Fasting Guide
“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting”
Fasting Seasons
“Winter: The Nativity Fast (40 days)
Spring: The Great Fast (40 days)
Summer: The Apostles Fast (varies, but not too long)
Autumn: The Dormition Fast…ok early autumn, very early autumn, but you get the drift.”
source: Byzimom
Traditional Strict Fast
Meatweek
Use up all the meat in the house
Meatfare
Last day to eat meat
Cheeseweek
Use up all the dairy and eggs in the house
Cheesefare
Last day to eat dairy & eggs
Great Fast
Weekdays
Only ONE meal per day, after noon
Weekends
Up to TWO meals per day
Abstaining
No: Eggs, meat, dairy, vertebrate fish, oil, or wine
Great & Holy Week
Same as Great Fast. Also, no food cooked in oil on Holy Saturday
Allowances (Exceptions)
The Annunciation & Palm Sunday
Vertebrate Fish allowed
Weekends & Feast Days (1st & 2nd Finding of the Head of St. John the Baptist, Forty Martyrs of Sebaste; Day before The Annunciation, The Annunciation, and after The Annunciation. Also any patronal feasts of your particular parish.)
Oil & Wine allowed
Minimum Fast
Great Fast
No meat on Wednesdays and Fridays
Clean Monday
ONE meal, no meat, eggs, dairy
Great & Holy Week
Wednesday Friday of Great & Holy Week
No meat
Friday of Great & Holy Week
ONE meal, no meat, eggs, dairy
Fasting Disciplines
Corporal
by which we give up certain foods, drinks and amusements, in order to break the hold that such things may have over us.
Spiritual
by which we seek to turn from any sin or evil habits in our lives, so that we may come into God's presence well-prepared to celebrate our Lord's Resurrection and our redemption.
Renewal
by which we seek a greater practice of the virtues, a deeper life of prayer, repentance for our sins, and a greater conversion (metanoia) of heart, which manifests itself in good works. All of these are oriented to a deeper union with God – theosis.