Dear brothers and sisters!
Due to the current circumstances, we are unable to organize Catechumen Classes, and many of you are unable to attend them regularly for various reasons. Therefore, we have decided to offer you some brief teachings on this topic.
What are Catechetical Conversations? They are conversations that are held with a person who has been catechized and is preparing for Holy Baptism, so that even before Baptism, they can learn the basics of the Orthodox Faith and the practical aspects of church life to which they have decided to join. Unfortunately, it has happened that many people, being baptized in infancy or even later in life, have not listened to such conversations and know very little about their Faith, mostly fragmented information. Therefore, we strongly recommend that everyone pay special attention to our brief teachings. Regardless of how much or how little we know about our Faith, we believe that everyone can take away something useful from them.
Catechetical Teaching 1: ON FASTING
Since today marks the beginning of the fast of Peter, we have decided to offer you a teaching on fasting. According to church rules, every Orthodox Christian is required to observe fasts unless they are ill or if they are pregnant or nursing mothers. In ancient times, if a Christian did not observe all the prescribed fasts without a valid reason, they would be excommunicated from the Church. Why? Because such a person, through their unwillingness or negligence, effectively separates themselves from the unity of the Church, where everything is done “with one accord” (Acts 2:46). Currently, we show leniency in the matter of fasting and in other aspects of church life. But isn’t it because of this leniency that our spiritual life has become so lax, and the life of an Orthodox Christian sometimes doesn’t differ from that of an unbeliever? “We, the spiritual fathers,” said Elder Dionysius, the abbot of the Dionysiou Monastery on Mount Athos, “will suffer in hell for excessive leniency.” At least I want to convey to you a few key thoughts regarding church fasting.
First and foremost, it is necessary to understand that fasting, in the full sense of the word, means complete abstinence from food and water. And the consumption of “fasting” food with or without oil and its various gradations is also a very important but secondary part of fasting. In other words, if a person starts their day with breakfast, it means that they are not fasting at all (even if they consume “fasting” food, which, as we said, is an essential part of fasting). That is why the church’s Typikon defines that on fasting days, when it is customary to consume food without vegetable oil, we “fast until the ninth hour” (which is 3 pm by our time). This means that we do not eat or drink anything until 3 pm; we fast from morning until 3 pm on these days. Then we consume one meal without vegetable oil (soup, vegetables, fruits, bread, nuts, etc.), and we do not eat anything else for the remainder of the day. That is what is prescribed for every Christian on fasting days. These days are every Wednesday and Friday throughout the year, as well as certain days during the multi-day fasts, of which there are four in a year: Nativity, Great Lent, Peter’s Fast, and the Dormition Fast.
In the current Peter’s or Apostoles fast, the Typikon is as follows:
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday – food without vegetable oil (thus we fast, meaning we consume nothing until the ninth hour: until 3 pm).
Tuesday and Thursday – food with vegetable oil (twice a day, meaning one can have breakfast).
Saturday and Sunday – the consumption of fish and seafood is allowed (with vegetable oil, of course, also twice a day).
Dairy products, including cheese, cottage cheese, butter, eggs, and meat, are not consumed at all during fasting days.
The same Typikon applies to the Nativity Fast. During Great Lent and the Dormition Fast, strict fasting is observed throughout the week from Monday to Friday, with food without vegetable oil consumed once after 3 pm, and on Saturday and Sunday, it is consumed twice with oil.
My dear ones! No one will impose strict penances on you for not observing the fasts. In our relaxed times, we do not have blessings for that. Therefore, we limit ourselves to exhortations. Each of you should ask yourselves: what does my repentance before God actually consist of? And what do I offer to Him? And how do I intend to struggle against my passions if I am not eager for the medicine prescribed by the Church? Moreover, this medicine is not only for the soul but also for the body, as it is known that many of our illnesses arise from lack of self-restraint in food, from overloading our bodies with food.
Even if the fast proves too challenging for you in all its strictness, do not abandon it completely. Offer to God whatever you can, and He will not leave you without reward.
And if anyone has questions or desires advice on how to fast in their particular life circumstances, do not hesitate to write to us. With God’s help, we will strive not to leave you without an answer.
This is all you need to know about Church fasting for now. There is also the concept of Eucharistic fasting (fasting before receiving the Holy Sacrament), but we will talk about that another time in a teaching dedicated to preparation for Communion.
May God’s blessing and the prayers of the Holy Apostles be with you!