Text: Evgenia Bagma

Lent- This is a multi-day strict fast. But only those who have been fasting for more than a year, or church ministers, are able to observe all its instructions. What is strict fasting and is it obligatory to keep it?

The meaning and severity of fasting

Lent lasts 48 days, and believers must be prepared to observe this strict fast. However, its observance should not turn into self-torture, because its religious goal is self-restraint for the sake of obedience to the Church and fidelity to Christ. In this way, Orthodox fasters cultivate their willpower, deny themselves certain things, and thereby demonstrate loyalty to God and readiness for the trials that may befall them. The forces that are released during strict fasting (since a person spends less time at the table, visiting and having fun), an Orthodox Christian should spend on spiritual life, helping others. If a strict fast becomes unbearable for the fasting person, he feels unwell, and his body experiences stress, then the meaning of such fasting is lost.

During these 48 days, the severity of fasting on certain days may vary. So there are several degrees of strictness of fasting - from the easiest days to the most difficult. Maslenitsa is one of the easiest days - you can eat everything on it, except meat products, i.e. and milk, and eggs and fish. A little more difficult - fish days. The next most difficult days are the days on which hot (boiled, cooked) food with vegetable oil, then - without oil. Finally, dry eating is a diet consisting of cold food without oil and cold drink. The strictest days are those on which you should completely abstain from food.

Who can observe strict fasting?

Strict fasting is difficult for an ordinary secular person, so usually only monks, church ministers, or experienced fasters can do it. If you decide to observe a strict fast, you should consult with your confessor, doctor, or independently determine the degree of strictness for yourself, depending on how you feel. If you are observing a strict fast for the first time, you should not immediately strictly follow its prescriptions and instructions; reduce the amount of animal products and vegetable oil gradually. Otherwise days strict fasting will negatively affect your health.

Sick people, elderly people and children, as well as pregnant women are usually exempt from strict fasting. Relaxations are also allowed for those who are on the move. Doctors do not recommend giving up fish to schoolchildren, students and those who are involved in active mental activity.

Strict fasting - ordeal For modern man, not accustomed to limiting himself in anything and abusing animal food. Therefore, when starting days of strict fasting, you should listen to your body and sensations. Strict fasting should not become stressful, but, on the contrary, bring you benefits and cleansing - both physical and spiritual.

The products that are prohibited from being eaten during fasting are all products for the production of which raw materials of animal origin were used. First of all, the ban applies to meat and any meat products, as well as poultry and eggs. Milk and everything connected with it are prohibited: butter, sour cream, cottage cheese, fermented milk products and drinks, cheeses. During fasting, it is prohibited to eat pasta, white and rich bread, cakes, cookies, waffles and any pastries that contain butter, eggs and milk. Don’t forget, there is also mayonnaise, because eggs are also used to prepare it.

Some foods, such as fish and vegetable oil, can only be eaten on those days of fasting that are considered non-strict, although vegetable oil does not have animal origin. The ban also applies to chocolate and fast food, which are high in fat. During fasting, you should not drink alcoholic beverages, including beer.

Post by day of the week

On some days of the week, fasting may be more strict, and on some days, including those falling on Sunday, some relaxations may be allowed. So, Monday, Wednesday and Friday are days of strict fasting and dry eating. On these days, you can only eat foods that have not been subjected to heat treatment; adding vegetable oil is also excluded. On days of strict fasting, you can only eat black bread, vegetables and fruits, washing them down with water or unsweetened compote. If you are making salads these days, you can only use lemon juice mixed with a little honey for dressing.

You should not go hungry while fasting, especially if you have not denied yourself food before. This is fraught with problems with bile secretion and erosive processes in the gastrointestinal tract.

Hot dishes can be eaten on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but on these days it is prohibited to add oil to them. But Saturday is the day of relaxation, when you can finally fry fish or vegetables in vegetable oil and add it to salads.

Proper nutrition during fasting

And during fasting, your diet can be healthy. Replace any animal protein missing in your diet with foods that contain proteins. plant origin. First of all, these are mushrooms and legumes: lentils, peas, chickpeas. The missing fats are found in nuts, and iron in apples, buckwheat, and bananas.

Remember that while observing religious fasts, you should not immediately fall into the sin of gluttony upon completion; this is harmful not only to the soul, but also to health.

Mayonnaise, which contains both butter and eggs, is not allowed as a sauce, so it is best to dress salads soy sauce or lemon juice.

It is prohibited to consume any alcohol, despite the fact that natural recipes it must have a vegetable character. This is due to the fact that fasting is primarily a cleansing of the soul, and not, and alcohol for a person is an excess, not a necessity.

Please note

The exception regarding fish concerns only Palm Sunday and the Annunciation. Fish is allowed on these days.

The diet of a nursing mother should be complete and include foods with high content vitamins and microelements vital for a newborn baby. However, there are a number of restrictions in the mother’s diet, since not all foods will benefit her and her newborn baby.

Reasons for refusal

When breastfeeding, mothers should follow special diet, recommended by pediatricians and based on many years of experience of previous generations. Otherwise it may affect the child. Excessive use eating some foods is dangerous allergic dermatitis, popularly called diathesis, infant colic and increased gas formation, and also feeling unwell and often the mother herself.

Most strict dietary restrictions apply to the first month of a child’s life. Over time, new products can be gradually introduced.

First of all, keep in mind that each baby has its own individual reaction to foods in the diet. What is well tolerated by one will cause problems for another.

Dairy and fermented milk products

One of the most common pieces of advice that women who have recently given birth hear is to be sure to drink cow's milk. No less often, in order to increase lactation, it is advised to drink several cups of black tea with condensed milk every day.

If you like to drink tea with herbs, you should not get carried away with sage, it reduces lactation.

Maybe these drinks really count breast milk and make it taste sweeter. The pitfall is that a fairly large percentage do not tolerate protein well in the first months after birth. cow's milk. This is biologically determined and is not a disease. If you notice your baby has rashes on the face and body, a yellow seborrheic crust on the head or other allergy symptoms, reduce the amount of milk consumed. Fermented milk products, cottage cheese, sour cream are considered more acceptable in the mother’s diet.

Confectionery

All sorts of sweets like cakes, sweets, pastries, etc. should also be limited, ideally completely excluded from the diet. Confectionery very often contain harmful transgenic fats, margarine and artificial additives. In general, try to reduce the amount of food with chemical colors and preservatives and eat natural products.

A pediatric nutritionist or breastfeeding specialist will help clarify the situation regarding the effect of foods on a particular child.

Products that cause allergies

The nursing diet should be hypoallergenic. Allergies are often caused by products containing cocoa beans (cocoa, chocolate, candies). Use large quantity eggs, nuts, honey, canned food, citrus fruits and berries can cause allergic reaction. It should also not be abused fresh vegetables and fruits, especially if you often have digestive problems.

Avoid drinking too much carbonated drinks and coffee.

Alcohol abuse during lactation

The most important rule that a nursing woman must follow unquestioningly is an absolute exception. alcoholic drinks! Drinking alcohol in 100% of cases affects the composition and quality of breast milk; alcohol enters the child’s body and can affect its motor development.

Medicines and breastfeeding

Majority medicines are also prohibited. Before taking any pill, read the instructions carefully. In the vast majority of cases, the lactation period is included. If you are sick, it is best not to risk it, go to see a doctor and get advice about taking certain medications in your chest.

Video on the topic

Sources:

Products prohibited breastfeeding

February 15 The longest and strictest of the Orthodox fasts begins - Great Lent 2010.

A little about posts

The Orthodox Church commands its children to lead a moderate lifestyle, especially highlighting days and periods of compulsory abstinence - fasting. Fasting is days when we should think more about God, about our sins before God, pray more, repent, not get irritated, not offend anyone, but on the contrary, help everyone, i.e. focus on your soul.

To make this easier, you must first of all give up fast food (products of animal origin) and eat only “fast” food, that is, plant food: bread, vegetables, fruits, since hearty food makes us want not to pray , and sleep, or, conversely, frolic. The Old Testament righteous fasted, and Christ Himself fasted.

The practice of Orthodox fasting is incredibly developed - according to the traditional church (Julian) calendar, in some years the number fast days reaches two hundred. They are dedicated to Orthodox holidays, forming an annual liturgical circle, and are divided into multi-day and one-day ones.

Multi-day posts

There are four multi-day fasts a year.

The longest and most severe is Lent, which lasts seven weeks before Easter. The strictest of them are the First and the Last, Passionate. This fast was established in memory of the Savior's forty-day fast in the desert.

Close in severity to the Great Assumption Fast, but it is shorter - from August 14 to 27. With this fast, the Holy Church honors the Most Holy Theotokos, Who, standing before God, invariably prays for us. During these strict fasts, fish can be eaten only three times - on the holidays of the Annunciation Holy Mother of God(April 7), the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem (a week before Easter) and the Transfiguration of the Lord (August 19).

* This means that olives are used instead of vegetable oil.

(Note: The Rule fully applies to the monastic practice of Palestine (see). The laity determine their norm individually, preferably with the blessing of the priest)

Dates are indicated according to the new style

In Russian Orthodox Church There are four multi-day fasts, fasts on Wednesday and Friday throughout the year (except for five weeks), and three one-day fasts.

The Savior himself was led by spirit into the desert, was tempted by the devil for forty days and did not eat anything during these days. The Savior began the work of our salvation with fasting. Great Lent is a fast in honor of the Savior Himself, and the last Holy Week this 48-day fast is in honor of the memory of last days earthly life, suffering and death of Jesus Christ.

Fasting is observed with particular strictness during the first and passionate weeks.

On the first two days of Lent, as well as on Good Friday, the Typikon instructs monks to completely abstain from food. The rest of the time: Monday, Wednesday, Friday - dry food (water, bread, fruits, vegetables, compotes); Tuesday, Thursday - hot food without oil; Saturday, Sunday - food with vegetable oil.

Fish is allowed on the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and on Palm Sunday. On Lazarus Saturday it is allowed fish roe. On Good Friday there is a tradition of not eating food until the shroud is taken out (usually this service ends at 15-16 hours).

On Monday of the Week of All Saints, the Fast of the Holy Apostles begins, established before the Feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul. The continuation of fasting varies depending on how early or late Easter occurs.

It always starts on All Saints Monday and ends on July 12th. The longest Petrov fast consists of six weeks, and the shortest one is a week and a day. This fast was established in honor of the Holy Apostles, who, through fasting and prayer, prepared for the worldwide preaching of the Gospel and prepared their successors in the work of saving service.

Strict fasting (dry eating) on Wednesday and Friday. On Monday you can have hot food without oil. On other days - fish, mushrooms, cereals with vegetable oil.

August 14 - August 27

A month after the Apostolic Fast, the multi-day Dormition Fast begins. It lasts two weeks - from August 14 to 27. With this fast, the Church calls us to imitate the Mother of God, who, before her resettlement to heaven, constantly remained in fasting and prayer.

Monday, Wednesday, Friday - . Tuesday, Thursday - hot food without oil. On Saturday and Sunday, food with vegetable oil is allowed.

This fast was established so that we can adequately prepare for the grace-filled union with the born Savior.

If the feast of the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple falls on Wednesday or Friday, then fish is permitted by the charter. After the day of remembrance of St. Nicholas and before the forefeast of Christmas, fish is allowed on Saturday and Sunday. On the eve of the holiday, the charter prohibits eating fish on all days; on Saturday and Sunday - food with oil.

On Christmas Eve, it is not customary to eat food until the first star appears, after which they eat sochi - wheat grains boiled in honey or boiled rice with raisins.

Solid weeks

Week- week from Monday to Sunday. These days there is no fasting on Wednesday and Friday.

There are five continuous weeks:

Publican and Pharisee- 2 weeks before Lent,

Cheese ()- week before Lent (no meat),

Easter (Light)- week after Easter,

Trinity- week after Trinity.

Wednesday and Friday

Those who are sick and engaged in hard work are allowed some relief so that Christians have strength to pray and necessary labor, but eating fish on the wrong days, and even more so the full permission of fasting, is rejected by the charter.

One-day posts

Epiphany Christmas Eve - January 18, on the eve of the Epiphany. On this day, Christians prepare for cleansing and consecration with holy water on the feast of Epiphany.

- September 27. The memory of the Savior's suffering on the cross for the salvation of the human race. This day is spent in prayer, fasting, and contrition for sins.

One-day fasts are days of strict fasting (except Wednesday and Friday). Fish is prohibited, but food with vegetable oil is allowed.

About meals on holidays

According to the Church Charter, there is no fasting on the holidays of the Nativity of Christ and Epiphany, which happened on Wednesday and Friday. On Christmas and Epiphany Eves and on the holidays of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord and the Beheading of John the Baptist, food with vegetable oil is allowed. On the feasts of the Presentation, Transfiguration of the Lord, Dormition, Nativity and Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, Her Entry into the Temple, the Nativity of John the Baptist, the Apostles Peter and Paul, John the Theologian, which occurred on Wednesday and Friday, as well as in the period from Easter to Trinity on Wednesday and Friday Fish allowed.

Orthodox church calendar fasts and meals for 2019 indicating and brief description multi-day and one-day fasts and continuous weeks.

Church Orthodox calendar of fasts and meals for 2019

Fasting is not in the belly, but in the spirit
Popular proverb

Nothing in life comes without difficulty. And in order to celebrate the holiday, you need to prepare for it.
In the Russian Orthodox Church there are four multi-day fasts, fasting on Wednesday and Friday throughout the year (except for a few weeks), and three one-day fasts.

In the first four days of the first week of Great Lent (from Monday to Thursday), the Great (Repentant) Canon, the work of the brilliant Byzantine hymnographer St. Andrew of Crete (8th century), is read during the evening service.

ATTENTION! Below you will find information about dry eating, food without oil and days of complete abstinence from food. All this is a long-standing monastic tradition, which even in monasteries cannot always be observed in our time. Such strictness of fasting is not for the laity, and the usual practice is abstaining from eggs, dairy and meat foods during fasting and during strict fasting also abstaining from fish. For all possible questions and about your individual measure of fasting, you need to consult your confessor.

Dates are indicated according to the new style.

Calendar of fasts and meals for 2019

Periods		Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
from March 11 to April 27		xerophagy	hot without oil	xerophagy	hot without oil	xerophagy	hot with butter	hot with butter
Spring meat eater				fish		fish
from June 24 to July 11		hot without oil	fish	xerophagy	fish	xerophagy	fish	fish
Summer carnivore				xerophagy		xerophagy
from 14 to 27 August		xerophagy	hot without oil	xerophagy	hot without oil	xerophagy	hot with butter	hot with butter
Autumn meat eater				xerophagy		xerophagy
from November 28, 2019 to January 6, 2020	until December 19	hot without oil	fish	xerophagy	fish	xerophagy	fish	fish
	December 20 – January 1	hot without oil	hot with butter	xerophagy	hot with butter	xerophagy	fish	fish
	January 2-6	xerophagy	hot without oil	xerophagy	hot without oil	xerophagy	hot with butter	hot with butter
Winter meat eater				fish		fish

in 2019

The Savior himself was led by spirit into the desert, was tempted by the devil for forty days and did not eat anything during these days. The Savior began the work of our salvation by fasting. Great Lent is a fast in honor of the Savior Himself, and the last passionate week of this forty-eight-day fast is established in honor of the memory of the last days of earthly life, the suffering and death of Jesus Christ.
Fasting is observed with particular strictness during the first and passionate weeks.
Accepted on Clean Monday complete abstinence from food. The rest of the time: Monday, Wednesday, Friday - dry food (water, bread, fruits, vegetables, compotes); Tuesday, Thursday – hot food without oil; Saturday, Sunday – food with vegetable oil.
Fish is allowed on the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and on Palm Sunday. Fish caviar is allowed on Lazarus Saturday. IN good friday You cannot eat food before the shroud is taken out.

in 2019

On Monday of the Week of All Saints, the Fast of the Holy Apostles begins, established before the Feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul. This post is called summer. The continuation of fasting varies depending on how early or late Easter occurs.
It always starts on All Saints Monday and ends on July 12th. The longest Petrov fast consists of six weeks, and the shortest one is a week and a day. This fast was established in honor of the Holy Apostles, who, through fasting and prayer, prepared for the worldwide preaching of the Gospel and prepared their successors in the work of saving service.
Strict fasting (dry eating) on Wednesday and Friday. On Monday you can have hot food without oil. On other days - fish, mushrooms, cereals with vegetable oil.

in 2019

From August 14 to August 27, 2019.
A month after the Apostolic Fast, the multi-day Dormition Fast begins. It lasts two weeks - from August 14 to 27. With this fast, the Church calls us to imitate the Mother of God, who, before her resettlement to heaven, constantly remained in fasting and prayer.
Monday, Wednesday, Friday – dry eating. Tuesday, Thursday – hot food without oil. On Saturday and Sunday, food with vegetable oil is allowed.
On the day of the Transfiguration of the Lord (August 19), fish is allowed. Fish day in Assumption, if it falls on Wednesday or Friday.

in 2019

Christmas (Filippov) fast. At the end of autumn, 40 days before the great feast of the Nativity of Christ, the Church calls us to winter fasting. It is called both Filippov, because it begins after the day dedicated to the memory of the Apostle Philip, and Rozhdestvensky, because it occurs before the feast of the Nativity of Christ.
This fast was established in order for us to offer a grateful sacrifice to the Lord for the collected earthly fruits and to prepare for a gracious union with the born Savior.
The charter about food coincides with the charter of Peter's Fast, until the day of St. Nicholas (December 19).
If the Feast of the Entry of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the Temple falls on Wednesday or Friday, then fish is allowed. After the feast day of St. Nicholas and before the forefeast of Christmas, fish is allowed on Saturday and Sunday. On the eve of the feast, you cannot eat fish on all days; on Saturday and Sunday - food with oil.
On Christmas Eve you cannot eat food until the first star appears, after which it is customary to eat sochivo - wheat grains boiled in honey or boiled rice with raisins.

Solid weeks in 2019

Week– week from Monday to Sunday. These days there is no fasting on Wednesday and Friday.
There are five continuous weeks:
Christmastide– from January 7 to January 17,
Publican and Pharisee– 2 weeks before
Cheese (Maslenitsa)– week before (no meat)
Easter (Light)– week after Easter
- week after Trinity.

Fasting on Wednesday and Friday

Weekly fast days are Wednesday and Friday. On Wednesday, fasting was established in memory of the betrayal of Christ by Judas, on Friday - in memory of the suffering on the cross and death of the Savior. On these days of the week, the Holy Church prohibits the consumption of meat and dairy foods, and during the week of All Saints before the Nativity of Christ, one should also abstain from fish and vegetable oil. Only when the days of celebrated saints fall on Wednesday and Friday is vegetable oil allowed, and on the biggest holidays, such as Intercession, fish.
Those who are sick and engaged in hard work are allowed some relief, so that Christians have the strength to pray and do the necessary work, but eating fish on the wrong days, and especially the full permission of fasting, is rejected by the statute.

One-day posts

Epiphany Christmas Eve– January 18, on the eve of the Epiphany. On this day, Christians prepare for cleansing and consecration with holy water on the feast of Epiphany.
Beheading of John the Baptist– September 11. This is the day of remembrance and death of the great prophet John.
Exaltation of the Holy Cross– September 27. The memory of the Savior's suffering on the cross for the salvation of the human race. This day is spent in prayer, fasting, and contrition for sins.
One-day posts– days of strict fasting (except Wednesday and Friday). Fish is prohibited, but food with vegetable oil is allowed.

Orthodox holidays. About meals on holidays

When marriage is not performed

On the eve of Wednesday and Friday of the whole year (Tuesday and Thursday), Sundays (Saturday), twelve days, temple and great holidays; in continuation of the posts: Veliky, Petrov, Uspensky, Rozhdestvensky; in continuation of Christmastide, on Meat Week, during Cheese Week (Maslenitsa) and on Cheese Week; during Easter (Bright) week and on the days of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross - September 27.

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