Resource Page:
Fasting in the Orthodox Church
The Purpose of Fasting
Orthodox Christians fast for a variety of different reasons; for our spiritual benefit, as an act of asceticism and as a means of combating the passion of gluttony. Fasting is a form of sacrifice - something that we are able to offer to God.
The Practicalities of Fasting
For a person beginning in their journey as an Orthodox Christian, the question of fasting will occur very quickly. This is rightly so: we fast together as part of our liturgical year as a community.
Typically, a church calendar will include various levels of fasting. The standardised levels of fasting are:
- No animal meat (e.g. lamb, chicken, pork, etc).
- No animal meat, nor animal products (e.g. eggs, dairy, etc).
- No animal meat, nor animal products, nor fish.
- No animal meat, nor animal products, nor fish, nor wine (i.e. alcohol) nor oil.
Typically, when parishioners fast, they will be aiming to abstain from animal meat and animal products (sometimes referred to as 'meat & dairy' for short). It should be noted that those beginning to fast are asked to start slowly, with progress worked in consistently.
Before someone new to Orthodoxy begins to fast, they are recommended to discuss their particular situation with Fr Andrew, to ensure a level of fasting that is to their spiritual benefit.
Orthodox Christians typically fast from meat and animal products (e.g. eggs and dairy) on Wednesdays and Fridays, as well as other designated fasting periods during the year. (Crab, calamari and other crustacea are permitted when fasting).
The below clip is from our Catechism Course - Entering the Kingdom. It talks about why we fast:
{youtube}https://youtu.be/WkzJSZpB02E?t=1930{/youtube}
(from 32:10 to 44:48)
"When you fast..."
- Wednesdays and Fridays
- Great Lent and Holy Week - the weeks leading up to Easter
- The Nativity Fast (Advent Fast) - the 40 days leading up to Christmas
- The Apostles Fast - in preparation for the Saints Peter & Paul Feastday
- The Dormition Fast - in preparation for the feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God
- Particular individual days:
- Eve of Theophany
- Beheading of St John the Baptist
- Elevation of the Holy Cross
When preparing to receive Holy Communion, Orthodox Christians will keep a total fast ('nil by mouth') for at least 8 hours before partaking of Communion. This means that if you are having Communion in the morning you will typically not have breakfast or drink anything that morning.
It's important to keep in mind that fasting is not purely about the food that is eaten. The fasting periods are a time to take stock and to deepen your spiritual life. During the fasting periods we should be aiming to increase our prayer, scripture reading, almsgiving and to participate in Holy Communion as much as we are able to.
Fasting resources
Our church calendar notes the fasting days throughout the year.
Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in Baltimore produces a free Orthodox calendar. This calendar has some of the saints of the days, the Scripture reading for the day, the Troparia and Kontakia, the fasting days, with information on what foods are permitted on the days. It is available through their website: Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church Calendar and also via the Google Play Store and through the Apple App Store.
Books:
- Food, Faith and Fasting: A Sacred Journey to Better Health by Rita Madden available at: Ancient Faith Store & in Kindle version: Amazon Kindle Version
Eating Out:
Look for Mexican restaurants (such as Zambrero & Guzman y Gomez) where you can have burritos with beans and salad fillings. You can usually have the same ingredients in a bowl for a gluten free alternative (please check with the restaurant for allergens if needed). It's becoming more common for these restaurants to have vegan cheeses and sour cream alternatives available.
Try sushi restaurants where you can get vegan and calamari/crab sushi rolls.
Fish and chip shops are also good for fish allowed days.
Vegan burgers are becoming more popular: the Grill'd burger chain has vegan burgers, along with vegan zucchini, sweet potato and potato fries. Most fast-food chains will have fries and hash browns available, which are typically vegan.
Please check with the restaurants when eating out to make sure that they meet your requirements.
Recipe Link Suggestions:
- Fish Recipes from Woolworths (Please note that some of these recipes also contain dairy)
- Vegetarian Recipes (Please note that some of these recipes also contain dairy)
Easy Meal Ideas:
Breakfast:
Oats, cereals, soy milk, almond milk etc, canned fruits, avocado on toast, raisin bread, bread or toast with jams, Vegemite, peanut butter etc, dairy free Up & Go's.
Snacks:
Fruit, vegetables, hummus/vegan dips, chips, popcorn and dried fruits.
Meals:
Rice or pasta with canned fish, vegetables and pasta sauce.
Soup.
Fish, calamari, prawns etc and chips.
Wraps with canned beans and salad ingredients.
Canned baked beans or spaghetti on toast.
Vegan dumplings.
Salad sandwiches with hummus.
Two minute noodles with added frozen vegetables.
Kraft Vegan instant Mac & Cheese.
Vegan Foods List
Supermarkets products that are vegan friendly
Please note the below list was correct at June 22. This list is not exhaustive. Please check ingredient labels to ensure that foods meet your particular needs.
Coles Brand -
Natures Kitchen (includes; biscuits, frozen items, fridge items and canned items)
Aldi Brand -
Earth Grown (items are in the fridge & freezer sections).
Woolworths Brand -
Plantitude Range (includes; cakes, biscuits, ice cream and microwave meals).
The Woolworths Hot Cross Buns and Gluten Free Hot Cross Buns are vegan.
- Alpro (desserts, alternative milks etc)
- Arnott's:
Cruskits - Corn
Salada Crackers
Shapes - Original BBQ
Jatz & Jatz Cracked Pepper
Raspberry Shortcake Biscuits
Lemon Crisp Cream Biscuits - Praise:
Praise 99% Fat Free Mayonnaise
Praise Deli Style Dijonnaise Mayonnaise - Kellogg's:
Nutri-Grain Cereal
Pop Tarts (Some flavours) eg: Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon
Sultana Bran - BSC - Low Carb Plant Protein Bars (Cookies & Cream, Peanut Choc & Salted Caramel Flavours)
- Campbell's Country Ladle - Farmhouse Vegetable Soup
- Cereals, muesli, cornflakes, rice bubbles, Weet-Bix (and Gluten Free Weet-Bix), Oats etc
- Chupa Chups - Cola, Orange, Lemonade flavours
- Clifbars (many flavours are vegan, including the white chocolate & macadamia flavour)
- Dark Chocolate - some dark chocolates are vegan
- Drinking Chocolates that are made from pure cocoa powder
- Nesquik: Chocolate & Strawberry
- Lots of tomato based pasta sauces
- Massel Stock Cubes - Vegetable
- Mentos - mint flavours
- Minties
- Most 'salt' flavoured packets of chips
- Most frozen chips, hash-browns and potato gems
- Nuttelex Margarine range
- Oreos: original and double stuffed (other flavours may have added dairy)
- Peanut Butter/Vegemite/Jams
- Peter's Frosty Fruits Ice Blocks (or make your own)
- Pez Candy
- Raisin Bread
- So Good Dairy Free Ice Creams
- SPC Baked Beans (Rich Tomato Flavour)
- Sweet William Chocolate and Spread
- Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese
- Tofutti Sour Cream Cheese
- Uncle Toby's Roll Ups
- Up & Go - Dairy Free: Chocolate and Vanilla Flavours
- Vegie Delights Range
- Vego Chocolate and Spread
- Weis Sorberts and their Dairy Free Ice Cream range
- We Love Cake (some of the range is vegan)
- Yoghurts: Chobani, Cocobella, CoYo, Alpro & Vitasoy (plus more)
Breaking the Fast
When it comes to the end of the fasting period, some people find it best to ease back into eating meat and dairy again.
Having soups with meat, eggs and dairy in them can be a good way to gently incorporate these foods back into your diet.
Here are two soup recipes that have dairy, eggs and chicken in them: Avgolemono Soup & Changua Soup.
FAQ for Fasting
Q: When should a child begin to fast?
A: Often the age to begin fasting is around the same as that to begin Confession - that is, somewhere between 7 and 10. This must be done carefully, so as to complement their physical development, as well as their spiritual development.
Q: Do pregnant women fast?
A: No.
Q: What if my question is not addressed here?
A: Please contact Fr Andrew directly.
