www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Fasting question

I'm attempting to follow a fasting rule of no animal products, oil, or wine for Wednesday/Friday of each week and I have a question that I'd like to throw out here:

If I wanted to fast in a "traditional" manner, would the fasting period go from sunset to sunset (i.e. sunset Tuesday/Thursday evening to sunset Wednesday / Friday evening) or would it just go 24 hours from 12 o'clock midnight?

A trivial technical point, but I'm curious as to what others have seen / experienced. Does anyone know how monks fast?

Thanks, everyone.

(Btw, I'll be talking to my parish priest about it when I see him on Sunday. Just wanted to see what you all thought also).

Consult your spiritual Father, but most commonly Fasts begin and end at midnight. (Think Mardi Gras in NOLA).

Vespers to 9th Hour constitutes the liturgical day, so Orthodox practice does begin one Fast, the Great Fast of Lent, with the Vespers of Forgiveness.

The answer to your question regarding the beginning of fasting is not quite so clear-cut as some would have it to be. Even on the Holy Mountain there are different (and vehemently argued) understanding - some based on interpretaton of canons, local councils, and particular traditions.

I, personally, find that those from the Slavic traditions are more likely to have more definitive and almost absolutist answers to your question than those of us from the Middle-Eastern, Hellenic, or meditteranean side of things. Couple that with an Eastern Catholic propensity to sometimes to look at things as an exercise akin to that of our Latin Church conferes and it can become frustrating at worst and comical at best.

So, the flow of questions - "When does fasting begin or end? Vespers? (Little Vespers or Great Vespers?) Sundown? Midnight? After Compline. Are the beginning and ending of fasting the same as the beginning and ending of abstention? (Judging from Great Saturday very different!) So, a lot of pins for them angels to dance on.

I really do commend you for the sinceriity of the question and for your zeal for living out the Christian life "in prayer and fasting" commanded by the Lord.

However, may I laughingly say that, in some respects, even the idea of a definitive answer is probably not too Orthodox! I would recommend that you talk to your spiritual father and seek his advice and direction.

Thank you for your replies. I am new to Eastern Christianity, so all of this information is helpful to me. So far I've found that following a simple discipline of fasting has really been beneficial for my spiritual life. It's certainly challenging, but it's helped me ward off gluttony and be more appreciative and grateful for the food and drink that I have been blessed with.

Thanks again!

Of course the goals of Fasting far exceed merely subduing gluttony: Conquering all of the passions, particularly those which are manifested by what proceeds forth from our mouths; seeking to be more charitable in our dealings; and more sensitive to those who are deprived of food (Isaiah 58) to name but a few.

I am still learning.

Very few people actually follow the traditional fast with such vigor. I recommend that someone who is just staring to fast might keep the fast you describe (or even something less), though maybe just from midnight (or whenever you go to sleep) to bedtime the next day. And then to follow that custom for at least the next five years (without change) for all the Fasts. And make appropriate adjustments so that you are not annoying to anyone you live with (while fasting cant always be done in secret it can be done so as not to stick out). And checking in with your spiritual father occasionally.

Glory be to Jesus Christ!!

Sam64:

It's good to remember that fasting, in and of itself, is not an end in itself. St. Seraphim of Sarov puts it best when he taught:

"Prayer, fasting, vigils, and all other Christian practices, however good they may be in themselves, certainly do not constitute the aim of our Christian life: they are but the indispensable means of attaining them.

FOR THE TRUE AIM OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS THE ACQUISITION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD.

As for fasts, vigils, prayer, and almsgiving, and other good works done in the name of Christ, they are only the means of acquiring the Holy Spirit of God. Note well that it is only good works done in the name of Christ that bring us the fruits of the Spirit."

I found this quote many years ago in my reading, copied it out and have kept it close ever since.

Bob
Moderator.

You all are awesome. Thank you for all of the wise words.