www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Orthodox Lenten Fish Fries

I know of two Orthodox parishes, one Romanian and one Serbian, who are offering parish fish fries on Fridays during Lent. As I understand it, the strict fast forbids fish on Fridays and during Lent, except on a few occasions. Are some jurisdictions more relaxed in their practices? Or what?

Christ is in our midst!! He is and always will be!!

Do you think that this may just be a fund raiser? Catholics are allowed to eat fish on the Fridays during Lent and many other people join us in these fund raisers. One parish near me raises a significant amount of its school budget on these Lenten fish dinners.

If the people don't eat the fish but just sell it to others, what's the difference?

BOB

Yes, some Orthodox Jurisdictions, parishes, and individuals are "more relaxed in their practices."

Fr David Straut

Our parish (Carpatho-Russian) has food sales every Friday during Lent, including fish sandwiches. Most of the people who come are Catholic.

Aside from Holy Week, I will have fish on Fridays for the most part. I try and reduce my dairy intake, but I can't completely cut it out.

Father, bless !

I once heard an Orthodox priest complain about how his people limited their fasting to "no meat" . . . and how chicken didn't count as meat !

Oh well, at least they have the concept of fasting . . . I wish it would be revived in the Western Church.

Be well.

-- John

Chicken is a meat? Dang, you learn something every day.

Where were we on female mosquitoes before and after biting people and obtaining red blood . . .

If these fish frys are in the evening (after Vespers time) then it is Saturday and then subject the Friday Fast. If this has occured there has been not loosening of the rules of fasting at all.

Sounds nice!

But my dear Pavel, only oil and wine are permitted on Saturdays and Sundays in the Great Fast. Fish is only eaten on Palm Sunday and the Annunciation (when it falls before Great and Holy Week). I am, of course, aware that many families and individuals have their own customs. I personally think that Orthodox parishes should abide by the fasting rules in public events, like coffee hours, fellowship meals, pot lucks, and fund-raising dinners.

Fr David Straut

Also, I was ever taught that where fasting is concerned the fast begins and ends at Midnight. I know this is controversial to some, but I think it is just practical. Otherwise people will time their dinner to be before or after Vespers and thus avoid a complete day of fasting every time.

Fr David

Thank you for your pastoral input on this forum, dear Father.

In Christ,
Alice

There is a GO Church in St. Louis which has a very good luncheon at least every Friday or even everyday. They always serve meat. I remember that it was Lent and I had the avgolemmeno soup and I asked if it used chicken broth. The priest said that it did, but that the eggs were also not permitted in the Fast as well. He said that only the Monks follow that rule.

(I offer the last sentence in the interest of telling the whole story, not to denigrate the venerable practice of abstinence.)

It's not directly connected to the church, but Milwaukee's Serb Hall [serbhall.com], in the shadow of St. Sava's, serves 2,000 lbs of fish every Friday and even has a drive-through window.

Such scandal! But I know that it is true, for I have seen such examples personally.

Unfortunately, this was a mentality (I speak only for the Greek Orthodox church of America) of previous decades, which was a liberalizing and detraditionalizing one. I bet this priest is fifty or older!

This trend has been reversed, and the present Administration and younger priests are reestablishing the traditional practices of Orthodoxy such as fasting. Some faithful embrace it fully, some embrace it partially, some embrace it joyfully, but many also do not embrace it at all.

The spirit of the fast is also not to judge...

However, the important change that is slowly becoming more official, is that many church and diocese and Archdiocese sponsored or affiliated meals, luncheons, dinners, receptions, coffee hours, etc., do not have foods and drinks that are not permitted such as meat and/or dairy.

Alice

Alice,

I'd say the priest is about 45 or thereabouts. He is bald, so it is hard to judge his age, he has some salt and pepper hair where it hasn't fallen out.

Being very new to Orthodoxy, I just took what he said as the rule. I didn't know at that time that everyone was expected -according to one's strength and Spiritual Direction- to go Vegan for Lent. (That was generalized for brevity's sake.)