiasm becomes acceptable and painless. Fasting is not defined by
foods alone, but by every abstinence from evil, as our godly fathers
have explained. And so, I beg you, let us abstain from despondency,
idleness, sluggishness, jealousy, strife, maliciousness, self-indulgence,
self-reliance; let us abstain from destructive desire which the manyshaped
serpent lays before us when we are fasting. Let us listen to the
one who says, ‘The fruit which slew me was beautiful to behold and fair
to eat’. And observe: he says beautiful to behold, not beautiful by
nature. For just as if someone taking a pomegranate decked out with a
scarlet rind should find it rotten, in the same way pleasure feigns untold
sweetness, but when it is plucked it is found more bitter than gall, or
rather, than a sharpened two-edged sword which devours the soul it
has captured. This is what our forefather Adam suffered when he was
tricked by the serpent; for when he touched the forbidden food, he
found death instead of life. This too is what all they have suffered who
from then until now have been similarly deceived by the dragon. For
just as he, who is darkness, transforms himself into an angel of light, so he
knows how to transform bad into good, bitter into sweet, dark into
light, ugly into beautiful, deadly into life-giving; and so the all-evil one
does not cease to lead the world astray at every opportunity. But let us
at least, brethren, not be led astray by his manifold deceptions, nor
suffer the fate of the birds who greedily approach what seems to be
food and fall into the hunter’s trap. Let us rather look on the outer
coverings of evil as dung and when with the mind we have looked on
evil in its nakedness we shall flee from it at once. In addition let us
welcome the times of psalmody, be enthusiastic for hymnody, attentive
to the readings, making prostrations according to the given measure at
each hour; working with our own hands, because working is good and
because one who does not work is not judged worthy of eating. Let us
bear one another’s burdens, for one is weak and another strong, making
use of food and drink and the other necessities with moderation, so that
there is no provoking to jealousy among evil people, but zeal in
goodness. In everything be good to one another, compassionate,
reasonable, obedient, full of mercy and good fruits, and the peace of God
which passes all understanding will keep your hearts and thoughts. And now,
may you be found worthy without condemnation to reach the supreme
day of the Resurrection, but in the age to come at the resurrection of the
dead to gain the kingdom of heaven in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom
be the glory and the might, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now
and for ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Preparing for Lent
IN THE SHORT TIME before the beginning of the Great Lent, find a spiritually edifying book and undertake to read it during Lent as a part of your lenten struggle. Sometimes, we simply keep Lent, if we do at all, by just adhering to the fasting regulations, by attending the more important lenten services in church, but we are somehow still left unnourished. Spiritual reading, which is something that we should do at all times of the year, is particularly important during the lenten period and is something which can deepen and broaden our spiritual lives. If necessary, take advice on which book to choose as your lenten reading.
AS EXPLAINED earlier, most of February will fall with in the 22 day period that the Church assigns as a preparation for the Great Lent. Oftentimes, we treat this period as if it were something simply symbolic or liturgical, and therefore we pay it little or no heed. Spiritually a much wiser course would be to use it as is intended: to prepare ourselves for the fast. Many things can be done—we can see how best we can keep the dietary prescriptions of the fast; we can ensure that we keep the period as clear as possible of commitments which will mean that we have to travel or visit; we can mark in our diaries the extra church observances that we should keep in the course of the fast (the Great Canon in the first and fifth weeks, the Akathist hymns on Friday evenings, the Presanctified Liturgies, etc.); we can find spiritually helpful books to read; assess and perhaps make arrangements for meaningful (rather than symbolic) almsgiving; prepare for the Rite of Forgiveness by trying to be reconciled to any that have become our enemies; seek advice and counsel from our spiritual fathers if there are areas about the fast that we think will cause us difficulties. We can even do simple things by finding out, if we do not already know, how to prepare Koliva for St Theodore Saturday and the Soul Sabbaths, or bake the special bird-shaped pastries for the feast of the Forty Martyrs [known as \"Larks\"]. There are a host of things to be done before Clean Monday, so by all means enjoy the pancakes in Cheesefare Week, but do not let your pre-lenten observance consist only in that! Lay a firm foundation now for the building of your fast.
MAKE SURE, if you have not already done so, to make arrangements so that you can attend as many of the Passion Week and Paschal services as possible. With many Orthodox Christians in this country living far from churches, they sometimes make arrangements to stay near a church at least for the end of Passion Week and the day of Pascha itself. Perhaps time will have to be taken off from work or schedules altered in other ways, and it is best to plan for this ahead. The services of Passion Week and Pascha are the most important in the Christian Year and every conscientious Orthodox should try his or her best to prepare for them, participate in them, to confess, and to receive the Holy Mysteries.
Breaking a Fast
BE ON GUARD at the end of the Nativity Fast. Very often the more conscientious among the faithful make real efforts to keep the fast, both with regard to the dietary disciplines, and with regard to their inner life: contending with the passions and thoughts, avoiding and resisting temptations, spiritual reading, prayer, preparation for confession, more frequent reception of the Holy Mysteries, etc; but then in the first hours of the feast itself they completely lose an the profit they might have gained by abandoning all that they have so carefully practised during the fast. It is true that we keep the feasts as times of rejoicing and that we are released from the discipline of fasting, but we should be careful not to do this is such a way that we abandon every appearance of Christian struggle.
TRY to remember to keep Pascha holy. This might seem an odd and unnecessary tip, but it happens that at all the greater festivals, and particularly at Christmas and Pascha, one finds that after the fast, there is a temptation simply to let go. True, we can start eating non-lenten products again, but this does not mean that we should plunge into gluttony or drunkenness. The church services are shorter and the typicon less demanding, but very often one notices that there is a veritable apostasy after a major feast. If we have gained anything spiritually in the course of the fast, let us try to hold it fast and not to lose it heedlessly. In this way, step by small step, with each fast and each feast we shall be able to make some little progress spiritually, using each as the rungs of a ladder.
Check-list of Spiritually Necessary Activities for the Last Twelve Days of the Nativity* Fast Which Lead up to the Great Feast of the Nativity of our Lord:
* This lecture was given during the Nativity Fast. Yet the same concepts and checklist can be used for the other Fasts of the Church year.
1. On all days abstain from all non-fasting foods (all meat, egg and milk products).
2. At least on Wednesdays and Fridays, abstain from fish products as well.
3. No parties (including secular New Year), no nights on the town, no concerts or the like.
4. The only music to be listened to is appropriate recorded Church singing. No other music until Nativity, not even \"classical.\" (The only exception to this might be if practicing a musical instrument or vocals are part of your studies.)
5. Absolutely no television, radio, movies, video/computer games for these twelve days. For weather information use the free telephone weather-info-line listed in your directory under \"weather.\"
6. The computer is to be used only if it is part of your job, your studies, or necessary for personal correspondence. No frivolous uses.
7. Attend all the services that you possibly can that are available at your parish church during this time period. Even if it entails asking for time off from work or from school, try to make it to all the services. Arrive before the beginning of the services, and stay until the very end. Make an attempt to understand and participate in the services.
8. With the blessing of your spiritual father (usually your parish priest), prepare properly and partake of Holy Confession and Communion at every Divine Liturgy at your parish church leading up to and including Nativity.
9. Every day: get up early enough to meaningfully say all of the morning prayers printed in the prayer book. Say the Jesus prayer repetitively at every opportunity during the day: O Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have mercy on me a sinner. Be certain to say prayers before and after meals. Say your evening prayers immediately after the evening meal. Do not wait to say your evening prayers until you are so tired that you cannot even think.
10. Each day, following your morning prayers, read at least a little bit (5-10 minutes\' worth) of the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament (a little of the Gospel and a little of the Epistles of the Apostles).
11. Each day, find a regular time to read a measured amount (10-15 minutes\' worth) of the writings of the holy Fathers (My Life in Christ by St. John of Kronstadt is a good place to start).
12. Be extra loving to other people around you, treating them kindly, as you would like them to treat you. If anyone wrongs you in any way, be quick to forgive and forget completely and forever.
13. If at all possible, be extra charitable to the needy and worthy causes, giving not of your surplus but of your substance.
Again, brothers and sister, the items on this list are things we should already be doing, some during the fasting seasons, others all the time. Let us truly attempt to fulfill this entire check-list for the 12 days before our Orthodox Christmas. I can assure you that if you are able to fulfill the majority of the recommendations, it will utterly change your life for the better. You will eagerly await the next fast and you will be able to handle the hardships of life much more wisely, but most importantly, you would have made an important step in the direction of the salvation of your soul.
The first few days will be the hardest. You will go through withdrawal. But don\'t give up. Ask for God\'s help and He will help. And if you persevere, then when the Feast finally comes, God will certainly shine upon you the light of knowledge, and you will find it so natural, so easy to worship Him, the Sun of Righteousness and to know Him, the Day-spring from on High. O Lord our God, we believe; help Thou our unbelief. Through the intercession of the Holy Birth-Giver-of-God and Ever-virgin Mary help us to stand firm in these times of temptation and to draw ever closer unto Thee! For unto Thee is due all honor and glory, both now and ever and unto the ages, amen.
Fasting
Then came to Him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we
and the Pharisees fast oft, but Thy disciples fast not? And Jesus
said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as
long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when
the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they
fast.22
Most people have heard of this passage from Scripture, but
they generally do not have the slightest idea how to interpret it
practically. The Orthodox Church is the only Christian Tradition
which has preserved and maintains a specific and rigorous
21 Metropolitan Cyprian, “Words on Prayer,” Orthodox Tradition, Vol.
1, Nos. 4 & 5 (1984), p. 12.
22 St. Matthew 9:14?15.
20 Daily Life
schedule for implementing the very healthy and spiritually profitable
discipline of fasting. Before going into the details of how
to fast in the Orthodox Church, we should consider first the
reasons why we fast. For once we understand why we fast, we
often find fasting much easier to implement.
First of all, we do not fast in order to punish ourselves. This
very negative approach is actually an attitude which was held by
Roman Catholics when they still practiced fasting. There is a
delicate but significant distinction between a contrition that is
founded on self–examination and a generic guilt that has little
relationship to reality and which can often psychologically cripple
a person. The former is essential to the formation of an Orthodox
concept of sin and repentance. The latter is an aberration
that is exemplified by Western notions of original sin and
the corresponding juridical model of salvation that seeks to appease
an “angry” and “offended” God. Let us emphasize that we
Orthodox fast principally in order to recall and to emulate Adam
and Eve in their original state before the Fall. At that time,
according to Scripture, they consumed no animal products of
any kind and certainly did not kill animals for meat. The Orthodox
fast thus restricts the kind of food which we eat more
than the actual quantity, in an attempt to return to the food
eaten in the Garden of Eden. While there are certain days during
Great Lent and Great Week when we do not eat any food at
all, the usual pattern of fasting involves abstinence from animal
products, fish, wine, and olive oil. Thus, it is quite possible to
keep the Orthodox fast without feeling at all punished or deprived.
This emulation of our first parents, Adam and Eve, also accomplishes
a second goal of fasting, bodily health. The Fathers
of the Church have long maintained that the consumption of
meat excites the passions and is unhealthy. Medical science has
also come to question the safety of animal foods and to praise
the vegetarian diet:
With regard to the avoidance of foods of animal origin, as dictated
by the Church on certain days and during various periods, we
Orthodox Life 21
have seen here too, that today’s medical science supports the correctness
of these ordinances. It does so in two ways. First, by its
proof that cholesterol leads to arteriosclerosis, hypertension, and
various kinds of cardiac disorders, and by its discovery that cholesterol
is found in all foods of animal origin (meat, fish, eggs, dairy
products), which the Orthodox Church prohibits Christians from
eating on fast days and during lenten periods. Second, by its proof
that fats lead to the diseases just mentioned and to others.23
By limiting our intake of animal products, we also allow our
bodies the opportunity to throw off toxins which have accumulated
in our systems.
The third reason for fasting is perhaps, at least for us in the
West, one of the most important ones: self–control. Every day
we are inundated with thousands of messages, either visual or
audible or both, which beckon, cajole, or beguile us to indulge
ourselves in one form of excess or another. Statistical research
has shown that we listen to these messages and act upon them.
The average twentieth–century American enjoys a standard of
living which was once reserved to high–placed aristocracy. In the
heat of August, even a hundred servants with hand–held fans
could not do for Louis xiv what a simple room air conditioner
does for a retired widow in a small apartment in our time. What
would Julius C?sar have given for a chariot capable of traveling
over sixty miles per hour, which could cover hundreds of miles
in a single day? The luxury and comfort we enjoy tends to
smother spiritual life even as the thorns choked out the seed in
our Lord’s parable.24 Thus, to train ourselves in denial and
self–control, to learn the art of gracefully declining a simple
piece of cheese on an inappropriate day, is one of the more valuable
lessons the Church can offer us.
The generally accepted rules of fasting in the Orthodox
Church are as follows:
23 Constantine Cavarnos, Fasting and Science (Etna, ca: Center for
Traditionalist Orthodox Studies, 1988), pp. 19?20.
24 St. Matthew 13:7.
22 Daily Life
1. Unless otherwise noted, on a fast day we do not eat animal
products of any kind. This includes any part of any mammal
(beef, lamb, pork, etc.), bird (chicken, turkey, duck, etc.), or
fish (tuna, cod, sardine, etc.). This also includes any by–products
of these animals (milk, cheese, or eggs). Olive oil is also restricted
on fast days. This is for a very special reason. It hearkens back
to the time when a dove brought an olive sprig back to the Ark
to signify God’s mercy on the world after the Flood.25 So, during
a fast we set aside olive oil in anticipation of God’s sign of
mercy. (We might note the similarity between the Greek words
for “olive oil”—elaion—and “mercy”—eleos.)
2. Alcoholic beverages are allowed as follows:
a. Hard liquor of any kind (that is, a drink stronger than
wine) may be consumed only when meat or dairy products are
permitted.
b. Wine is allowed on specific fast days when the Saint of
the day is commemorated with a sung Doxology or a Polyeleos is
appointed. These days are always specified in the Church Calendar.
Olive oil is also allowed on these days. These days are
commonly referred to as “wine and oil days.”
c. Beer is usually consumed any time and is not considered
an alcoholic beverage.
3. There are also fast days when fish is allowed, in addition
to wine and oil. These days are also specified in the Church Calendar.
They generally denote Feast Days, such as the Transfiguration
or the Annunciation, which fall during fasting periods.
Fish is sometimes eaten on the Patronal Feast of a parish or
monastery when it falls on a fast day, but this custom is in violation
of strict fasting rules.
4. Shellfish (shrimp, clam, lobster, etc.), reptiles (alligator,
turtle, rattlesnake, etc.), and amphibians (e.g., frog legs) are all
allowed on any fast day.
5. Non–dairy substitutes and mock meats which are vegetarian
in content are often used during fasts. These do not normally
violate the spirit of the fast, since avoiding animal prod-
25 Genesis 8:11.
Orthodox Life 23
ucts is very much a matter of avoiding the hormones and fats
which are unhealthy and excite the passions. Moreover, when we
are put in the position of having to locate substitutes, this very
action instills the discipline which fasting is meant to bring to
our lives. If, however, we fast by constantly replacing meat and
dairy products with unhealthy or rich–tasting, rather than
natural, substitutes, we violate the meaning and purpose of the
fast. One must exercise honest control in this area.
6. Many Orthodox substitute vegetable oils for olive oil on a
fast day. Strictly speaking, this practice is acceptable. However,
the use of these oils, too, should be restricted as much as possible,
since they are unhealthy and are often used to enhance the
natural flavor of food—things inconsistent with the spirit of
fasting. A strict fast, where no oil is permitted, is called “xerophagy”
and is observed in stricter monasteries on fasting days
and during the various lenten periods. When followed for short
periods of time, this is also a good practice for lay people.
7. Orthodox monastics do not eat meat or poultry at any
time, including non–fast periods. They may, however, eat fish,
dairy products, and eggs on non–fast days.
8. Married couples should also abstain from sexual relations
on fast days. This also includes non–fast days during which they
are preparing for Holy Communion. This is referred to as “fasting
from the flesh” and can help strengthen a marriage when
practiced with mutual consent of the husband and wife.
These are the times when we fast in the Orthodox Church:
1. Every Wednesday and Friday during the year, except during
certain fast–free weeks. (These exceptions are the weeks following
Nativity [Christmas], the Sunday of the Publican and
Pharisee, Pascha, and Pentecost.) The Wednesday fast recalls the
betrayal of Christ by Judas Iscariot and the Friday fast commemorates
His Crucifixion. In monasteries, incidentally, Mondays
are also generally observed as fast days, in honor of the Holy
Angels.
2. The Orthodox Church has four fasting periods in the liturgical
year. These are:
24 Daily Life
a. Great Lent. The fasting rules for Great Lent are outlined
in most Orthodox calendars and cookbooks.
b. Apostles’ Fast. This fasting period starts the Monday after
the Sunday of All Saints. It is generally less severe, allowing fish
on weekends and on several Feast Days during the Fast. Tuesdays
and Thursdays are wine and oil days. The Apostles’ Fast
ends on June 29, the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul. If this day
falls on a Wednesday or Friday, fish, wine, and oil are permitted.
c. Dormition Fast. Held in honor of the Dormition (Falling
Asleep) of the Theotokos, this is the shortest fasting period, lasting
only two weeks. It begins on August 1 and ends on August
15. Fish is only allowed on the Feast of the Transfiguration (August
6). Weekends in this Fast are wine and oil days. If the Dormition
falls on a Wednesday or Friday, that day becomes a fish,
wine, and oil day.
d. Nativity Fast. This fast begins forty days before the Feast
of the Nativity (Christmas) on November 15. It is a more relaxed
Fast until December 20. Until that date, we are allowed fish on
weekends. After that date, wine and oil are appointed for the
weekends. Tuesdays and Thursdays are wine and oil days
throughout this Fast.
These fasting periods were established many centuries ago in
order to allow Orthodox Christians properly to prepare themselves
for the various Feasts in the Church’s liturgical cycle. This
cycle is Divinely inspired, as is all of Holy Tradition. If we are to
participate fully as Orthodox Christians in the Festal Calendar,
we must orient ourselves to God’s schedule, rather than our
own. This means that social and familial events which center
around the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, or Western Christmas
must be rearranged or adjusted according to the lenten periods
in which they fall. We must also be careful to schedule weddings
outside of any fasting period. It makes no sense for a couple to
marry during a time when the marriage cannot be consummated
with the blessing of the Church.
No Bishop or Priest, we should add here, has the authority
Orthodox Life 25
to grant “dispensations” from any fast day, except for reasons of
health on a case–by–case basis. This practice among Orthodox
in the West is a violation of Holy Tradition and introduces a
spirit of legalism into the Church that compromises the Orthodox
way of life and places it under submission to Western ideas
and practices.
Fasting is one of the primary ways that we train ourselves to
be in the world, but not of it, and constitutes one of the more
challenging tasks facing an Orthodox Christian in America and
the West. We are surrounded by people who accept those messages
which extol the “virtues” and pleasures of self–indulgence.
Few of our contemporary countrymen are going to support us in
our Orthodox Faith, even though all will watch our struggles
with interest, waiting to see if we are truly serious about what we
claim to believe. This is especially true of our heterodox families
and friends. Therefore, there is no greater witness for Orthodoxy
in America than that humble soul who quietly goes about the
business of keeping the fast.
With regard to the everyday problems of fasting, let us emphasize
the fact that recent trends towards health and fitness
have been a boon for Orthodox fasting in America. Foods which
were once full of lard or other animal fats are now prepared with
vegetable oils or shortening. The emphasis on consumer awareness
has resulted in excellent labeling standards on all food,
making it possible to know exactly what is in the food we are
buying. Many excellent meat substitutes, such as tofu and “soya
bean meat” products, as well as vegetarian dishes, are commercially
available in most supermarkets. All of this, unheard of
thirty years ago, makes fasting easier for Orthodox Christians in
the West.
The first step in fasting, then, is to familiarize yourself with
the resources that are available to you in your area. Excellent
vegetarian cookbooks are available in any bookstore. Locate one
or two and study them. Determine the basic ingredients that
you will need to make a vegetarian meal and go about the business
of finding them in your supermarket. Once you have tried a
26 Daily Life
few recipes, you will discover that about ninety percent of the
flavor in any recipe comes from spices, onions, and garlic. Meat
is more a matter of texture than anything else. There are ways to
mimic this texture. They can be as simple as throwing artificial
bacon bits into soups or salads. Tofu mimics hamburger very
well, with none of the fat. There are also many excellent milk
substitutes on the market, which can even be poured over cereal,
though you should choose one made with soya or light oils and
low in sugar. There are many other things available; it is simply a
matter of taking the time to find out what they are.
A few guidelines will serve to make fasting easier:
When Shopping. Read labels! Some people feel that by reading
labels closely they might develop a pharisaical attitude. But
that is simply not true. We are only being pharisees when we
read the labels on other people’s food (and this does happen). It
is a perfectly reasonable thing to want to know exactly what we
are eating, whether we are fasting or not. Do not assume that
something has no dairy products or meat. Read the label. Some
cookies are still made with lard. Again, read the labels. Gelatin
(including Jell–O) is made from animal by–products. It should
be avoided. Croutons often have cheese mixed in them. One
should be wary of such products. There are several mock crab
and lobster products on the market which are actually made
from fish and eggs; these, too, present a problem on a regular
fast day. One must be careful to watch for them. The best rule of
thumb is, in the end, never to assume anything.
At Home. The key to keeping a good fast, particularly dur
ing the longer fasting periods, is to develop a good repertoire of
dishes. Great Lent can be a truly difficult experience if we eat
lentils every day. Lentils are fine, but what about vegetarian
tacos, vegetable curry, a nice pasta salad, shrimp casserole, or
five–bean soup? The list can go on forever. The point is that
there is potentially a great variety in the foods which we can eat
during a fast. Also, home–baked bread always makes a meal
seem like a feast, and is far more nutritious than the bread availOrthodox
Life 27
able in a market. There are bread–making machines on the market
that make it possible for even the busiest household to enjoy
this simple pleasure.
Fasting in a family situation requires commitment, particularly
on the part of the husband and wife. The children, especially
small children, will follow whatever agenda the parents establish.
If the parents approach a fast day with a negative attitude,
the children will learn that fast days are something to be
dreaded. If the parents look forward to a fast, so will the children.
The best attitude to develop is one of humble acceptance:
“If today is a Wednesday, we will simply not discuss ice cream or
pizza. We will leave that for the time when we can have these
things.” Such words of encouragement teach children to accept
fast days without any negative feelings. And at a time when people
feed their children health–destroying junk foods, parents
who teach their children to fast are more responsible parents.
Fasting with Relatives or Friends. If you happen to have
guests to dinner or if relatives stay with you during a fast, simply
feed them what your family would eat. They should be aware of
the fact that you are Orthodox Christians and should be as gracious
about accepting your hospitality during a fast as they
would be at any other time. We are under no obligation to feed
people anything that we would not eat ourselves. This creates an
artificial situation which inevitably causes more problems than it
solves. Converts often find that their families pass through a
phase of challenging them about their fasting. This is a spiritual
trial which will pass. If we assume a very humble attitude and
treat our fasting in a matter–of–fact way, without any fanfare,
eventually people will accept it as something that is important to
us. On the other hand, if we assume an attitude of superiority or
become judgmental and condemnatory of those who do not fast,
then people will learn to avoid us and come to believe that
Orthodox Christians are very haughty and unpleasant people.
If a traditionalist (Old Calendarist) Orthodox Christian invites
a modernist Orthodox (most of whom fast “in spirit,” but
not in fact) to dinner at a time which coincides with a New Cal28
Daily Life
endar Fast, then fasting food should be quietly served, whether
the modernist is accustomed to this or not. We should always
encourage our Orthodox brothers to observe the fast. It goes
without saying that modernist Orthodox should be served only
fasting fare if they visit traditionalists during one of the Old
Calendar Fasts.
Fasting in a Restaurant. We may at times find ourselves in
situations, particularly at work, where a group of people will ask
us to eat lunch with them during a fast. This is not an impossible
situation. Most restaurants now have some form of salad bar,
and all restaurants have a side salad on the menu. Many have
cooked vegetables as well. When ordering a salad, it is wise to
ask if the salad has any cheese or eggs. If so, simply ask the waitress
or waiter to have a salad without cheese or eggs. This is perfectly
acceptable, since many people are allergic to these things.
Cooked beans or spinach sometimes come with bacon. It is wise
to ask about this, too, before ordering. Some restaurants have
dishes made with shrimp or scallops. As long they have no cream
sauce, this is an excellent food during fasts. No one will be in the
least offended if you follow the Church’s fasting rules in this
way. There is, then, no excuse for setting aside fasting in the face
of the proverbial “business lunch” or any other circumstance
where you may be dining out.
When dining out with the family, Oriental restaurants are
usually a good choice. Most Oriental restaurants have seafood
dishes with shrimp or scallops. They also usually have a stir–
fried vegetable plate. Fried rice is a problem, since it is usually
made with egg. But many restaurants will leave the egg out on
request. Some shrimp dishes also have meat. For instance,
shrimp with lobster sauce always seems to come with pork in the
sauce. These dishes should obviously be avoided. Mexican restaurants
are usually not a good choice. Most of them cook the
beans and rice that are the staples of this food in lard or meat
drippings and many foods are smothered in cheese. Seafood restaurants,
on the other hand, are an excellent choice. In addition
Orthodox Life 29
to various types of fish, these restaurants usually have several
items on the menu which can be eaten on any fast day.
No matter which restaurant you choose, here are some basic
guidelines to follow;
1. When in doubt, ask. There are many people who are on
various diets or who have food allergies. Most restaurants are
happy to accommodate such customers. Thus, do not hesitate to
ask for substitutes. Dieters can ask to have food broiled in margarine
instead of butter. You can do the same. Also ask for margarine
to put on your bread and ask for a non–dairy creamer for
your coffee.
2. If the food ordered has something unexpected, such as
meat, or if a salad is smothered in cheese, politely explain that
you can not eat the dish in question and ask for a substitute.
Under no circumstances should you knowingly eat anything
which would break the fast.
3. In a social drinking situation, we should choose beer, soft
drinks, or juices (unless it is a wine day). These things are also
healthier than hard spirits, anyway.
4. Concentrate on the main item being ordered and do not
get bogged down with details. If the avocado sandwich has a very
little bit of mayonnaise, do not make a scene by scraping it off.
Such a display does more spiritual harm than good. There is a
difference between eating a small amount of condiment on a
sandwich and deciding to consume a salad covered with bleu
cheese dressing. For one thing, there usually is a choice of dressings
for a salad, but very few restaurants have a vegetarian substitute
for mayonnaise on a sandwich. In any event, we should
always follow the dictates of our conscience, but not make silly
displays of our fasting.
5. Always say a quiet blessing before beginning to eat,
whether the people around you are religious or not. You can always
cross yourself, which shows your Christian commitment,
and say a prayer silently, if need be. If anyone is offended by the
Cross, you probably should not be sitting at the table with him.
One challenge often posed to an Orthodox Christian during
30 Daily Life
a fast is the experience of answering people’s questions about our
fasting customs. This is especially true on the job. Inevitably,
people will notice that there are times when you appear to avoid
meat. Most Americans find this very strange and are naturally
curious. Some are downright rude in their curiosity. When confronted
about your choice of meal, merely reply that there are
certain times when you do not eat meat. If someone pursues the
topic, point out that this is a discipline you have accepted as
healthy and beneficial, much like jogging or losing weight. You
might also explain your fasting customs as a spiritual exercise in
self–denial. Be careful always to make such statements from an
attitude of humility. We should never allow ourselves to sound
prideful or superior. A humble reply coupled with a quiet blessing
before eating is a very strong witness for Orthodoxy. If people
do choose to ridicule or mock you for this, accept this humbly
as a trial from God. Such acceptance builds spiritual
strength. If certain people “get on your nerves” repeatedly, simply
avoid eating out with them.
Fasting While Traveling. Some people choose to cite (or misquote)
ancient Canons which relax the fast for a person who is
traveling, and thus excuse themselves from fasting while on a
journey. But is this really necessary? These Canons were written
at a time when travel was a very dangerous and risky adventure,
and they do not, at any rate, allow for a total abandonment of
fasting. These situations simply do not exist in modern America
or Europe. There are restaurants everywhere and, as we have
said, they all serve food which can be eaten even during the
strictest fasting period. Air travel also presents no problems. All
airlines that serve meals will provide vegetarian or seafood meals
upon request, though you must be diligent about ordering special
meals before boarding the plane. Do not feel that this is any
trouble for the airline. It is very common, especially with international
carriers. Truly devout Jews, Moslems, and Hindus all
require special meals. Besides religious considerations, many
people require special meals for reasons of health. The airlines
are all competing for your business and are more than happy to
Orthodox Life 31
accommodate the needs of their passengers. Here are some basic
rules to follow regarding air travel:
1. It is wise to request special meals at the time you arrange
your flight. This means that you should consult the Church
Calendar and verify whether any of the days when you will be
traveling are fast days, and whether you are allowed oil or wine
or fish. Request either a vegetarian meal, which will be all vegetables,
or a shellfish meal, such as shrimp, crab, or scallops. Be
sure to verify that any crab served is real crab and not mock crab
made from fish.
2. Check back with the airline the day before your departure
to make sure that your special meals are listed with your reservation;
if not, order them again.
3. At check–in, before boarding the plane, verify that the
special meals appear on your reservation. The airline should
have a few vegetarian meals set aside, even if they did not appear
on the reservation. These efforts in checking and double–checking
are perhaps a bit frustrating, but we can tell you from experience
that this is the only way to be sure that you are not presented
with a choice of chicken or lasagne on a Wednesday
flight.
If traveling by train or bus, the options are more limited.
However, we have found that bringing our own food along,
particularly on a shorter trip, is a viable alternative. A little planning
ahead can make the trip so much more enjoyable.
Fasting at School. Once a routine of fasting is established at
home, children are far better prepared to pursue fasting seriously
at school. Young children in the first four years of elementary
school are usually very zealous about following fasting rules at
school. Children that age thrive on structure, and once they have
a routine set, they follow that routine to the letter. Usually, the
school itself will not have any appropriate fasting foods available
for lunch, so the meal must be brought from home. But this is
not a bad thing, since school lunches are notorious for their
unhealthy ingredients and poor preparation.
32 Daily Life
When parties are scheduled at school on a fast day, check
with the teacher and make her aware of the child’s situation. Offer
to bring something to the party that the child can eat. Be
sure to have enough for the other children to share. This accentuates
the positive for the child, rather than allowing him to feel
left out. At the same time, it allows the child to feel different in a
positive sense and to develop a healthy notion of what it means
to be one of those “peculiar people”26 of Christ’s Church.
In America today, it is not be unusual for a child to attend
school with Moslems, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, and Jehovah’s
Witnesses. Each of these faiths has particular dietary and social
restrictions. If we, as Orthodox Christians, out of a false concern
that our children not appear different from the other children,
excuse them from fasting at the school Christmas party, we will
have no witness before the Moslem child who maintains a strict
Ramadan fast, or the Buddhist child who remains vegetarian at
all times. Our children will quickly perceive this as hypocrisy on
our part and we will be unable to teach them anything further
about living our Faith.
Any sincere Orthodox Christian is going to appear different
to those around him. This was true in Saint Paul’s time, when
he spoke of the peculiarity of Christians, and it holds true today.
Children can handle these differences as long as they have firm
support from their parents. But if the parents falter in their resolve
or are indifferent to fasting, the children will definitely follow
suit. This is one of the grave responsibilities of parenthood.
Children always learn from their parents. The question is this:
Will they learn that which is pious, noble, and healthy, or that
which is destructive to the soul and body? The answer is entirely
up to the parents.
When Invited to Visit Friends During a Fast. We should generally
avoid social engagements during a fast; however, when this
is impossible, there are some helpful guidelines that we can follow:
1. If the occasion involves dinner, we should ask what is be-
26 Titus 2:14.
Orthodox Life 33
ing served. If we explain our situation to the hostess, she will
most likely arrange something for us. If she is unable or unwilling
to do so, then it is probably best to put off the invitation until
a more appropriate time. This can be done politely in such a
way as to cause no offense.
2. At a buffet–style dinner, it may be possible to bring a
covered dish. If so, arrange this with the hostess. You can then
provide your own fasting food for the dinner.
Fasting During American and Non–Orthodox Holidays. The
American holiday season poses particular challenges for Orthodox
Christians. Thanksgiving sometimes falls during the Nativity
Fast (according to the Church, or Julian, Calendar which traditionalist
Orthodox Christians follow). Western Christmas
(December 25 New Style, or December 12 on the Church Calendar)
always falls during the Nativity Fast, which means that
we are in a period of preparation for the Birth of Christ, while
the society around us is beginning its round of “Xmas” parties.
While family closeness and a spirit of generosity are admirable
qualities in and of themselves, commercial interests in America
have moved in to take advantage of the “Christmas spirit” by
introducing relatively new “traditions” of expensive gift–giving
and lavish entertaining. These not only compromise the Nativity
Fast for Orthodox Christians, but violate even the meaning of
the Western celebration of Christmas. In order to deal sensitively
with our family and friends, while still maintaining an attitude
of prayerful preparation for the Nativity of Christ, we
should plan our activities during this season carefully.
Thanksgiving. There are two basic situations which we face
at Thanksgiving. Either we are expected to have family and
friends over, or we are expected to visit family and friends. If we
are serving the meal, the best thing to do is to arrange to have
the usual turkey dinner on the previous Sunday, before the Nativity
Fast. If we invite those with whom we would normally
share this day to the Sunday dinner, then there will be less contention
about Thursday. Sincere people who truly care about us
34 Daily Life
will be glad to adjust. Those who stubbornly insist on our participation
in the Thursday holiday do not really have our feelings
at heart. In such situations, it is best to avoid confrontation
altogether. Many family situations are less than healthy. This
sort of contention is a clear sign of problems which go much
deeper than a turkey dinner. It is thus much better for all concerned
to work at overcoming those difficulties, rather than
simply playing out a charade each year on the last Thursday of
November. This might require a few years to sort out. But with
patience, humility, and a loving attitude, the situation will eventually
improve.
If we are invited to dinner on Thanksgiving, we should be
very frank about the fact that this is a fast day for Orthodox and
that we would be happy to arrange to visit after dinner. Sitting at
table and not eating the meal would probably cause more tension
and problems than it would solve. Arranging to bring a
fasting dessert or some drinks after dinner is a far better alternative.
If we bring something, we should be very low–key about
the content and emphasize that it is to be shared by all. This sort
of quiet witness will speak volumes to people over the years.
Western Christmas. This day has taken on a dimension over
the past fifty years which, unfortunately, causes people to dread
its approach and breathe a sigh of relief at its departure. Police
statistics show that suicides and family abuse increase dramatically
during this time. How sad it is that the Birth of Christ is so
often forgotten in the midst of what has become an emotional
Saturnalia, with the family elevated to a status above God and
emotions transformed into a substitute for spiritual feelings. The
depression associated with this holiday is the result of parties
without pleasure, frivolity without joy, and a subconscious
yearning for the spiritual meaning of Christmas. We should not
dwell on these negatives, but as Orthodox Christians we must
understand that Tradition holds out a much better way for us.
And in this understanding we should separate ourselves from the
cash register holiday that has become Western Christmas.
The parties and social whirl which surround this season
Orthodox Life 35
need not cause undo concern. We should avoid attending many
parties, as this is inconsistent with our own preparation for Nativity.
But attending several engagements with non–Orthodox
family or friends causes no problem. We should, however, assiduously
avoid lavish affairs which involve large numbers of people
we do not know, since these parties too often degenerate into
occasions for drunkenness and immorality. When declining such
invitations, we should maintain a quiet, humble spirit and merely
say that we have other plans.
On Western Christmas day we should visit those heterodox
family members and friends whom we would normally visit and
exchange gifts with those whom we normally exchange gifts. We
should keep gifts simple, preferably made by ourselves, and we
should be very loving and gracious. Once again, we can always
bring a fasting dessert to share, if a meal is involved. We can
console ourselves, if we feel left out of the holiday festivities, by
realizing that this day is for most people the climax of a season of
endless parties and shopping. We can call to mind the fact that
we will be breaking the Fast in two weeks, followed by a
fast–free period of spiritual celebration, while our non–Orthodox
family and friends will be in the middle of the post–holiday
blues.
New Year’s Day. New Year celebrations are something that
we should restrict to family and a few friends. For one thing,
traditionalist Orthodox Christians follow the Julian Calendar, as
we have said. For us, the New Year coincides with a Church
Feast Day—the Circumcision of Christ (and the Feast of Saint
Basil the Great)—and is thus celebrated in a sober way. As well,
the Orthodox Church Year, around which we arrange our worship,
begins on September 1, not January 1. We should avoid the
large gatherings which mark the celebration of the secular New
Year on the New Calendar, as these are usually occasions for
drunkenness and immorality. Our Fast ends a week later, after
the Nativity Feast, and we will then have an opportunity to celebrate
in an upright, joyful way. If we properly prepare and
36 Daily Life
wholeheartedly rejoice in our Faith, our celebrations of Christ’s
Birth will gradually become occasions of joy for our family and
friends as well. We will come to avoid, rather than dread, the
secular holidays of the Western Christmas season.
September 2nd
JOHN The FASTER, PATRIARCH of CONSTANTINOPLE
John was a pious goldsmith in Constantinople. One day, while walking along on the right side of John, a monk heard a voice saying, “It is not fitting, Abba, for you to walk along the right side of the great man.” The monk reported this to the patriarch, who urged John to be ordained into the clergy. John saw a vision of Saints standing in an altar and a man coming out from among them, giving generous alms to the poor. The vision showed John’s future rank and his generosity. Soon after, the patriarch dies, and John was chosen to fill the position. He accepted the position after seeing a vision of angels and fiery furnace. The angels said to him, “Will you not accept the throne? It will be given to another, and you will be punished by all of us.” John performed many miracles in his lifetime. He fasted 6 days a week, during which he ate nothing, and on the seventh day, he ate only fruit. He rarely slept and only while sitting up. He was a father to orphans, helper of the poor, and defender of those wronged. When John died, the renowned Nilus bent over to kiss him, and in the sight of all, the Saint whispered a few words into his ear. Nilus did not relate these words to anyone. John was buried within the altar of the Church of the Holy Apostles.
Other Saints Commemorated on this day: Mamas of Caesarea and his parents Theodotus and Refina; Eleazar, son of Aaron; Righteous Phineas; Martyrs Philadelphos, Melanippos, and Parthagape; Martyrs Diomedes, Julian, Philip, Eftychian, Hesychios, and others; Barsunuphius and Abbess Seraphima of Russia; Aeithalas and Ammon in Thrace… and more…
Other Saint’s known for strict fasting:
St. Theophanes the Confessor and Faster – September 9th
Loukianos, Presbyter of Greater Antioch – October 15th
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