www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Fasting on Wednesday and Friday

Dear Friends,

Which is the Canon that prescribes the strict fast on all Wednesdays and Fridays of the year, outside the periods where meat is permitted of course? And also the Great Fast?

Is it in the Apostolic Canons?

Alex

Alex,

I don't know if it's in the Canons or not, but if your priest, bishop, metropolitan, cardinal, or whatever, decides to require it, you are obliged to be obedient to him and do it!

Tammy

I don't have the Canons here at work with me, but I do know that it is in the Didache, which I believe historically pre-dates the Apostolic Constitutions (I think the Apostolic Constituion's date of origin is in dispute, although it undoubtedly has Apostolic roots, even if it is a later document). Of course, the Didache only says to "fast" on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Priest Thomas

Dear Tammy,

My hierarchy of those I'm obedient to goes like this:

Pope
Patriarch
Bishop
Wife
Administrator of the Forum

After that, it's whoever I feel like listening to . . .

Alex

Bless, Father Thomas,

Thank you!

May God allow us to see one another in the near future!

Alex

Dear Friends,

Spurred on by Father Thomas, I have found the text for the rule of fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays (and the Great Fast).

It is the 69th Canon of the Apostles:

http://www.holytrinitymission.org/books/english/cannons_apostles_rudder.htm

God bless,

Alex

ROFL, that is great!

Forgive someone that is new to this type of thing, but what exactly are the "Cannons of the Apostles?" What are thier apostolic credintials? This sounds like a very important thing to know about!

In His Name,
Stephen

Actually, I suspect it goes more like this:

1. "whoever I feel like listening to . . . "
2. All the others.

Dear Charles,

I don't think you'll get an argument from my dear bishop on that score!

Or from the Administrator either . . .

Alex

Dear God-loving Steve,

That link I include above discusses the Canons of the Apostles - the 85 rules set down by the Apostles themselves in Jerusalem during the first early Apostolic Council.

It doesn't figure as an Ecumenical Council - perhaps because no one from Rome or Constantinople were present . . .

Alex

I asked the priest and he said Wed. and Fridays. The first day of lent no meat or dairy, same on Good Friday. So, I'm doing Wed, Friday, and someone clear it, Sundays are no meat as well? Anyway, It can't hurt going above the minimum required anyway.

The canon is clearly not from the time of the apostles, since they fasted on Tuesdays and Thursdays, as was the Jewish practice.

Later, as way to set the Church off from and protect her from the Judaizers, Wednesdays and Fridays were selected.

Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the year (minus the exceptions), in a strict regime, would be kept with only fluids (non alcoholic) until the midday meal around 3:00 PM. Many people are locked into a "lunch hour" by their employers, and so eat at noon, etc.

The midday and later meals of the day would have no meat or dairy.

Adding the Great Lenten ascetical discipline [no meat, dairy, fish (vertebrate), wine, or olive oil], on top of the normal Wednesday and Friday discipline extends this combined fasting regime to Monday through Friday (fluids in the AM followed by a lenten meal with no meat, dairy, vertebrate fish, wine, or olive oil).

Some will prepare a main meal with shellfish accompanied by a beer, thus keeping to the letter of the law, but lightening the fast a bit.

On all Saturdays and Sundays always during the Great Fast, wine and oil are allowed. There is no ascetical fasting on any Sunday, only preeucharistic fasting. Holy Saturday is the only Saturday upon which one may fast ascetically.

The glorious Annunciation allows for fish (vertebrate), wine and oil, even were it to fall upon Holy Friday! As one of my professors said, (paraphrased) "It bursts in upon the Lenten season as a brilliant, unstoppable ray of hope for all mankind in all generations." Surely, to call the very incarnation of God anything less would be remiss.

With love in Christ,
Andrew

Perhaps someone with an "in" at this site could get their webmaster to plug the Apostolic "cannons" and proclaim instead their "canons"

Neil, who is eternally vexed by this misspelling, particularly on the sites of those who should know better - which is also where it inevitably appears

Dear Reader Andrew,

Well, contemporary Orthodox commentary would disagree with you on that!

And it is said that our Lord Himself instructed His Apostles to fast on Wednesday and Friday.

If that is true, and I don't doubt it, then . . .

Alex