Taste the Fountain of Immortality

It goes without saying that our faithful should be instructed towards frequent Communion, but under the 'condition of constant guard over the purity of soul, keeping spiritual fasts, guarding the heart, eyes, ears and senses of everything sinful and not only by observing physical fasts ...

Patriarch P A V L E

Prescribed Fasts of our Holy Orthodox Church

Weekly - Fasting is to be observed every Wednesday and Friday unless a Feast Day or Compact Week takes precedence. The Fast on Wednesday is in memory of the betrayal of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Fast on Friday is in remembrance of His Passion and Death upon the Cross.

Compact Weeks (No Fasting) -

· The week fol1owing the Nativity.

· The week following The Sunday of The Publican and The Pharisee.

· The week following Meat Fare Sunday (dairy only, no meat).

· The week following Easter.

· The week following Pentecost.

Advent - (The Fast before Christmas) It begins on November 28 and lasts until the day of the Feast of the Nativity, January 7.

Lent - (The Fast before Easter) It begins forty days before Palm Sunday, which is the Monday after Cheese Fare Sunday. Lent lasts until the evening before Palm Sunday.

Holy Week - This Fast begins the evening of Palm Sunday and lasts through Holy Saturday. It is in honor of our Lord's suffering and Passion.

The Fast of the Holy Apostles - It begins on the Monday following the first Sunday after Pentecost. It ends with The Feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul on July 12.

The Fast of the Dormition of the All-Holy Theotokos - It begins on August 13 and lasts until the day of the Feast on August 28.

Special Fast Days –

· Eve of Epiphany, January 18.

· Beheading of St. John the Baptist, September 11.

· Elevation of the Holy Cross, September 27.

R e member to continue Fasting for Holy Communion by no food after the evening meal (Saturday night) and in addition, no water from midnight until after Communion on Sunday morning.