Observance of the Christmas fast for some believers is one of the most difficult, since it falls on new year’s holidays. How to eat these days and can I give myself a break? Let’s look at this issue together. For an Orthodox Christian, as a rule, the main holiday is the Nativity of Christ – the day when Jesus Christ was born. At the same time, the new year takes a back seat.
The observance of the Christmas fast, although it lasts for forty days-it begins on November 28 and ends on January 6-is considered far from the most strict. As for food, there are few prohibitions. Most of the fast on Wednesdays and Fridays is supposed to be dry-eating. On Mondays, it is allowed to eat vegetable food, but without vegetable oil. And on Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday, you can eat vegetable food with vegetable oil, as well as fish and wine.
Only in the last week before Christmas does fasting become more strict: Monday, Wednesday, Friday-dry eating; Tuesday, Thursday-vegetable food without vegetable oil; Saturday, Sunday – with vegetable oil. On Christmas eve, which precedes the holiday, many do not eat until the first star.
Our ancestors had no problems with fasting. They prepared simple, but quite rich and varied food. Prepared pickles were put on the table, porridge and soup were cooked, pies with cabbage, mushrooms, and potatoes were baked. They often ate pea or bean stew. Much more attention was paid to spiritual purification during the fast. At this time, it was customary to help the poor and destitute, it was impossible to allow discouragement.
New year’s table, if this holiday is celebrated in the family, can also be lean, but at the same time interesting and diverse. You can also afford wine or champagne, but everything should be in moderation.
Important Church dates
November 26-Saint John Chrysostom’s memorial day. He is revered as one of the main Ecumenical prelates. Helps with any mental disorders.
November 28 – January 6-Christmas fast. One of the four multi-day fasts that precedes the feast of the Nativity of Christ.
December 4-Introduction to the Church of the most Holy Theotokos. Joachim and Anna brought their daughter Mary at the age of three to the temple of the Lord, where she lived until the age of 12.