Nativity Fast
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In
The Byzantine fast is observed from November 15 to December 24, inclusively. These dates apply to the Eastern Catholic Churches, and Eastern Orthodox churches which use the Revised Julian calendar, which currently matches the Gregorian calendar. For those Eastern Orthodox churches which still follow the Julian calendar—the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the Russian Orthodox Church, the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Georgian Orthodox Church, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the Macedonian Orthodox Church, Mount Athos, the Portuguese Orthodox Church, and all Old Calendarists, as well as some parishes of the Romanian Orthodox Church, of the Polish Orthodox Church, and of the Orthodox Church of America—the Winter Lent does not begin until November 28 (Gregorian) which coincides with November 15 on the Julian calendar. The Ancient Church of the East fasts dawn til dusk from December 1 until December 25 on the Gregorian calendar.
Sometimes the fast is called Philip's Fast (or the Philippian Fast), as it traditionally begins on the day following the Feast of St. Philip the Apostle (November 14). Some churches, such as the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, have abbreviated the fast to start on December 10, following the Feast of the Conception by Saint Anne of the Most Holy Theotokos.
Purpose of fasting
Through the discipline of
Fasting rules
In the Byzantine Rite, the fast traditionally entails fasting from red meat, poultry, meat products, eggs, dairy products, fish, oil, and wine. Fish, wine and oil are allowed on Saturdays and Sundays as well as most Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, and oil and wine are generally allowed on Tuesdays and Thursdays, except in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.
The fasting rules also permit fish, wine and oil on certain
As is always the case with Byzantine fasting rules, persons who are ill, the very young or elderly, and nursing mothers are exempt from fasting. Each individual is expected to confer with their confessor regarding any exemptions from the fasting rules, but should never place themselves in physical danger.
There has been some ambiguity about the restriction of fish, whether it means the allowance of invertebrate fish or all fish. Often, even on days when fish is not allowed, shellfish may be consumed. More detailed guidelines vary by jurisdiction, but the rules strictly state that from the December 20 to December 24 (inclusively), no fish may be eaten.
The Eve of Nativity (December 24) is a strict fast day, called Paramony (lit. 'preparation'), on which no solid food should be eaten until Sirius is seen in the evening sky (or at the very least, until after the Vesperal Divine Liturgy that day). If Paramony falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the day is not observed as a strict fast, but a meal with wine and oil is allowed after the Divine Liturgy, which would be celebrated in the morning.
Liturgical aspects
In some places, the services on weekdays during the fast are similar to the services during Great Lent (with some variations). Many churches and monasteries in the Russian tradition will perform the Lenten services on at least the first day of the Nativity Fast. Often the hangings in the church will be changed to a somber, Lenten colour.
During the course of the fast, a number of
As is true of all of the four Byzantine fasts, a
Forefeast
The liturgical
Sunday of the Forefathers
Two Sundays before Nativity (hence, between 11 and 17 December of each year
The
Sunday of the Holy Fathers
The Sunday before Nativity is even broader in its scope of commemoration than the previous Sunday, in that it commemorates all of the righteous men and women who pleased God from the
Paramony
During the Vespers, eight
The
("For unto us a child is born...and he shall be called...the Mighty God....").The Divine Liturgy for the Nativity of Christ is celebrated on Christmas morning. However, in those monasteries which continue to celebrate the All-Night Vigil in its long form—where it literally lasts throughout the night—the conclusion of the Vigil at dawn on Christmas morning will often lead directly into the celebration of the Divine Liturgy. When the Vigil is separate from the Divine Liturgy, the Lenten fast continues even after the Vigil, until the end of the Liturgy the next morning.
Fasting during the afterfeast
On December 25, the
period. The Eve of the Theophany (January 5) is another strict fast day (paramony).Coptic fast
In the
Armenian fast
Uniquely, the
See also
- Christmastide
- Great Lent
- Apostles' Fast
- Dormition Fast
Notes
- Revised Julian Calendar, the services are celebrated on the date according also to the calculation of the Gregorian Calendar.
- ^ Joseph Bingham, Origines Ecclesiasticae (W. Straker, 1840), p. 240
- ISBN 978-1-878997-51-7
- ^ "Liturgy of the Sunday of the Holy Fathers". Eastern Orthodox Church of America. Archived from the original on Oct 11, 2018. Retrieved Oct 11, 2018.
- ^ a b
ISBN 0-571-11137-8
- ^ "Sunday of the Holy Forefathers". Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia. House Springs, MO. Dec 14, 2009. Retrieved Oct 11, 2018.
- ^ "Sunday of the Holy Forefathers". Russian Orthodox Church of Baltimora, U.S. Archived from the original on Oct 3, 2007. Retrieved Oct 11, 2018.
- ^ "Afterfeast of the Entry of the Most Holy Mother of God into the Temple". oca.org. Archived from the original on October 11, 2018. Retrieved Oct 11, 2018.
- ^ "Answering The Why Of Christmas". 30 November 2017. Retrieved Nov 21, 2021.
External links
- Sunday of the Forefathers Orthodox synaxarion
- Sunday before the Nativity
- Eve of the Nativity