Fasting and abstinence in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church

.

Fasting regimen

Part of Oriental Orthodoxy
Oriental Orthodox churches
Coptic Syriac Armenian Indian Cilicia Orthodox Tewahedo Ethiopian Eritrean
Independent churches Coptic: British Syriac: Malabar Independent
Autonomous churches Coptic: French Coptic Orthodox Church Armenian: Constantinople, Jerusalem Syriac: Jacobite Syrian Christian Church
History and theology History of Oriental Orthodoxy: Coptic history Tewahedo history Syriac history Saint Thomas Christians Ecumenical Councils: Nicaea I Constantinople I Ephesus I Ephesus II Ephesus III Dvin I Dvin II Dvin III Dvin IV Manzikert Capharthutha Shirakavan Hromkla Theology: Miaphysitism Non-Chalcedonian Christianity
Liturgy and practices Anaphora & Rites: Alexandrian Rite Anaphora of Saint Gregory Armenian Rite West Syriac Rite Liturgy of Saint James Liturgy of Saint Basil Liturgy of Saint Cyril Malankara Rite Holy Qurobo Calendars: Armenian Coptic Ethiopian Julian Gregorian Bible: Peshitta Coptic Bible Armenian Bible Orthodox Tewahedo Bible Cross: Coptic cross Armenian Cross St. Thomas Cross Ethiopian cross
Major figures Cyril of Alexandria Mor Addai Abgar V Gregory the Illuminator Nine Saints of Ethiopia Tiridates III Mar Awgin Athanasius of Alexandria Ephrem the Syrian Ezana of Axum Frumentius Shenoute Mesrop Mashtots Dioscorus of Alexandria Severus of Antioch Abraham of Farshut Yared Simon the Tanner Gregory of Narek Nerses IV Michael the Syrian Bar Hebraeus Tekle Haymanot Giyorgis of Segla Mar Thoma I Gregorios Abdal Jaleel Geevarghese Gregorios
Related topics Abuna Catholicos Maphrian Ethiopian titles Apostolic Church-Ordinance Coptic monasticism Coptic saints Debtera Coonan Cross Oath Ethiopian chant Fast of Nineveh Coptic fasting Tewahedo fasting Timkat
Links and resources Category Media Templates WikiProject
Christianity portal
v t e

During fasts, the observant are required to partake in no more than one meal a day, which is to be eaten in the afternoon or evening. Fasting involves abstention from animal products (meat, dairy, and eggs), and refraining from eating or drinking before 3:00 pm.[2] Ethiopian devotees may also abstain from sexual activity and the consumption of alcohol.^[2]

Foods

As the fasting regimen prohibits the consumption of meat, dairy, and eggs,

As international cuisines have grown in popularity among the Ethiopian middle class, fasting variants have also developed to meet the needs of the observant population—among which include fasting pizza, fasting pasta, fasting pastries, and fasting (meatless) burgers.

Observance of the fasting periods have fluctuated with time. Today, religious groups like Mahibere Kidusan encourage the faithful to rigorously observe both obligatory and optional fasting periods.^[9] As a result, strict observance of fasts is said to be growing in certain Orthodox communities.^[10]

List of fasts

Ordinary fasts

Every Wednesday and Friday throughout the year are observed as fast days except during the fifty days after Easter, Wednesday in observance of the decision of the

• The Fast of
  Persians and recover the Cross of Christ which they had seized and taken from Jerusalem; Tsome Arba, the 40 days of Lent; and Tsome Himamat, seven days commemorating Holy Week.^{[2][11][9][12]}
• The
  Sacred Tradition of the Apostles prior to their evangelism where, as part of their preparation, they began a fast with prayer to ask God to strengthen their resolve and to be with them in their missionary undertakings. It begins the Monday following Pentecost and ends on the 4th of Hamle (Coptic Epip, corresponding to Gregorian
  26 June); as the date of Pentecost is set relative to that of Easter, the duration of the fast varies between 10 and 40 days.
• The Fast of Assumption of the Holy Virgin, 15 days.
• The Fast of the Prophets
  Advent Fast
  , 40 days. It begins with Sibket on 15th Hedar and ends on Christmas Eve with the feast of Gena and the 28th of Tahsas.
• The Fast of (gahad)/ If Christmas or Timket (Theophany) fall on a Wednesday or a Friday, then the obligatory Wednesday/Friday fast is observed on the eve (Tuesday or Thursday). As Christmas Eve is generally a fasting day anyway, this is only has effect of forbidding fasting on Christmas even if it's a Wednesday or Friday.
• The Fast of Nineveh, commemorating the preaching of Jonah. It comes on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of the third week before Lent.
• The Fast of Wednesdays and Fridays/ In observance of the Wednesday decision by the Sanhedrin to seize Christ, and the Friday Crucifixion, all Wednesdays and Fridays are considered obligatory fasting days (except during the 50 days after Easter, and the feasts of Christmas and Theophany (Timket) if they should fall on these days of the week).

Optional fasts

Many faithful also observe optional fasts that are not included in the official and canonical list of mandatory fasts. These include ጽጌ ጾም (the Fast of the Flowers) which commemorates the exile of the Holy Family in Egypt, and the fast of Puagumen (Ethiopia's thirteenth month of 5 days or 6 days in leap years) in preparation for Ethiopian New Year on Meskerem 1.

See also

• Fasting and abstinence of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria
• Ethiopian cuisine

References