Theology  -  Hierarchy  -  Locations  -   Education  -   Stewardship  -   Other Information  -  Index  -  Thesaurus  -  Sitemap  -  Arabic fonts  -  Home

Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center

Holy and Glorious Pascha Preparation - Great Lent and Great and Holy Week - Fasting Guidelines from the Eparchy of Newton (Our Lady of the Annunciation (Al Bisharah) in Roslindale, Massachusetts, United States)

I have collected several explanations over the years. The Fasting Guidelines are basically the same in all the explanations. Some people prefer one explanation over another explanation.

1. "Fasting for the Melkites consists in abstaining from food and drink from midnight until noon. Abstinence consists in abstaining from meat from midnight to midnight. The faithful are reminded, during this holy season, of the general precept of doing penance and of getting closer to God and neighbor through prayer and charity, and through fast and abstinence. The faithful are encouraged to observer the ancient and venerable rules of fast and abstinence, as much as possible. They are especially urged as a strict minimum to observe the mandatory fast and abstinence on the first day of Lent, and on the last three days of the Holy and Great Week, and to abstain from meat on all the Fridays of Lent. The above requirements are the minimum. The faithful are encouraged to do more: one method of doing so is to abstain from meat also on Wednesdays, or on every day of Lent. Those who wish to practice a stricter fast and abstain also from dairy products, as under the old discipline, are encouraged to do so."

Then, the minimum fast for Melkite Catholics is this:

• No food from midnight to noon and no meat on the first day of Great Lent and on the last three days of Great and Holy Week (Great and Holy Thursday, Great and Holy Friday, and Great and Holy Saturday).
• No meat on the Fridays of Great Lent.

It is also recommended to do more, in keeping with the long tradition of our church, such as not eating meat throughout all of Lent, and/or fasting till noon every day, and/or also fasting from animal products, oil, and alcoholic drinks.

2. "The faithful are reminded, during this holy season, of the general precept of doing penance and of getting closer to God and neighbor through prayer and charity and fasting. [In the Byzantine Tradition, the word fasting covers both fasting and abstinence.] Fasting consists of abstaining from food and drink from midnight until noon. Abstinence consists of abstaining from meat from midnight to midnight. In our Melkite Eparchy of Newton, the faithful are encouraged to observe the ancient and venerable rules of fast and abstinence, as much as possible. They are especially urged as a strict minimum to observe the mandatory fast and abstinence on the first day of Lent, and on the last three days of the Holy and Great Week, and to abstain from meat on all the Fridays of Lent. The above requirements are the minimum. The faithful are encouraged to do more. One method of doing so is to abstain also on Wednesdays, or on every day of Lent. Those who wish to practice a stricter fast and abstain also from dairy products [and wine & olive oil], as under the old discipline, are encouraged to do so. Fasting is an ancient practice described in the Bible and found in many religions. It sharpens our awareness of God and helps us see His many gifts."

3. We are encouraged to observe the ancient rules of fast and abstinence, as much as possible.
The strict minimum is of abstaining from food and drink from midnight until noon on the first day of Lent, and on the last three days of the Holy and Great Week (Great and Holy Thursday, Great and Holy Friday, and Great and Holy Saturday), and to abstain from meat on all the Fridays of Lent.
We are encouraged to do more, by abstaining also on Wednesdays, or on every day of Lent.
Those who wish to practice a stricter fast and abstain also from dairy products, wine and olive oil, as under the old discipline, are encouraged to do so.
Fasting is an ancient practice described in the Bible. It sharpens our awareness of God and helps us see His many gifts.

4. In the Byzantine Tradition, the word "Fasting" covers both "fasting" and "Abstinence".
"Fasting" consists of not eating or drinking from midnight until noon.
"Abstinence" consists of not eating meat from midnight to midnight.
Melkites in the US are urged to observe the ancient and venerable rules of fast and abstinence, as much as possible.
As a strict minimum we must observe the mandatory fast and abstinence on the first day of Lent, and on the last three days of the Holy and Great Week (Great and Holy Thursday, Great and Holy Friday, and Great and Holy Saturday), and abstain from meat on all the Fridays of Lent.
But we are encouraged to do more. One method of doing so is to abstain also on Wednesdays, or on every day of Lent. Another way to practice a stricter fast would be to abstain also from dairy products and wine and olive oil, as under the old discipline.
Fasting is an ancient practice described in the Bible and found in many religions. It sharpens our awareness of God and helps us appreciate His many gifts.

5. Fasting

• "Fasting" includes two items: "Fasting" and "Abstinence".
  "Fasting" means not eating from midnight to noon.
  "Abstinence" means not eating meat from midnight to midnight.

• The Minimum Required Fast is in effect on Clean Monday, on every Friday in Great Lent, and on the last three days of the Great and Holy Week (Thursday, Friday, Saturday).
• The faithful are encouraged to do more than the minimum: for example, to fast also on Wednesdays or on every day of Great Lent.
• Those who wish to practice a stricter fast and abstain also from dairy products, as under the old discipline, are encouraged to do so.

6. Fasting

"Fasting" means there is no consumption of solid food from midnight until noon.
"Abstinence" now is refraining from eating meat. Traditionally, abstinence meant refraining from eating dairy products, such as milk, eggs, butter, cheese, and yogurt; fish with spines (tuna, shark, bass, sardines, etc.,), olive oil, wine, and alcoholic beverages from midnight to midnight.
Three approaches to fasting and abstinence have developed. These might be called:

1. The Law - that which is required
   • The first day of a Fasting Period is a day of fast and abstinence.
   • All Fridays of a Fasting Period are days of abstinence from meat.
   • Days of fast and abstinence are:
     • Great and Holy Thursday
     • Great and Holy Friday
     • Great and Holy Saturday
2. The Tradition - that which the devout follow
   • Every day of a Fasting Period is a day of fast and abstinence
   • Except as follows:
     • On Saturday and Sunday (EXCEPT GREAT AND HOLY SATURDAY) are abstinence days: fish, wine and olive oil are permitted, but other abstinence foods are not.
     • Saturday and Sunday (EXCEPT GREAT AND HOLY SATURDAY) are NOT Fast days - food may be taken at any time.
     • Certain feast days during a Fasting Period, such as the Great Feast of the Announciation, are treated like Saturday and Sunday. That is they are NOT Fast days.
3. The Compromise - that which is most widely accepted
   • The First, Middle and Last weeks of a Fasting Period are kept strictly. The other weeks are relaxed.
   • Abstinence from meat on all days during a Fasting Period.
   • Abstinence from meat on all Wednesdays and Fridays during a Fasting Period.

7. Absolute minimum and strict traditional and in between

1. Absolute minimum fast - on Clean Monday, Great and Holy Thursday, Great and Holy Friday, Great and Holy Saturday, and all Fridays of Great Lent:
   • No food or drink from midnight to noon.
   • No flesh (skin and meat) from any animal having a backbone on Clean Monday and on Great and Holy Thursday, Great and Holy Friday, and Great and Holy Saturday.
   • No flesh (skin and meat) from any animal having a backbone on all Fridays of Great Lent.
2. Strict traditional fast - for the complete duration of Great Lent and Great and Holy Week:
   • No food or drink from midnight to noon.
   • No flesh (skin and meat) from any animal having a backbone.
   • No product from any animal having a backbone (milk, eggs, butter, cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, etc.).
   • No olive oil
   • No wine.
3. In between - there are many variations and customs.
   You should decide on one and stick with it.
   This physical discipline helps us with our spiritual discipline.
   It is not OK to decide not to fast at all during Great Lent: that makes the idea of Great Lent as preparation for Pascha just a theoretical concept. It is not just a concept; it is a spiritual and physical reality of our Church life.
   • Some people keep a strict fast in the first and last weeks of Great Lent.
   • Some fast during the week, but not on weekends.
   • Some abstain from flesh (skin and meat) every day.
   • Some fast only on Wednesdays and Fridays.

8. Great and Holy Thursday, Great and Holy Friday, and Great and Holy Saturday are days of strict fasting in honor and memory of the Passion and Death of the Lord. On these days, we do not eat from midnight to noon and we abstain from meat.

Traditions

Traditions of Great Lent and Holy Week Melkite Greek Catholic Church Eparchy of Newton

More Information

CyberTypicon by Reverend Father / Abouna Peter Boutros
CyberTypicon lists Fast and Abstinence days.

"CyberTypicon" Definitions by Reverend Father / Abouna Peter Boutros
CyberTypicon has the Fasting and Abstinence rules. Please click on Fast and Abstinence.

Traditions of Great Lent and Holy Week Please click on Fast and Abstinence, Reasons why. Melkite Greek Catholic Church Eparchy of Newton Material prepared by Fr. Philaret Littlefield for inclusion in the St. George Melkite (Byzantine) Greek Catholic Church, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States Sunday Bulletin

Abouna, Why do We Fast? by Fr. Philaret D. Littlefield, Reprinted from Sophia, Volume 31, Number 1, Jan. - Feb. 2001, Melkite Greek Catholic Church Eparchy of Newton

Saint Ignatios of Antioch Melkite Greek Catholic Church Then click on Resources. The first category is Lenten Information.

Everything You Wanted to Know About Lent But Were Afraid to Ask St. George Melkite-Greek Catholic Church, Sacramento, CA

Theology Home  -  Hierarchy Home  -  Locations Home  -  Other Information Home  -  Alphabetical Index  -  Thesaurus  -  Sitemap  -  Arabic fonts  -  Home

Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center is an unofficial Melkite Greek Catholic Web site and has not been reviewed or approved by any Melkite clergy person.
Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center contains a range of World Wide Web sites on Melkite faith, belief, practice, history, etc. Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center does not endorse any World Wide Web site nor takes any responsibility for the contents of any World Wide Web site. Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center offers these links with the understanding that Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center can not vouch for any of the contents on each site. Listing a site does not indicate acceptance nor endorsement of the doctrines / ideas / theology of the World Wide Web site. Please remember that Web sites will change their content and their location. It is the user's responsibility to decide whether or not the content on a particular World Wide Web site is appropripate.

Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center is dedicated to my cousins: Bucky (Richard C. Liles) and Shirley (Shirley Jean Liles Buck). Bucky fell asleep in the Lord on Dec. 12, 2000 and Shirley fell asleep in the Lord on Nov. 8, 2001.
O God of all spirits and of all flesh, who have destroyed death, overcome the devil, and given life to the world: grant, O Lord, to the souls of your servants Bucky and Shirley, who has departed from this life, that it may rest in a place of light, in a place of happiness, in a place of peace, where there is no pain, no grief, no sighing. And since You are a gracious God and the Lover of Mankind, forgive him/her every sin he/she has committed by thought, or word, or deed, for there is not a man who lives and does not sin : You alone are without sin, your righteousness is everlasting, and your word is true. You are the Resurrection and the Life, and the repose of your departed servants Bucky and Shirley. O Christ our God, and we send up glory to You, together with your eternal Father and your all-holy, good and life-givng Spirit, now and always and for ages upon ages. Amen.

This site copyright©2000,2001,2002,2003,2004,2005,2006,2007,2008 Martha Liles. All rights reserved.
Last Updated: Saturday, October 07, 2006, 20:31:22, PDT
The current date and time is: Monday, January 05, 2009, 20:25:27, PST or Tuesday, January 06, 2009, 04:25:27, GMT