Dear brothers and sisters,
After celebrating the Sunday of All Saints, yesterday, today sees the beginning of the Apostles’ Fast, which will last until the feast of the Holy Chiefs of the Apostles Peter and Paul, on 12 July – new style.
In Alexandria, Jerusalem and Antioch, this Fast originated as a post Trinity-Pentecost Fast, as a time of spiritual purification and struggle, so that we might be personally granted the gift of the Holy Spirit.
This understanding is evident in the words of St Leo the Great, Pope of Old Rome (†461),
“After the long feast of Pentecost, fasting is especially necessary to purify our thoughts and render us worthy to receive the Gifts of the Holy Spirit … Therefore, the salutary custom was established of fasting after the joyful days during which we celebrated the resurrection and ascension of our Lord, and the coming of the Holy Spirit.”
Past observance saw local variations in the length of this Fast, ranging from a week to a whole forty days. However, though the Fast commences on a moveable date (depending on the Pascha-Pentecostarion cycle) we now conclude the fast on the fixed date of the feast of the Holy Chief Apostles, varying from 8 days to 42 days.
As always, it is far more important that our fasting begins within us – with abstinence from sin – but the dietary Fast is one which helps us to put aside earthly cares, to pray MORE as we eat and cook LESS. We should not simply be changing ingredients, but moderating the amount we eat.
As in all Fasts, we give up all meat, eggs, and dairy food, striving to keep the fast from oil, and only partaking of wine/alcohol on days when it is blessed by the Church. During the Apostles Fast, we are permitted fish on Saturdays and Sundays, and on several other feasts.
Here is a summary of this year’s Fast, including some feasts, some of which explain the relaxation of the Fast on days which would usually be observed with a stricter fasting-regime. We are always aware that there is some variation in calendars, but follow ROCOR usage from the St Innocent and Jordanville calendars:
Monday June 20 N.S. – Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)
Tuesday June 21 N.S. – Fast. Wine and oil.
Wednesday June 22 N.S. – Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)
Thursday June 23 N.S. – Fast. Wine and oil.
Friday June 24 N.S. – Fast. Wine and oil. Holy Apostles Bartholomew and Barnabas (1st c.)
Saturday June 25 N.S. – Fast. Fish, wine and oil.
Sunday June 26 N.S. – Fast. Fish, wine and oil.
Monday June 27 N.S. – Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)
Tuesday June 28 N.S. – Fast. Fish, wine and oil. St. Jonah, Metropolitan of Moscow (1461).
Wednesday June 29 N.S. – Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)
Thursday June 30 N.S. – Fast. Wine and oil.
Friday July 1 N.S. – Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)
Saturday July 2 N.S. – Fast. Fish, wine and oil.
Sunday July 3 N.S. – Fast. Fish, wine and oil.
Monday July 4 N.S. – Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)
Tuesday July 5 N.S. – Fast. Wine and oil.
Wednesday July 6 N.S. – Fast. Wine and oil. The Meeting of the Vladimir Icon
Thursday July 7 N.S. – Fast. Fish, wine and oil. Nativity of St. John the Baptist.
Friday July 8 N.S. – Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)
Saturday July 9 N.S. – Fast. Fish, wine and oil.
Sunday July 10 N.S. – Fast. Fish, wine and oil.
Monday July 11 N.S. – Fast. Fish, wine and oil. Venerable Fathers Sergius and Herman (14th c.), abbots of Valaam. Icon of the Mother of God ‘Of the Three Hands’
May God bless you all, and remember that even though it is not great Lent, it does not mean that this Fast is not important.
In Christ – Hieromonk Mark