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Few Russians follow strict Orthodox fast in Lent [cwnews.com]

Moscow, Mar. 2, 2007 (CWNews.com) - Only 2% of Russia�s people follow the strict fast prescribed by the Russian Orthodox faith during Lent, a survey has found.

The Lewada polling service found that 79% of Russians do not observe any form of Lenten fast. Another 15% reported that they fast occasionally, following practices such as abstaining from meat or alcoholic beverages.

The fast required by the Russian Orthodox Church is much stricter, requiring the faithful to abstain from meat, eggs, and milk products throughout Lent. Eating fish is allowed on Sundays and holy days.

To keep the strict fast during Lent is a great feat in my opinion. I have never done it.

It's not my business how anyone else fasts. I have been told that to concern yourself with how others fast is a good way to stumble in your own.

Yes AMM, well said. I would point out that statistics can be deceiving. How one presents statistics is just as important as the statistics themselves. For example. I could hand out a survey with this question, "Do you keep the Orthodox fast strictly?" How is the respondent to interpret this? If I, as the respondent, interpret it literally, then I say no, since I have not gone through any Lent without breaking the fast at least once. If I interpret the question as really asking me whether I try to keep the strict fast, then I might answer yes.

But in the end, these polls and statistics do nothing but distract us from keeping in mind that prayer that we pray before receiving communion, "Lord, I profess that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God, come to this world to save sinners, of whom I am chief

Joe

Dear Friends,

I have to say that, despite my own break with this Forum and the difficulties in relating to it in the recent past, I have come to admire the Orthodox Christians who have been posting here, from Father Anthony, Slavipodvizhnik to AMM, Borislav and others.

There is something of the "radical absolute" in what these say when they defend Orthodox fasting, traditions etc. that I, for one, find answers something in me that has been gnawing at my soul (which is perhaps why I have, in the past, gnawed at them).

This "radical absolute" is what I shall endeavour to pursue for the rest of the Fast, trying to take their cue and example, although I could never approximate it.

I admit that I was tempted to sneer at their attitude. Not now, not ever again.

Perhaps it is that what is going on in Catholicism is what is sickening me with respect to watering down things, the breaking of important spiritual disciplines and traditions and the like.

Hmmm . . . I still would defend the right of Orthodox Ukrainians to their own autocephalous Patriarchate, but I see most of the above supporting that too.

Don't know what all this means, but it does mean that I cannot stay where I am. Of this I am now sure.

A public thank you to Fr Anthony, Slavipodvizhnik, Borislav, AMM, JSMelkiteOrthodoxy et al. for witnessing to Orthodoxy's "radical absolute" in spirituality and uncompromising faith.

Over and out,

Alex

"It's not my business how anyone else fasts. I have been told that to concern yourself with how others fast is a good way to stumble in your own."

I've been informed as such, and try to use it with other concerns...

james

I do not trust news agencies or statistics. However I think that 2% of Russians keeping the Strict Fast actually sounds great!

First of all, Russia was obviously under Communism which caused many to fall away from the Orthodox Faith. As a result of Communism many others probably have the basic beliefs of the Orthodox Church, but do not keep up with the entire Prayer and Fasting regimen. Therefore, I would expect that a relatively small percentage of Russians are practicing Russian Orthodox.

Secondly, in my opinion (I am not a spirtual Father) Men, Nuns, and healthy widows that are physically and spiritually able to keep the strict Fast for the Entire Great Fast should. But this group of people keeping the Entire Strict Fast is a relatively small percentage of the population, maybe 30% at most (that is just a guess). The way I figure it kids, old people, diabetics, hypoglycemics, anemics etc., and married women (and probably a large percentaffe of single women) should not keep the entire Strict Fast. I include married women because many of them should be pregnant, and the rest may be pregnant and not know it yet. Starving a pregnant woman is not a good idea in my book!

Also, I am willing to guess that less than 1% of Americans keep the Strict Fast for the entire Great Fast. I do not even want to imagine what percentage of Roman and Greek Catholics keep the Strict Fast.

Thank you for those kind words Alex. Please understand that I am VERY VERY far from perfect and in many ways still a novice....
There is no way you can put my name next to Father Anthony, Slavopodvizhnik and others. In fact I have learned a lot from both of them.

Also a lot of the things I say are based on my readings of great Orthodox writers like Bishop Kalisots Ware, Father Alexander Schmemann, Father Alexander Men, Robert Whelton....

As in terms of fasting, because of my job as an EMT and being on the ambulance sometimes 24 hours at a time I have not been able to keep a strict fast, so I am very very far from perfect.

All we can do is try our very best, and not worry about what the next guy is doing.

Above all like St. John Chrysostom said, during the Great lent we should obstain from Devouring our Brothers and Sisters more so than certain foods.

I agree that we should not concern ourselves with how others fast. To do so, is to tempt the passion of pride. The Lenten ascetical practices of fasting, abstinence from other pleasures, and our increased prayer life and humility is best saved for discussing with our spiritual fathers.

The number of those Orthodox who fast in the Greek archdiocese of America and in modern day Greece is also very, very low. We were just discussing this tonight after Great compline at church with a soon to be Orthodox priest. Everyone does what he can, and if that means abstaining from gossip, criticism, idle talk, insults, and/or gummie bears and/or chocolate, then so be it...who are we to judge? For those who do nothing at all, again, we are not to judge. Many of us here were once among those ranks.

Pride in fasting can lead to prelest. So, if you all don't mind, I think that it is best we discontinue this particular thread.

Alice

P.S. Alex/Orthodox-Catholic: last time I looked, I was still as Orthodox as the others you mentioned. In trying to be fair, have I now become 'persona non-grata' to both sides of the cultural divide?

Alex, I thank you, but I am honestly completely unworthy of your praise. That doesn't come from a feigned projection of humility (believe me), but from a conscious knowledge of the sinner I know I am and how far I can personally stray from what the church sets out for us.

I will say in general I dislike discussions of fasting, because it is such an intensely personal subject.

The Lenten fast is not an impossible ideal or the accomplishment of a few fantastical monks. The Lenten fast is achievable by everybody who is a normal, healthy adult. All it takes is enough prayer and faith, for enough grace, over enough time, to develop enough strength and discipline in Christ. It takes time and compassion to grow into fasting. Perhaps it will take years till a person is able to keep the fast. But, it can be done. Whoever keeps the Lenten fast is kept by it, by grace.

-- John

Just remember, as St Nicholas of the Holy Mountain reminds us, that fasting is ONLY a means to an end. If it becomes an end in and of itself, St Nicholas asserts that it does more harm than good. It becomes an idol that will drag us to hell.

St. John of Kronstadt writes that fasting is just one of many different ways in which the body can be humbled so that the spirit can be free from attachment to sensual pleasure. In fact, he asserts that "getting old" is a type of fasting as is sickness.

The point is that fasting serves a spiritual end and is never an end in and of itself. As far as I remember, nowhere in Scripture does it state that we will be judged on the basis of how well we fasted -- but it does state that we will judged on the basis of how well we served the poor and needy (see Matt 25).

Also, remember that the fasting regulations grew out of a monastic environment and only became part of the ordinary parishionner's typikon when monasticism triumphed over iconoclasm in the 8th and 9th centuries.

Brat' Olexandr, thank you for expressing what is in my heart as well, and describing so well the very spiritual tensions that could have arisen from my pen, literally word for word.

Dear Sister in Christ Alice!

Please forgive my insensitivity! It was not my intention to give you the offense I so terribly and obviously have!

You are in the HIGHEST category in my books!

As I am known to be uncultured completely, I am on neither side of any cultural divide . . .

Please accept my humblest apology and my spiritual reverence!

Your sad servant,

Alex

Dear Father DIAKone!

Please accept my spiritual reverence at this holy time of the Great Fast!

Thank you for the tremendous example you set and for your commitment to Christ and the Church!

Alex

give people the benefit of a doubt.perhaps they are in a situation where it is not easy to keep the fast as strictly as some would think their place to ensure. I do what I can to observe the Fast, and no, it is not strict. come to Chattanooga where it is not geared to ECs and canonical Orthodox, where it is not easy. God looks upon the heart, you can be strict about the Fast, and have the wherewithal to do so, and count the days until you can stuff your goush with meat, etc. or you can value the Fast and do so with the best of your ability. like the Pharisee and the tax collector, who leaves the Temple justified?
Much Love,
Jonn