Calendar of church fasting 2024. How to prepare for fasting, the priest advises

Calendar of church posts 2024

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Fasting is an important component of the religious life of Eastern Christians. At this time, believers limit themselves in food, entertainment, behavior, try to spend more time in prayer and self-development.

The calendar of all fasting for Orthodox and Greek Catholic believers for 2024 coincides. He counts four multi-day fasts and three one-day fasts.

Also, the church suggests fasting every Wednesday and Friday throughout the year, except for general days (weeks after major religious holidays).

Easter fast

In 2024, the Easter fast (Pentecost) lasts from March 18 to May 4.

The last time before Easter it was allowed to eat meat on Shrove Sunday, March 10.

In Syropusny week (Masnitsa) it was allowed to eat dairy products, fish and eggs.

Syropust ends with Forgiven Sunday. In 2024, it falls on March 17. On this day, lay people ask for each other’s forgiveness in order to enter into a fast reconciled with their neighbors.

This is the last day before Easter when you can still eat fish, dairy products and eggs.

Peter’s fast (Petrivka)

In 2024, this fast will not be due to the late Easter.

For believers who still want to fast, the church offers the period from July 1 to 5, after the feast of App. Peter and Paul.

Assumption fast

Spasivka or Assumption Fast 2024 will last from August 1 to 14.

This is a fast in honor of the Assumption Day, which is celebrated on August 15.

Christmas fast

Christmas Lent this year falls on the period from November 15 to December 24.

It is also called Philip’s or Philip’s Day, because it falls on the day after the feast of the Apostle Philip (November 14).

One-day fasts

In addition to Wednesday and Friday each week, there are a number of days on which you should fast:

• Epiphany, the day before Epiphany – January 5;
• Beheading of John the Baptist – August 29;
• Exaltation of the Holy Cross – September 14.

How to prepare for fasting

Archimandrite Konstantin Marchenko, the abbot of the Zhydychyna monastery says that there is no universal instruction for preparing for fasting. First of all, he advises you to honestly assess your health and understand whether the state of the body allows you to adhere to the established restrictions. If so, adjust yourself morally, show obedience and make a decision for yourself to observe the fast.

“This is the period when we, as people who have dignity, not pride, but dignity, should ask ourselves the question: Can I live without meat? Can I live without dairy? Without too much fun? No coffee? Can I or can’t I?“, the priest explains.

Father Konstantin also advises paying special attention to things that are particularly difficult to give up. Refraining from them can be the first step in working on yourself and in the future in observing the fast as the church teaches, or it will be a solution if the entire fast does not allow you to withstand health.

“Knowing your problems, knowing your characteristics and tendencies, you should focus on your biggest problems. For someone it is coffee, for someone it is sweets, for someone it is an incessant fluttering of the tongue. And if we want any result from fasting, we need to find this flaw, this tendency and work with it“, the abbot of the monastery emphasizes.