www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Exaltation of Cross - strict fast?

I have seen from quite a few Orthodox sources that this feast day is actually a day of strict fast. (I am not Orthodox but practice Eastern traditions where I can under some spiritual guidance). Does the fact that it lands on a Sunday mitigate this in any way? Do Eastern Catholics try to follow this as well?
Also, I seem to see many people who say that if one is a guest that it is always good to eat what is offered instead of being rude and keeping the fast when they are not keeping it or do not know about it. Would that make it better to not accept invitations on such days, or is declining the hospitality of being invited somewhere equally rude?

According to the typicon I have before me, no matter what day of the week the feast falls on, it is a strict fast day.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

In the Russian tradition, when the 14th falls on a Sunday, it is mitigated by wine and oil (according to the Typicon that is before me).

According to our Melkite--and I thought the Greek tradition as well--14 September on a Sunday is not a day of fast. It is, however, a day of abstinence, which is mitigated to the point of allowing wine and oil.

If 14 September were to fall during the week (Monday - Friday), it would be both a day of fast and a day of strict abstinence (xerophagy).

Thanks for the answers. I am curious why this is a day of fast as it is a feast and the celebration of finding the true cross and some miracles that happened at it's veneration. Seems like a happy day, but perhaps I am thinking that the fasting is due to the fact of reverence for the cross and the solemn reflection that meditating on the meaning of the cross would bring anytime it is mentioned as the cross is always synonymous with the passion of our Lord. Although, it seems difficult to blend the notion of fasting or abstinence with sunday. But this is perhaps why it is mitigated to allow wine and oil.

Matta, when I say strict fast, I think that the definition of this is more one of abstinence from meat and dairy products as opposed to not eating at all. So, what you you mention seems to be the same thing I mean, unless I was misusing the term. I got the idea from seeing an Orthodox site that said that wednesdays and fridays are days of strict fast, which does not mean they do not eat, but that they abstain from certain foods those days and live in a spirit of fasting.

Sunday is never a day of strict fast, no matter what else it may be - probably because the Eucharist ends the fast anyway.

There are, of course, those who believe that there are 380 fast days in the year, and that this number is grossly inadequate!

Fr. Serge

Father bless,

So Sunday is never strict fast (although Fr. Anthony seems to say that it is in this case, not to cause controversy but this Eastern thing is confusing sometimes) but it can however be a day of certain abstinence? Are you saying what is your background or arguing what tradition is? I do see the Greek Orthodox in America sem to be advised on this calendar to keep it as strict fast. http://www.goarch.org/en/chapel/calendar.asp
What then does your parish recommend liturgically for the Exaltation? Do you agree then with the earlier posts that mitigate it to allow wine and oil? What is strict fast as opposed to not strict fast? I would think strict is no animal products and not strict is wine and oil allowed (from what I hear, most people always allow oil normally anyways as we live in a different time then when those rules were first practiced therefore people have told me that abstinence from it is less often observed). Is this simply something that will vary from place to place?
If I have asked too many questions I do not expect you to answer them all. The main one I am curious about is how your parish recommends observing this feast/fast so I can simply compare the answers.

The Rule of Fasting in the Orthodox Church
By Father Seraphim (Rose) of Platina


In answer to numerous requests from readers, the rule of fasting is given for each day of the year. Where no indication of fast is given, and during "fast-free weeks," all foods may be eaten (except during Cheese-fare Week, when meat alone is forbidden every day). Where "fast day" is indicated alone, the fast is a strict one, with no meat, eggs, dairy products, fish, wine or oil to be eaten. Where, underneath "fast day," is indicated "wine and oil allowed," the fast is relaxed for the sake of a feast day or vigil, to allow eating of these foods. Where "fish, wine and oil allowed" is indicated, then all three of these foods may be eaten.

The rule of fasting, which is dependent on the Church's cycle of feasts and fasts, is contained in the Church's Typicon, chiefly in chapters 32 and 33, and is repeated in the appropriate places of the Divine service books, the Menaia and Triodion. In general, fast days for Orthodox Christians are all Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the year (except for fast-free periods), the four canonical fast periods of Great Lent, Nativity Fast, Apostles' Fast, and Dormition Fast, and a few special days: the Exaltation of the Cross (September 14th) and the Beheading of the Forerunner (August 29th)—which, even though they are feast days, are also fast days (with wine and oil allowed) for the sake of the events commemorated thereon.

There are some local variations in the allowances of wine and oil, and sometimes of fish, and so the indications in the present Calendar cannot be uniformly applied everywhere. In particular, on the celebrations of the patronal feast of a parish or monastery, fish is generally allowed, and when a saint is honored with a service of Sung Doxology or Polyeleos rank, wine and oil are allowed. In the Russian Church, on the feast days of the more renowned Russian saints, such as St. Sergius of Radonezh and St. Seraphim of Sarov, and of wonderworking Icons of the Mother of God such as the Kazan and Vladimir Icons, of course, wine and oil are allowed (except during Great Lent), although this is not mentioned in the present Calendar because the Typicon leaves this to local practice, indicating only the fasts and allowances that are of general application. The meaning of the Typicon in its allowances is simple: the more one labors for the glorification of a saint or feast day, the more consolation one is allowed in food. For one who has become accustomed to the Orthodox fast, the allowance of oil on food, or fried foods, together with a little wine, is indeed a consolation, as well as a source of physical strength. Where the Typicon itself indicates two variant practices (as for a few of the weekdays of Great Lent), the present Calendar follows the Typicon's preferred practice.

While most Orthodox Christians are perhaps aware of the general rule of fasting for Great Lent and the Dormition Fast (wine and oil allowed only on Saturdays and Sundays, except for a few feast days and vigils), many are probably not familiar with the precise rule governing the less severe fast of the Nativity and Apostles' Fast. Therefore, we shall quote this rule, from Chapter 33 of the Typicon:

"It should be noted that in the Fast of the Holy Apostles and of the Nativity of Christ, on Tuesday and Thursday we do not eat fish, but only oil and wine. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday we eat neither oil nor wine... On Saturday and Sunday we eat fish. If there occurs on Tuesday or Thursday a saint who has a Doxology, we eat fish; if on Monday, the same; but if on Wednesday or Friday, we allow only oil and wine. If it be a saint who has a Vigil on Wednesday or Friday, or the saint whose temple it is, we allow oil and wine and fish... But from the 20th of December until the 25th, even if it be Saturday or Sunday, we do not allow fish."

In these two fasts, the fast for laymen is the same as that of many Orthodox monasteries, where Monday throughout the year is kept as a fast day in honor of the fleshless ones, the Angels.

This rule of fasting, to be sure, is not intended to be a "straight-jacket" for Orthodox believers, nor a source of pharisaical pride for anyone who keeps the letter of the Church's law. It is rather the rule, the standard, against which each is to measure his own practice, and towards which one must always strive, according to one's strength and circumstances. Whenever, for sickness or any other reason, one falls short of the rule, he applies to himself the spiritual medicine of self-reproach and strives to enter more fully into the spirit and discipline of fasting, which is indeed of great spiritual benefit to those who sincerely strive to follow it.


Alexandr

Actually, my understanding is:

Greek usage: On weekdays - One meal (after Liturgy) with no meat, eggs, dairy products, fish, wine or oil; On Saturdays and Sundays - Two meals with no no meat, eggs, dairy products, or fish, but wine and oil is permitted.

Russian usage: On whatever day the Feast falls - Two meals with no meat, eggs, dairy products, or fish, but wine and oil is permitted.

I think the "strict fast" in this case really means that our obligation to fast (actually abstain) is strict. We should not blow it off.

Fr David Straut

Fish is on the menu for me and my house this day, as it is a Sunday. I make the decisions for my family as to how the fasting guidelines will be applied.

Let the legalistic pharisees sneer.

I and my parish recommend keeping the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on the Julian Calendar, which makes things a bit simpler this year where fasting is concerned!

Saturday, of course, is also never a fast day, with the unique exception of Great and Holy Saturday. So two weeks from yesterday one should liturgize in the morning, and then eat modestly during the day, abstaining from meat and dairy products but permitting fish, wine, and oil.

The current crop of modernists has adopted this strange practice of having a Vesper/Liturgy every Saturday. They probably don't realize that this should mean that they are keeping a strict fast until after their Vesper/Liturgy - which they should not be doing in the first place. Popule meus, quid feci tibi?

Fr. Serge

The Feast is an opportunity outside of the observances of Holy Week to celebrate the full significance of the victory of the Cross over the powers of the world, and the triumph of the wisdom of God through the Cross over the wisdom of this world. This Feast also gives the Church an opportunity to relish the full glory of the Cross as a source of light, hope and victory for Christ's people. It is also a time to celebrate the universality of the work of redemption accomplished through the Cross: the entire universe is seen through the light of the Cross, the new Tree of Life which provides nourishment for those who have been redeemed in Christ.

Save, O Lord, save Your people and bless Your inheritance; grant victory to the faithful over their adversaries. And protect Your commonwealth, by the power of Your Cross.