Feasting and Fasting
Few years ago one of our parish priests was
returning home after the Palm Sunday Liturgy carrying some leftover palm
branches. He met a neighbor, a Baptist preacher, who saw the palms, smacked his
forehead and said, "Why didn’t I think of that!"
Many Western Christians have lost the habit of celebrating the Church Year with
its feasts and fasts. The Eastern Churches spread over the course of the year a
cycle of observances designed to bring home to us the reality of God’s saving
plan for us highlighted by the life, death and resurrection of Christ and the
presence of the Holy Spirit in the Church, exemplified by the lives of the
saints.
In Europe, the Middle East and Asia these feasts are often held at the sites of
Christ’s ministry or where the saints’ relics are enshrined. People from
neighboring areas come together for a true celebration of the person or event
commemorated. That is rarely the case in America where each parish keeps these
observances on a small scale. The spiritual meaning of the Church Year is the
same, however, whether we are celebrating a feast with thousands in Jerusalem or
with our fellow parishioners in our home church.
What are our Church Feasts?
Our Church Year has a number of feasts, some of local importance (like the patronal feast of the parish church) and others of a more universal significance. Pascha and the Twelve Great Feasts take us step by step over the course of a year through the climax of our history of salvation from the birth of the Theotokos to the coming of Christ, the descent of the Holy Spirit, events in the life of our Church and the life of glory to which we aspire.
Our Church feasts may be grouped into the following categories:
A - The Feast of Feasts
Pascha – the Resurrection of Christ, along with its extended times of preparation and celebration:
The Great Fast – For forty days we focus more intensely on our spiritual life. We increase our observance of prayer, feasting and almsgiving. We attend special services, which may include Forgiveness Vespers, the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, Great Compline, Akathists, Memorial Saturdays and the Great Canon of St Andrew of Crete. These services are characterized by kneeling and prostrations, by the dark-colored vestments and altar coverings, and by special prayers such as the Prayer of St. Ephrem the Syrian. The Great Fast is followed by:
The Great Week – Commemorating the last week in the earthly life of Christ. We remember how He raised Lazarus from the dead (Lazarus Saturday), and entered Jerusalem in triumph (Palm Sunday). We recall His days of teaching in the temple and His betrayal (Holy Monday-Wednesday). We commemorate His anointing with precious ointments and prepare to share in His death by being anointed (Holy Wednesday). We enter into the Last Supper and His arrest (Holy Thursday), His crucifixion, death and burial (Holy Friday), and His repose in the tomb (Holy Saturday). On Saturday we often welcome catechumens into the Church through baptism so that we can celebrate together the resurrection of Christ.
The Bright Week – Pascha begins with the procession to the tomb. The doors open and we enter the kingdom represented by the radiantly adorned church. The fast ends with the blessing of paschal foods (rich breads, meats and dairy products). We hear the Gospel proclaimed in many languages, for now all nations are called to enter into the kingdom of God. Throughout this week following Pascha feasting and resurrection services continue. Fasting is not permitted as we celebrate the presence of the risen Christ.
The Forty Days of Paschaltide – The celebration of our life in the risen Christ continues until the Feast of the Ascension with the singing of "Christ is risen."
B - The Twelve Great Feasts
Beginning at the start of the Church year in September we celebrate these feasts of the life of Christ and His mother:
September 8 - Nativity of the Theotokos – Christ’s coming is near as His Mother is now in the world
September 14 - Exaltation of the Holy Cross –We remember both the sorrow the crucifixion (this is a fast day) and how the cross has brought new life to the world. There are often processions with the cross blessing the four directions of the compass and the distribution of flowers and/or basil leaves as this plant was found growing on Calvary.
November 21 - Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple – The temple is blessed by the presence of the Holy Virgin in its courts.
December 25 - Nativity of Christ – God becomes man that we might become godly. We prepare with a time of fasting, the Nativity Fast. In some traditions a special fasting meal, the Holy Supper, is kept on the eves of Christmas and of:
January 6 – The Holy Theophany – This celebrates the first revelation of the Trinity when Jesus was baptized in the Jordan. It is marked by the blessing of water and subsequent blessing of homes to celebrate Christ’s presence in our world. We take this water home to drink at our prayers throughout the year.
February 2 – The Encounter with Christ in the Temple – It recalls how Christ is recognized at a Light to the world when He was presented as an infant. In some traditions candles are blessed at this celebration.
March 25 – The Annunciation to the Theotokos – Mary learns from the angel that she is to bear the child Jesus. The Akathist to the Theotokos is sung at this time.
Sunday before Pascha - Palm Sunday – Palms and other branches are blessed as we recall how the people welcomed Christ to Jerusalem.
40 Days after Pascha – The Holy Ascension of Christ – We celebrate Christ seated in His risen human nature at the Father’s side in glory.
50 days after Pascha - Pentecost – We experience the full revelation of the Trinity with the coming of the Holy Spirit. With the end of the Paschal feast we begin to kneel once more to implore the aid of the Holy Spirit ("Kneeling" Vespers).
August 6 - Holy Transfiguration of Christ – Christ’s divine glory is manifested to Peter, James and John. We see it as pointing to the eventual transfiguration of those who die in Christ. Fruit, particularly grapes, are blessed as nature’s signs of transformation pointing to our own ultimate renewal.
August 15 - Dormition of the Theotokos – Prepared for by the 14-day Fast of the Theotokos, the feast commemorates the death of the Virgin and her complete glorification, pointing to what awaits us in glory as well. In some traditions flowers are blessed as signs of the eternal life that is now hers and meant to be ours as well.
C - Saints’ Days
Every day of the year one or more saint is remembered. The following saint’s days are of especially observed in our Church as name-days and the feasts of many of our parishes. Their stories may be found on the church calendar.
Ann, Mother of the Theotokos (September 9, Maternity – December 9, Dormition – July 25) W Anthony the Great (January 17) W Barbara the Great Martyr (December 4) W Basil the Great (January 1) W Demetrius the Myrrh-gusher (October 26) W Elias the Prophet (July 20) W George the Great Martyr (April 23) W Ignatius of Antioch (December 20) W John the Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist (January 7, Conception – September 23, Nativity – June 23, Beheading – August 29) W John Chrysostom (November 13) W John of Damascus (December 4) W John the Theologian (May 8, Dormition - September 26) W Joseph, Spouse of the Theotokos (Sunday after Christmas, along with James and David, the Lord’s relatives) W Jude the Apostle (June 19) W Mark the Apostle and Evangelist (April 25) W Michael the Archangel (Nov 8) W Nicholas the Wonderworker (December 6) W Peter & Paul, the Prime Apostles (June 29) W Philip the Apostle (November 14) W Three Holy Hierarchs (a common feast for Saints Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom - January 30).
How can we keep these feasts?
If at all possible we should attend whatever liturgical celebration may be scheduled in our parish (vespers, Liturgy, etc.) as a family. Children pay special attention to things that are not part of their usual routine and will come to look forward to the candlelight processions, prostrations, and other special observances of the Christian year. These are often the memories we cherish and our children should not be deprived of them.
There are many family customs associated with the liturgical year such as preparing and eating special foods associated with the Church’s observances. Coloring eggs, decorating candles or making palm crosses help make the feasts come alive in the home. Many families have certain ethnic traditions connected with the Church’s cycle of holydays. Grandparents and older family members may be able to help in reviving these practices in your home.
The Come Bless the Lord Icon Packet (God With Us Publications, available from Theological Book Service, 1-877-484-1600) contains 8˝x11" icon prints of all the Great Feasts. Place the appropriate print in a frame and adorn with branches or flowers in your icon corner or as a special centerpiece for your table. Children can help or even assume responsibility for this project which brings the meaning of the feast home in a striking way.
What about fasting?
We see in the Gospels that Jesus fasted (Matthew 4:2-4) and taught us the proper attitude for fasting. (Matthew 6:16-17). By fasting from time to time we remind ourselves that true life is not about eating, drinking and satisfying our bodily desires. In fasting we hear the voice of Jesus: "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of man will give to you; for on him has God the Father set his seal" (John 6:27). Rather, Jesus tells us, true life is about being in relationship with God and being nourished by Him: "I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh" (John 6:51). Fasting is a concrete way of saying that we believe these words of the Lord to be true.
How do we fast?
Eastern Christians have traditionally seen fasting as made up of two things:
During part of the day (generally until noon or until we receive the Eucharist) we eat and drink nothing.
During the rest of the day we eat only the "Food of Paradise," the fruit of the earth that God gave Adam and Eve in the book of Genesis: grains, vegetables, fruit, and nuts (thereby avoiding meat, fish and dairy products).
In the Eastern tradition fasting, then, is not a matter of "giving up" some favorite food but of reminding ourselves how much we need to "return to Paradise." For the same reason fasting should be accompanied by more intense practice of prayer and almsgiving.
When should we fast?
How much or how often one should fast is not so much a matter of regulation, but of custom. We should consult our parish priest or spiritual father about our individual participation in the Church’s fasts. Traditional days and seasons of fasting among Eastern Christians are:
a. Most Wednesdays and Fridays of the year. Jesus’ disciples were criticized for not fasting, but the Lord told His critics, "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come, when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast" (Matthew 9:15). Since the first century Eastern Christians have fasted on Wednesdays (the day of Christ’s betrayal by Judas) and on Fridays (the day of His death) – the days when He was taken away from us.
b. Daily during certain seasons of the year: the 40-day long Great Fast, the Great and Holy Week before Pascha, the 14-day long Fast of the Theotokos in August, the Nativity Fast (before Christmas) and the Fast of the Apostles (before the feast of saints Peter and Paul.
c. On two feastdays that have a somber note: the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (September 14), and the Beheading of St John the Baptist (August 29).
What are fast-free times?
There are certain times when we do not fast at all. These include:
The week of the Pharisee and the Publican, before the Great Fast, to remind us that fasting like the Pharisee does us no good.
The weeks after Christmas, Pascha and Pentecost, the greatest feasts of the year. In some traditions there is no fasting during the entire Paschal season.
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