Saint Michael the Archangel

What is the difference between fasting and abstinence?

Fasting means to go without food or drink for a determined period of time or to limit the amount of food one consumes. Abstinence is to abstain from eating certain foods, for a period of time.

What is the Church's teaching on fasting & abstinence?

Following the Lord's teaching, the Church asks the faithful to fast on certain days and to abstain from meat and also from dairy products on certain days.

Doesn't the Bible teach that, according to the New Covenant, all food is good ?

Yes. Referring to foods considered unclean by the Jews, the Lord told the Chief Apostle St. Peter: "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean" (Acts11:9). In the Old Law, God asked His Chosen People to avoid certain kinds of food altogether. The New Covenant removed these regulations, which were based on provisional ceremonial laws that separated Jews and Gentiles. The New Israel of the Church brings Jews and Gentiles together as the new People of God. 

Is Christian fasting not harmful to the body, given to us by God Himself?

Fasting is going without food for a certain period of time. As any human appetite, food can become addictive, or take too much of our human focus. Fasting is an act of the will, whereby we willingly deny ourselves. Self denial helps us control our appetites. But to be Christian, fasting must always be combined with prayer. Fasting without humble prayer can lead to a demonic pride in our own works. Fasting with the body should lead us to a greater freedom for the spirit.

Which days are fast days in the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church?

After the Second Vatican Council, our Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Synod reduced the official fast days to two: The First Day of of the Great Fast (Great Lent) and Great Friday.

How are the faithful to observe a fast day?

On fast days, we totally abstain from meat and dairy products and take only one full meal. Other meals should be of smaller proportions, like snacks. As mentioned above, the focus of the fasting is to enter into deeper prayer and union with Our Lord.

Which days are days of abstinence in our Church?

Ukrainian Greek-Catholics are traditionally called to abstain from meat on Fridays (and Wednesdays) of the year and on the following days: The Beheading of St. John the Baptist (August 29), the Eve of the Nativity of Our Lord (December 24), the Eve of Theophany (January 5), and the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (September 14).

How can we remember all those days of abstinence?

With only a tiny effort. Parishioners receive a church calendar, on which days of fasting and abstinence are usually marked with a large fish symbol.

Why do we avoid only meat on days of abstinence?

Centuries ago, the Church, using the Power of the Keys ("Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven." Mt 16:9), chose one particular food from which we can abstain without inordinate difficulty. It is simple to remember to avoid meat on a day of abstinence. In the modern world, we have all sorts of healthy food, other than meat, to choose from.

Are all the faithful required to fast and abstain?

Our Church asks only those from 14-59 years of age to fast and abstain on designated days. Many people over 60 generously choose to continue to observe the Church's regulations, which they and their families consistently practiced throughout their lives. Similarly, young children will eat the food that is served in the household. That said, unlike the canonical regulations of the Latin Church, the laws pertaining to fast and abstinence in the Eastern Churches are not "binding under pain of sin." Remember, the Church invites us as disciples of Christ to enter into days of fasting and abstinence in order to unite our body, soul and spirit more closely with Our Lord. We must strive to fulfill this calling with great love and humility and unity with our brethren.

What about the sick?

Those who are seriously ill should not fast or abstain from meat, if it will harm them. God gave us the gift of our body; we must moderate our appetites with fasting and abstinence, but not harm that body.

What if you must attend an important meal on a Friday?

In many Christian countries, even in restaurants, fish is featured on Fridays. When others see us observing the Church's disciplines, we are setting a good example of how much we value our faith and its practices. In our own homes we should follow the Church's practice, but when invited to others' homes, we should never insult them by refusing what they have prepared for us. Charity is the fulfillment of any earthly law, especially as it pertains to small matters of earthly food and drink.

Can a priest give dispensation to eat meat on a day of fasting or abstinence?

Your own parish priest has the jurisdiction to dispense you. Dispensations should not be refused the faithful, except in grave necessity. The point of a dispensation is the self-denial of the will that a Christian must practice by approaching their spiritual father.

What if a feastday falls on a Wednesday or a Friday?

We are not asked to fast or abstain on feastdays which are days of celebration. Check your calendar to be certain.

What about Fridays immediately following a Great Feast?

Great Feasts of our Lord and the Theotokos are celebrated for a full eight days (octave). Thus, Fridays following Great Feasts are exempt from the discipline of abstinence. We refer to those days as zahalnytsia or "privileged."

Should we limit our self-denial to official days of fasting?

Although the Church has greatly relaxed the obligation to fast and abstain, Christians should do so of their own free will, when and if they are able. More important than food, we need to control our other desires through other types of self-denial. Abstaining from sin is the goal of physical self-denial.

What about other traditional days of fasting and abstinence?

In the past, there were many designated days of fasting and abstinence, especially in teh Great Fast and St. Philip's Fast (the Nativity Fast). Today, Christians are still invited to observe the traditional fasts if they so choose or are guided to do so under the direction of a spiritual father.

What about fish, oil and wine?

As stated above, Ukrainian Greek Catholics are required to fast on two days of the year and to abstain from meat on Wednesdays and Fridays. Other Churches may oblige or reccommend their faithful to abstain from fish, oil and wine. Geared to a mediteranean diet, these regulations do not pertain to our Church.

What other ways do we practice self-denial in Lent?

Besides fasting and abstinence, throughout Great Lent we should strive to refrain from joyous celebrations, dancing and other entertainments. When in doubt, you can approach your priest to discuss the matter.

Does "Advent" exist in the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church?

Ukrainian Greek-Catholics refer to the pre-Christmas fast period as Pylypivka or St. Philip's Fast, as it always begins on the feast of St. Philip the Apostle, November 14. Unlike the Latin Church, our Nativity Fast is not a liturgical season; we do not see any changes in the Divine Liturgy, Vespers or Matins. Traditionally, we abstained from meat on Wednesdays and Fridays of Pylypivka and the Great Fast.

Doesn't fasting and abstinence belong to a culture of the past?

No. Christ taught us that certain evils "can only be driven out by prayer and fasting" (Mt 17:21). Self-denial and penance are direct teachings of Christ, are part of our priestly service in the Church as its baptized members and can never be changed by the Church. The Church through her shepherds, the bishops, often asks the faithfull to fast and pray for peace and for other important intentions.