See what “post” is in other dictionaries. About Christian fasting: what is fasting, when does it begin and how to observe fasting

The fasts were established by God himself.

The first fast was given by God to Adam and Eve in paradise. God commanded that we should not eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Perhaps the tree in question had fruits (apples) that looked the same as the others, but it was said not to eat from this tree, to abstain. And as soon as they ate, they broke the fast, violated the command of God - they were punished and expelled from paradise.

Then God himself, through the prophet Joel, commanded to appoint a fast (Joel 2:15), and by fasting the people were saved. Thus, God commanded through the prophet Zechariah that four fasts of many days should be appointed per year, and through prayer and fasting the people would be saved (Zechariah 8:19-22).

Our Savior, Jesus Christ, the creator of the Universe, who came to earth to save us, came not to break the law, but to fulfill it. He himself fasted for forty days, and He commanded us to fast too. And He himself said that only through prayer and fasting can one drive away the enemy the devil from a person (Matthew 17:21).

Lenten table. Photo: A. Sennikov

The saints of God fasted both in the Old Testament (the prophets Moses, Elijah, etc.) and in the New Testament (St. Paisius, Great Simeon the Stylite and many others). And the Holy Church of Christ, as a pillar and affirmation of the truth (1 Tim. 3:15), like the Old Testament Church, from apostolic times established holy fasts: four multi-day fasts, in addition Wednesday and Friday, and other one-day fasts.

Great Lent and fasting on Wednesday and Friday were established by the holy apostles, as stated in the 69th rule of Sts. Apostle: So that all clergy and laity do not break Lent and the fast of Wednesday and Friday. Lent occurs seven weeks before Easter.

Lent(Lenten) was established in honor of the forty-day fast of the Savior Jesus Christ himself, and the last week - in honor of the suffering of Jesus Christ. And we, fasting during Great Lent, in addition to cleansing ourselves from sins, remove the devil from ourselves, accept the Body and Blood of Christ and listen to the living Word born of the Most Pure Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ, who suffered for us and shed His blood for us and died on the Cross , who opened for us the entrance to the eternal Heavenly palaces. But we, strictly speaking, do not fast, as we should, but every day we eat the food prescribed for fasting, food in quantity according to the state of our strength (Simeon of Thessalonica, p. 426).

Fast of Saints Apostle(Petrovka, Peter's fast) was established in order for us to be granted all the blessings and grace of the Holy Spirit through the teaching and preaching of the holy apostles, for they themselves, with fasting and prayer, after the descent of the Holy Spirit on them, began to preach the word of God (Acts 3 , 2, 1, 14). This fast lasts from the Sunday (week) of all saints, after Trinity, until June 29 (July 12, New Style), judging by Easter and its time, as established by the Holy Church.

Dormition post- from August 1 to August 15 (from August 14 to August 28 according to the current time) - established in honor of Holy Mother of God, who herself often fasted and prayed. And we, out of love for Her, must fast and pray, and ask Her for our constant protection. During this Lent, we remember the Holy Cross (August 1 (14)) and the Transfiguration of Christ (August 6 (19),) and, remembering this, we must motivate ourselves to love the Holy Cross and the Savior in order to be transformed - that is, change , from the bad to become the best - from sinners to saints of God through repentance and communion of the holy Mysteries of the Body and Blood of Christ. This post is also called mistresses.

The fast before the Nativity of Christ from November 15 to December 25 (from November 28 to January 7 according to the present day) is called Rozhdestvensky. It was established so that on the birthday of the Savior we would purify ourselves in repentance through fasting and prayer. So that with a pure heart and soul we can reverently greet Christ our Savior on the day of His Birth and, in addition to the usual gifts and sacrifices, how to present to Him our pure heart, henceforth asking that He always help us to love Him and keep our hearts and souls pure.

Fast Wednesday and Friday established because on Wednesday Jesus Christ was betrayed to death, and on Friday he was crucified, shed His blood for us and died (Simeon of Thessalonica pp. 426-428). We, remembering this boundless love of Christ for us, must show our love to Him in fasting and prayer. That is why Saint Athanasius the Great says that whoever does not fast on Wednesdays and Fridays crucifies Christ on the second (Nomocanon, canon 215).

Holy Fathers Church of Christ The following have also been installed one-day posts:

Christmas Eve January 5 (18) - for our purification and consecration with the holy Epiphany water, as indicated in the rite of consecration of the said water.
August 29 (September 11) - the day of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist. His head was innocently cut off on the occasion of Herod's drunken feast and for the sake of dancing - the dancing of the daughter of his nasty, depraved, illegitimate wife. Out of love for him, a fast was established. The food comes without meat, without milk, without fish, only with vegetable oil.
The same fast was established on September 14 (28), the day of finding Life-giving Cross and its Exaltation, that is, raising it up for people to contemplate. On this day, with fasting and prayer, remembering the death and suffering of Christ, Christians kiss the Holy Cross with reverence, as a symbol of salvation.

Pointing to one-day and multi-day fasts and their timing, we must also know what fasting is.

What is fasting

The word “fasting” means abstinence, mainly abstinence from fast food (from Old Russian fast - “fat, butter”), that is, meat of all kinds, prepared from the meat of animals and birds; all kinds of preparations from dairy products: milk, butter, cheese, eggs, etc. This food, according to church laws, is considered to violate fasting and is not allowed on fasting days, as stated in the explanation of the 69th rule of St. Apostle, especially in the interpretation of St. Theodore Balsamon. He says that if someone is sick and even at the point of death, then he can be allowed to fast, like a sick person, only vegetable oil and fish.

Abstinence in fasting, according to the definition of the Holy Church, comes in different forms.

1. Complete abstinence, complete fasting - that is, on certain days not to eat any food, as indicated in the regulations on fasting, for meticulous diligent people, on Monday and Tuesday of the 1st week of Lent and on Friday Holy Week. It is said about these days that on these days “neither eat bread nor drink water” (Charter on fasting).

2. The next post is xerophagy. That is, not only not to eat meat food, milk and eggs, but also fish, vegetable oil and hot food. Only bread, water and vegetables are allowed. This is how it is indicated to fast during Great Lent and other fasts, on Wednesdays and Fridays (Nomocanon, pr. 220, Small Charter and Solovetsky Charter of the Holy Fathers).

3. Fasting is the same as above, but is permitted hot food and drinking with honey, that is, with sweetness, but without vegetable oil. Mushroom and vegetable food. This is on Tuesday and Thursday of Lent (Solovetsky Charter).

4. Fasting - abstaining from meat, eggs, milk and fish. Allowed only vegetable oil and hot food with kindness. This is on Tuesday and Thursday of all fasts, except for Great Lent and on Saturday and Sunday of Great Lent (Great Charter, Chapter 32).

5. Fasting - abstinence from meat, milk and eggs, is allowed only fish food and vegetable oil. This is on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday of the Nativity and Peter the Great fasts, and on the Polyeleos holidays, where it is marked by the Cross. (Solovetsky Charter, Chapter 29).

6. Abstinence from meat of animals and birds, but permitted dairy products- cheese, eggs. This is during cheese week for every day.

The consumption of animal and poultry meat, as well as all dairy products - cheese, butter, eggs - is allowed on all meat-eating days, except for the indicated multi-day fasts and the fast of Wednesday and Friday.

On continuous weeks: 1) on Easter; 2) on Christmastide, between the feast of the Nativity of Christ and Epiphany; 3) the week of the publican and the Pharisee, two weeks before Lent; 4) week after Trinity. During these weeks and on Wednesdays and Fridays, meat and dairy foods are allowed.

While observing holy fasts, abstaining from meat and dairy foods, as indicated in the holy statutes and church statutes, one should not satiate oneself in nutrition either on fasting days or on modest days. It is good for body and soul.

Keeping fasts, eating variable foods, and especially plant foods, are very beneficial for the body, as evidenced by many doctors and professors of medicine. This is irrefutably confirmed by the lives of ascetics and saints of God, who all their lives ate only plant foods and lived long, were hardy and able to work.

Fasting is a healer of soul and body from all kinds of diseases. The Lord Himself says:

“Nothing can drive away the enemy of the devil and all demons from a person, only through prayer and fasting” (Mark 9:29).

Fasting and its meaning are described in detail in Basil the Great, John Chrysostom, and Ven. Ephraim the Syrian and other saints. fathers.

When fasting, you need both prayer and virtues. To be with everyone in peace and love, not to offend anyone, not to insult anyone, not to have malice, not to argue, not to quarrel, not to slander, not to lie - to abstain from all sins, as the holy fathers of the Church teach. That's what the reverend says. Neil Sorsky:

“During fasting, one must keep oneself away from illicit food, avoid irritability, envy and boastfulness, hot temper, drowsiness, laziness and all kinds of sins” (part 3, book 2 p. 12).

God Himself, through the prophet Isaiah, indicated what kind of fasting was pleasing to Him. He says:

“This is the fast that I have chosen: loose the chains of unrighteousness... set the oppressed free... share your bread with the hungry... Bring the wandering poor into your home. When you see him naked, clothe him, and do not hide yourself from your half-blood... And the glory of the Lord will follow you... And you will have the joy of the Lord... The mouth of the Lord has spoken this” (Isaiah 58: 6-14).

In ancient times, Christians did this. When they fasted, even before fasting they certainly said goodbye to everyone and forgave everyone who had offended them in any way, they forgave debts and all insults. During meals, there was always one extra utensil for one person or more. This part was considered part of Christ and was given to the poor. This is how Christian fasting was accomplished. And in abstaining from unauthorized meat and dairy foods, there was fasting for the soul, and fasting against everything sinful. And a special, earnest prayer with prostrations to the ground, especially the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian and others, so that by fasting and prayer we can remove the enemy the devil from ourselves, remove all sinfulness, and be honored with the eternal palaces of Heaven together with the saints of God.

What is fasting? - the answer is on the Internet on our website.

Posts are messages that are published on forums, online communities, blogs and various websites. Initially given word was used only on web forums, and the top-level (root) posts were called subjects. Over time, the term began to be used almost everywhere. Many services allow you to use not only text information in posts, but also attach pictures, videos, and music to them. Other users have the opportunity to leave their comments, discuss with the author of a particular post, as well as among themselves.

Secrets of creating good and interesting posts

Almost all social services have a kind of rating - they include better posts per week, month or year. This right is granted to those messages and posts that receive the most views, likes (likes), reposts and comments. That is, those that other users liked the most and interested them in.

The dream of any blogger is to write a post that will be in the TOP. However, this is not easy to do. Hundreds, thousands and even millions of diverse messages are published daily on the Internet, 99% of which remain unread by anyone and are lost in total mass. That is why it is worth listening to the advice and recommendations of experienced people to find out how best to write and design a new post in order to draw the attention of the spoiled public to it.

A bright idea is 50% of your success

At first glance, you may get the impression that there is nothing complicated about this, and, therefore, you don’t need any special skills. It would seem, what could be simpler? I found a suitable topic, got inspired and quickly wrote 500-700 characters on the keyboard. However, only those who have never tried to write and publish posts can think this way. Even the search for an idea can take several weeks, because you need something that can truly excite readers. You can find inspiration anywhere: by looking at the best posts of other users, communicating with people on real life, observing and analyzing various events.

Write simple and in clear language, without complex terms and little-known words. Imagine that you are not writing, but talking to a person in person.
In order to convey your opinion and argue for it, give real examples and use comparisons.
Try to avoid professionalism and abbreviations - they will confuse the reader.
Focus on what new things you can tell people, and how this new things will be useful to those who later read your post.
Don't write too long posts. This will bore the reader and force him to simply move on to other posts.

It is important that all the information you use is not only interesting, but also relevant today.

Three pillars on which the post rests

Let's remember school lessons Russian language. A post is essentially a text, a note, a mini-article. This means that it must be logically divided into three parts: beginning, main part and conclusion.

Introduction

The shortest of them, in fact, is the beginning. Essentially, these are a couple of introductory sentences designed to grab the reader's attention. If you fail to “catch” a person’s eye from the very first words, simply no one will read your post. There is another reason, not so important function- it helps to do a little warm-up for the mind and tune the reader to the style and manner of presentation.

Main part

The “heart” of the post is the main part. First of all, you should pay attention to the sequence and logic of presentation. Don't contradict yourself. If at the beginning of the text you put forward a certain thesis, stick to it in the future.

If you are proving your point of view on a particular issue, pay attention to the order in which your arguments are presented. It can be either direct - from weak to strong, or reverse - from the strongest to the weaker, additional ones. Ideally, there should be a relationship between them: that is, each next one seems to stem from the previous one. However, you should not be upset if you fail to build such a “train”: in most cases, the arguments are too diverse to be united according to any principle.

Nevertheless, the gradation must be observed in any case: scattered evidence that is in no way connected with each other, even the most convincing, will confuse the reader and leave him with not the best impressions.

Be careful not to “tread water” and not to retell the same thought in different interpretations, changing only its verbal form. Those who should catch your thought will understand everything without it. And frequent repetitions will most likely cause irritation.

Try to write an emotionally rich, vibrant post. This does not mean that you should turn the text into a fountain of contradictory, enthusiastic epithets, however, a dry set of letters, more reminiscent of an excerpt from some university textbook, is unlikely to please anyone. A bit of humor in a text always makes it more interesting for the reader.

Conclusion

Posts that end abruptly, like TV series, are perceived disgustingly. interesting place. Moreover, unlike the latter, they most often do not have a continuation, and the thought remains unfinished. That is why, when finishing work on your next post, try to summarize and summarize all of the above. Here you can stimulate discussion by asking the audience a relevant, “pressing” question. In rare cases, it is possible to use a “truncated” model, where there is no conclusion, but this option is quite risky.

Bring your text to life!

Now that you know the meaning of the word "post" and the basics of writing such notes, it's time to talk about their formatting. The latter, by the way, in some cases can play a decisive role.

If the size of your post exceeds 300-400 characters, try, if possible, to break it into paragraphs of 3-4 lines each - gray “sheets” are very tiring for the eye and do not allow you to concentrate on the essence of the text.

Attach a thematic picture to your post. Remember that this is what a person will look at first of all. Therefore, it is advisable to choose some funny drawing, an original demotivator or a comic book - something that will interest a person, make him smile and encourage him to read the entire post.

You can add videos. It is desirable that it be of high quality, shot on a good camera, interesting and informative. Duration also matters - few people are inclined to watch 30-40 minute videos during regular Internet surfing. The optimal duration is up to 5 minutes.

Be sure to consider the features target audience, for which you are writing. After all, it goes without saying that young startup entrepreneurs and mothers on maternity leave literally “live in different worlds", they say in different languages and are interested in completely different things.

As you can see, good posts- an art with its own rules and secrets. Of course, no one will give you a guarantee that you will be included in the post rating created by LJ (or any other service). Much depends on the mood of the Internet public, fashion trends and other factors that you cannot influence in any way. However, truly interesting posts, on which the authors work especially painstakingly, will always hit the mark and gain popularity. Good luck!

Any fast, if done correctly, brings only benefits to the body.

However, many still perceive fasting as a kind of punishment, which is fundamentally wrong.

If you know how to eat properly during Lent, then this period will fly by for you.

In addition, you will be surprised how many interesting and varied dishes you can prepare during Lent.

Fasting for Orthodox Christians - what is it?

Fasting is a temporary, voluntary restriction or complete refusal of fast food, as well as a struggle with one’s passions. At this time, you need to refrain not only from fast food, but also from attending entertainment events and establishments of this kind. This is our gratitude to God for his great Sacrifice. Fasting is a kind of treatment that is designed to pacify and lighten the body, as well as disarm passions and curb desires. That's all today more people They try to keep fast, but, unfortunately, many perceive it as a diet, which is fundamentally wrong. Fasting is much more than just not eating. As John of Damascus wrote: “If fasting was all about food, then cows would be holy.”

In fasting, as in everything else, you need to know when to stop. There is no need to rush from one extreme to another. Before you start fasting, consult your confessor or priest. And of course, the post should not become shortcut get to the hospital.

In Orthodoxy there are four multi-day fasts:

Great, Petrov, Assumption and Nativity fasts.

Wednesday and Friday.

One-day posts:

Fasts are appointed on the eve of any holiday or in honor of it.

Lent gives every Orthodox person the opportunity to prepare for Easter. Christ prayed in the desert for forty days, after which he was betrayed and accepted martyrdom on the cross, thereby saving the entire human race from sin. The Orthodox, observing this fast, seem to walk this entire path together with Christ. This is one of the strictest fasts.

When the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles, they dispersed to preach the Gospel throughout the world, constantly being in labor, prayer and fasting. In honor of this event, it was appointed Petrov post. After all, everyone Orthodox man must preach with my life Orthodox faith.

Dormition post dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It allows all Orthodox Christians to prepare for the great feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, who, in preparation for meeting her Son, prayed and fasted a lot. This post is equal in severity to the Great Fast.

Christmas post- the last one of the year. It was established so that every Orthodox Christian cleanses his soul through fasting, repentance and prayer. We must meet the Savior who came into the world with a pure soul and heart in order to show our desire to follow the teachings of Christ.

How to fast correctly: rules, behavior, church attendance

There are several basic rules that should be followed to understand how to fast correctly.

1. Before you start fasting, you need to understand that abstaining from food is a tool with which a person fights his sins. You need to abstain from food, and not exhaust yourself and your body. You must soberly assess your strength depending on your preparation for fasting and your state of health.

2. Fasting requires gradual entry and preparation. Start preparing for it by abstaining from fast food on Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the year.

3. For those who wish to fast for the first time, it is recommended to first talk with the priest, tell him about your physical and mental state and ask for a blessing to observe the fast.

4. It is advisable to attend all church services which are performed during fasting. However to modern man It is quite difficult to follow this rule, especially for those who constantly work. But still, try to visit evening service on Saturday and, of course, Sunday services.

5. During Great Lent, and now other Lents, the sacrament of Unction is performed in churches, which no Orthodox person should miss if he decides to fast. The time of this sacrament must be known in advance, since in different churches it is carried out at different times. After the rite of Unction, at the first opportunity it is necessary to take communion.

6. Simply abstaining from food without prayer will not benefit the soul. Moreover, it can be harmful if a person, abstaining from fast food, begins to rise above others. During Lent, an Orthodox person should devote himself to prayer, abstaining from passions and vices, repentance, doing good deeds, forgiving offenses, watching less TV and attending entertainment events.

7. B lately More and more often the statement began to be heard that it is supposedly not necessary to abstain from fast food, the main thing is to do good deeds and not offend anyone. It may be true, but it is impossible to humble your spirit without measuring your body. As mentioned above, you should not go from one extreme to another. Abstinence and good deeds during fasting should be inseparable.

8. Lent is a time of reconciliation. Try to improve relationships with your friends and loved ones if you were previously in conflict.

9. In addition to abstaining from food, every Christian should concentrate his energies on good deeds. Do your best to help everyone in need. This can be not only a material sacrifice, but also your work and care for those who need it.

10. Every person knows about his weaknesses. Fasting is exactly the time when you can start fighting them. For example, try to overcome bad habits. Of course, this cannot be done without prayer. Devote every free minute to prayer and reading the Gospel.

How to eat properly during Lent: when and what can you eat?

There are several types of fasting:

— strict fast– refusal of any food and drinks, except simple ones drinking water;

— xerophagy– eating plant foods in their natural form, without cooking them;

— eating boiled food- it is allowed to eat plant foods, having previously prepared them, but without seasoning them with oil;

— eating boiled food with oil— it is allowed to cook vegetable foods with the addition of vegetable oil;

— eating fish– not only cooked plant foods are allowed, but also fish and seafood.

The Church clearly defines what nutritional rules must be followed on certain days. Let's look at them in detail for each multi-day post:

1. Lent.

The first and Holy Weeks of Lent are the strictest fasting; only raw food without oil or complete abstinence from food is allowed.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday – raw vegetables.

Tuesday and Thursday - dishes without oil. Boiled dishes from vegetables, legumes, mushrooms and cereals.

Saturday and Sunday – adding oil is allowed. Boiled or steamed foods.

Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary - fish dishes are allowed.

Lazarev Saturday and Palm Sunday– fish caviar and boiled dishes with oil are allowed.

Good Friday– complete refusal to eat until the shroud is removed.

2. Petrov post.

Throughout Lent, with the exception of Monday, Wednesday and Friday, you can eat fish dishes.

Monday – preparation without oil. Hot dishes.

Wednesday and Friday – raw food diet.

On other days, you can cook dishes with the addition of oil. Mushroom, vegetable, fish dishes and porridges.

Nativity of John the Baptist - fish dishes are allowed.

3. Assumption Fast. The duration of the fast is only two weeks, but in severity it is equal to the Great Fast.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday – raw food diet.

Tuesday and Thursday – cooking without oil. Boiled dishes from cereals, legumes, vegetables and mushrooms.

Saturday and Sunday – cooking boiled dishes with butter.

Transfiguration of the Lord - fish dishes are allowed.

4. Nativity fast. Until December 19, the rules for eating are the same as the rules during Peter's Fast.

On the days of the feasts of St. Nicholas and the Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary, fish dishes are allowed.

Fish is prohibited during the last week of fasting.

On Wednesday and Friday, Orthodox Christians fast, remembering the betrayal of Judas and the martyrdom of Christ.

Of course, it is very difficult to follow all these rules, especially for those who decided to fast for the first time. Therefore, before each fast, it is necessary to communicate with the priest and take his blessing.

Foods that should not be consumed on any fasting days:

- any meat and offal;

- animal fat, margarine and butter;

— fermented milk and dairy products;

- mayonnaise;

- fish and seafood (except on certain days when this is allowed).

Products that are allowed to be consumed during fasting:

— fruits and vegetables;

- greens;

- vegetable oil;

- cereals and cereal flakes;

- herbs and spices;

- legumes;

- soy meat.

As you can see, during Lent there is enough large selection products from which you can prepare many tasty and healthy Lenten dishes.

How to fast correctly during Lent: who can be allowed relief

There are certain categories of people who are allowed some relaxations in fasting, or who are not recommended to fast at all. These categories include:

1. Children under 7 summer age. At this age, the body is actively developing, so do not exclude fish and meat from your child’s diet. You can replace some of these products with vegetable proteins: buckwheat, legumes, nuts and mushrooms.

2. Pregnant and lactating women. Women during pregnancy and breastfeeding are allowed to eat eggs, dairy products and fish.

3. People who have suffered serious illnesses. To restore strength, such people need amino acids and fats.

4. People suffering chronic diseases.

5. Travelers and people who work hard physically.

If you are fasting for the first time, you can give yourself some slight indulgences by consulting with a priest first.

If you didn’t keep your fast: what punishment should you give yourself?

This question torments those who tried to keep the fast, but at some point broke down. In fact, only your priest can give you a punishment for this. He can assign you a reading. Penitential Canon for several days or certain work, for example, caring for elderly or sick people. That is, with some of their own good deeds atone for this sin.

In fact, observing fasting is very individual. Even if you give up, for example, only meat, this is already good. After all, one person has enough willpower to immediately hold a strict fast, but another will not be able to do it, and he will begin to grumble. Today you will give up meat, and on next post You already give up milk. If it’s easier for you, you can gradually give up fast food.

Posting calendar for 2016

Every Wednesday and Friday, except Solid Weeks.

Now you know how to fast correctly. Begin your feat by fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays. Today on the Internet you can find a lot interesting recipes For fast days. And remember that simply abstaining from food, without limiting yourself in anything else, is not fasting, but a diet! Enjoy your post!

IN Orthodox countries Long-term and one-day fasts were established. Long-term ones, as a rule, concern almost all believers. But those who do not go to church and do not pray become interested in what fasting is, why it is needed, and sometimes they also want to join.

In order for the event to bring truly spiritual benefit and joy, you need to follow a number of rules. The article is dedicated not only to newcomers to the faith, but also to everyone interested who wants to help themselves become better, learn to love and forgive, humble themselves and rejoice. Let us note that the material was compiled according to numerous answers from Orthodox priests about what fasting is and what it gives to people.

Meaning of the word "fast" in the dictionary

First, let's look at the definition of the word "fasting." It has three meanings in Ozhegov’s dictionary, which are very different from each other.

In the first case, this word means a person’s voluntary abstinence from certain foods, from bodily pleasures and entertainment in the name of God.

The second meaning of the word is workplace a person of some profession related to observations, security, inspection. For example, a customs post, a security post.

The third option is an elite position, for example, in government. We often hear on TV: “He will be elected to the post of vice-president of the country...”, “He will take the post of minister...”.

What does fasting mean in Christianity?

What is fasting in Christianity? In fact, this is not only food restriction and lack of entertainment, but also prayer. That is, a person must force himself, without outside requests and without coercion, to take a step towards God. But to begin communication with the Almighty, you need to throw away everything earthly:

entertainment;
joy;
pleasure;
fun;
vanity;
unimportant concerns;
evil deeds.

That is, a person must learn to perceive himself, others and God in a new way, become better, spiritually purer (freed from evil thoughts, vanity, learn to forgive and love). That's what fasting is!

First of all, a person must learn to pray and communicate with the Lord. The Church, services in the temple, prayer books help with this. Fasting is always difficult, but at the end of such a feat, real joy and lightness appear in the soul.

How did he appear

Fasting began, as many priests preach, in heaven. As the Bible says, God ordered Adam and Eve to eat any plant, but not to touch one tree that was fraught with evil. This was fasting - eat everything, but do not touch anything that could harm you. Eve did not listen, seduced by the words of the demon, who was hiding behind the guise of a serpent. A tragedy occurred - the world became the way we see it now: suffering, evil, illness and death. But in order for a person to improve, God gave absolutely all people a chance to return to heaven through fasting and prayer.

Before Jesus Christ came into the world, people also limited themselves for the sake of God. But when the Savior was born and began to preach, then the rules changed, which the Orthodox still observe today. Fasting is needed for the people themselves, and not for God.

What restrictions and prayer give

Almost every deeply religious person knows that fasting is a spiritual school of life. Having limited themselves to worldly concerns and entertainment or excluded them completely for a while, Christians suddenly understand that we have completely forgotten that all the vanity that revolves around us and around which we ourselves revolve will pass, it doesn’t matter. There is a more important thing in life - saving the soul from destruction, from going to hell for sins.

People often ask priests about which fast is considered effective. The answer is clear: voluntary, with the desire to change oneself, leave everything worldly and remember God, why we live, and of course, learn to love and forgive everyone. This feat is considered the most difficult; it is very difficult to part with pride and approach the offender, speaking sincerely about forgiveness. It is also difficult to devote some time to God without being distracted by other matters and worries.

Having overcome his earthly desires in order to meet the Lord, pray to Him, thank Him, ask for help, a person gains genuine joy, not just a fleeting feeling that arises in connection with pleasant circumstances, but spiritual joy for no apparent reason.

How to start fasting for a beginner

Beginners always wonder when fasting begins and when it will end. The Church has established fast days: one-day (Wednesday and Friday) and multi-day (Rozhdestven, Velikiy, Petrov and Uspensky).

As a rule, in modern calendars It is noted on what days what can be eaten. The dates of major church holidays are also given.

It is advisable to find out in advance how to fast. Below will be given brief information about preparation.

What can and should be done

We figured out what fasting is. But how to spend all your days, since it is almost impossible to always devote time to prayer? Indeed, during such a period, Christians try to do something good in the name of the Lord and for the salvation of the soul:

perform deeds of mercy;
go on pilgrimage trips;
read Orthodox literature;
listen to the sermons of church pastors;
prepare for the holiday to which the fast is dedicated.

Most often, fasters notice that there is much more time, and it does not run away at a rapid speed. After all, at this moment a contemporary leaves the TV, computer, gadgets. He uses his phone only for business and does not allow himself to say unnecessary words. In addition, you should not communicate with friends if the meeting takes place for the purpose of “just chatting, arguing, having fun.”

How to prepare

Preparation for fasting usually begins with a visit to the temple in order to:

pray collectively at the liturgy;
confess your sins to the priest;
receive communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ;
listen to the priest's sermon.

People usually learn in church what fasting is. As a rule, priests remind that physical and spiritual restriction is necessary in order for a person to part with his passions.

After all, everyone has to afterlife get used to new conditions. If a person gravitates towards everything earthly, then in eternity he will unbearably want to go back, but there will be no way back. In addition, a person voluntarily sends himself to hell. To prevent this from happening, posts are given.

Who needs to fast

Until the age of seven, children are not able to be responsible for their actions, they are just learning about life, and perceive absolutely everything that surrounds them. Therefore, they do not need to repent of their sins in confession. And after turning 7 years old, a boy and a girl must learn to realize responsibility for themselves, for their actions, deeds and thoughts, feelings.

The same applies to fasting. It is interconnected with confession. Therefore, children from the age of seven must join their parents. But one should not be forced to limit food and entertainment so that the child loses the desire to be a real Christian. The priests recommend doing everything gradually and if the child is ready, he does not resist.

What to do after finishing

Many are looking forward to the end of Lent in order to quickly return to their usual way of life. But Orthodox elders It has always been said that such a worldview is deceptive: such people do not fast, but simply follow a diet. Such thinking about fasting is dangerous because a person misleads himself. Lent should be a favorite period for a Christian.

It is recommended to observe restrictions and devote more time to prayer according to the fasting calendar. The dates were not invented by chance. They are also a symbol of obedience, that is, a person does not point out something to himself, but obeys a certain law - in this case, the charter of the Orthodox Church.

What conclusions does a person make?

Lent is the longest, and it is also the strictest. Lasts 48 days. It should be noted that strict fasting applies more to monastics. Laymen (people who do not live in monasteries and have not taken monastic vows) are allowed concessions, but only if the priest blesses them. This is also why you should go to church the day before to discuss all the conditions with the priest: what to limit and what can be left as usual. After all, not everyone is able to strictly abstain for one reason or another. For example, due to illness or pregnancy, you should not give up dairy products or meat unless your doctor prohibits it.

So what conclusions does a person who has fasted spiritually and sincerely make? He usually doesn't want to go back to old life. He becomes disgusted with what he used to love to do. I also want to communicate with the Lord more often.

You have learned what fasting is and what it should be. If a person managed to leave his earthly affairs, or at least limit himself, then at the end of this period did not want to return to them, it means that the time was not spent in vain, but with great benefit for the soul.

Any religion is inextricably linked with certain restrictions. They may concern both standards of behavior, moral principles, so appearance and food selectivity. For believers, such rules become familiar, since they are introduced from childhood, in the process of upbringing. To those who come to believe in mature age, in such questions as what fasting is and how to follow the recommendations of the church, what the menu for these days consists of, what will happen if you do not follow the prohibitions, you have to figure it out on your own.

They came up with restrictions on food consumption back in paradise. The Bible says, “You shall eat from every tree; you shall not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for in the day that you eat from it you will die.” The fulfillment of fasting for the first people is given as a commandment, the consequence of violating this commandment is death, which is what happened: the spiritual death of the first people, and people are reaping the fruits of this crime to this day.

Let's look at examples of observance of such prohibitions by people of the Old Testament period:

From the Old Testament

We see that fasting consists of crying and sobbing; people dressed in sackcloth - old (work) clothes and sprinkled ashes on their heads. When they wanted the Lord to help them, they also began to fast and then only began to pray and turn to God for help. And so we begin to see that observing restrictions is not only bodily deeds or feats, refusal of this or that food. First of all, this is an internal mood, heartfelt feelings and a broken spirit. People who fasted at that time were in critical situations. They spoke from the very depths of their hearts with all their souls something like this: “Help us, you see that we ourselves cannot overcome this difficulty. You yourself take it and save us. We are guilty, we have sinned, we have violated Your commandments, but have mercy on us, forgive us and help us. Save us from our enemies."

And also before a serious business or journey, people fasted and turned to God with all their hearts. They asked for help, companionship on the road and protection from enemies. Because the people themselves did not know what would happen to them there and what awaited them along the way, as if they were completely surrendering themselves into the hand of God, their entire lives and all their affairs. So we see that observing food prohibitions is a kind of preparation for effective prayer, focusing a person’s spirit and understanding that a person himself can do little without God’s help.

Fasting helps people humble themselves before God and ask for his help. With such a feeling of contrition and powerlessness, in the hope only of the Lord’s help, they asked for mercy, and if it does not come, then the person cannot cope. In those days, fasting meant an absolute refusal of food, complete starvation, and people themselves were in such a situation that they had not thought about food before, but cried out to God for help, because enemy troops were approaching the city and everyone was in danger of death.

They cried out to God to save their lives and save them from death. And imagine, if we found ourselves in such a situation, we would then think about food or beautiful clothes, then there would really be crying and prayer for salvation. This is how people fasted Old Testament who lived before our era.

Useful video: Orthodox fasting, its purpose and content

Fasting in the New Testament

During the New Testament, Jesus Christ himself shows us how to fast. Before he enters earthly service, he goes into the desert, leaves people, secludes himself and fasts there for 40 days without eating food.

This was the first Lent in Orthodox Church, and the Lord himself showed us, there he was tempted by the devil. When at the end Jesus became hungry, Satan said to him: “If you are the son of God, then tell these stones and let them turn into bread.”

Christ answered: “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Then the devil lifted him onto the roof of the temple and said to him: “Throw yourself down, for it is written that the angels will carry you in their hands, and you will not dash your foot against a stone.”

The Lord answered: “Do not tempt the Lord your God.” Then Satan in an instant showed Christ all the kingdoms of the earth. And he said that he would give them to him if he bowed to him. But Jesus refused and said that one should bow only to God and serve him alone.

This is how Christ defeated Satan and set an example for all Christians, showing that we should do the same and what we should strive for. Do not think about your daily bread, do not test God, do not think much about yourself, do not strive for earthly riches and earthly power, but seek God with all your heart, seek the fulfillment of the commandments and thus serve Him. Since then, all members of the Orthodox Church have observed periods when certain types of food are prohibited, and through this they try to get out, protect themselves from the power of the devil and get closer to grace.

In honor of this event, people still fast for 40 days every year; this time is called Great Lent, and it is the most important for the Orthodox. Everyone who follows it undergoes, as it were, an examination for their entire year, checking in what ways they have changed during this year, what passions they have overcome in their hearts, what bad habits they have left behind, and which ones still need to be fought. The test lasts 48 days, 40 days in memory of the Lord’s fast in the desert, and the last week of Lent is Holy Week, last days the life of Christ and his suffering.

All this time you are not supposed to eat food of animal origin: meat, milk and everything that is made from it, eggs, fish. You should refrain from entertainment events, noisy feasts, visits to theaters, circuses, watching series, television shows and similar pastimes.

The Church these days calls for more frequent
visits to divine services, reminds us of prayer at home, encourages us to begin church sacraments, the main ones of which are Confession and Communion (Holy Eucharist), reading holy scripture, lives of saints and spiritual literature that tells about the very meaning of repentance.

If you decide to fast, how to prepare yourself to observe the prohibitions? The main thing is to learn first of all God’s commandments and test yourself to fulfill them. Understand the concepts of sin, what it is, where it occurs and whether there are sins.

Pay attention! In church shops there are always books and brochures that help beginners test themselves - “Help for the Penitent” or “Diary
penitent." They will allow you to figure out which commandments have been violated throughout your life, you can write everything down and go to confession, ask the priest for a blessing for the test, and discuss health issues with him if you have illnesses.

Many people ask how to fast correctly, meaning first of all what food is allowed to be prepared during fasting days, while forgetting that the power of restrictions lies not in food, but in the strength of spirit, in spiritual vigil and in controlling, first of all, one’s actions and emotions towards neighbors and relatives.

Try to do more works of mercy at this time, visit the sick, help the weak, the poor, try to fulfill God’s commandments.

A good deed is prayer with fasting and almsgiving and justice (Tob. 12:8). During all this time, go to services and try to remember forgotten sins and also repent of them. There is a custom - to take part in the sacrament of unction (Blessing of Unction) during Lent. Observing fasting days is a personal matter for everyone, and you should not show or tell people that you are fasting, it is better to keep it secret.

What is fasting for and what does it give us? If we conscientiously fast and participate in church sacraments, then we will begin to see and notice weak points and sinful tendencies. Then humility before God will begin in us, repentance will begin to appear, and maybe crying and sobbing, like the people of the Old Testament, a strong desire will appear to put an end to sin, to get out of the slavery of passions, bad habits, you will want to reach for the good. So a person already enters into spiritual religious life and begins the fight against dark spirits, about which the Lord said: “This race is driven out only by prayer and fasting” (Matthew 17:21).

Lent is the longest and strictest, but besides it there are three more:

Rozhdestvensky in memory of the birth of Christ;
Assumption in memory of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary;
Apostolsky (Petrov) in memory of the holy apostles Peter and Paul.

In addition to the four main periods of the ban on animal food, Orthodox Christians fast every Wednesday and Friday (except for continuous weeks) in memory of the suffering of Jesus Christ. On Wednesday the Church remembers the betrayal and capture of Christ by soldiers, and on Friday the crucifixion on the Cross. There are also people who always want to fast: these are monks or those who are preparing to take monastic vows, and there are many such people among us, but few people know about them.

Compliance with food restrictions is a sacred duty for an Orthodox Christian. If you don't follow church calendar without the blessing of a priest, if we do not comply with the prohibitions and rules, then we will not be allowed to participate in church sacraments and may generally be excommunicated from the church or given time to reform.

Important! Every Orthodox person must fast to the best of his ability and strength; if he wants to cleanse, sanctify his life, and draw closer to God, then he must fast and ask for God’s help.

For children, fasting begins at age 7

There are no restrictions for young children. Prohibitions begin at the age of 7. From this age, a person becomes independent in his relationship with God, and he himself will have to be responsible for his own affairs. Children aged 7 begin to go to confession and live a full church life. For sick people, restrictions are relaxed or completely lifted.

The meaning of restrictions is to humble the body, and for sick and elderly people the body already suffers. All prohibitions are blessed Orthodox priest, and if we doubt something, it is better to approach him and consult. The main thing in this holy time- “not to eat one another,” as the priests say, that is, not to annoy your neighbors, not to upset them or upset them, but to try to maintain peace and love with each person, according to the commandment of Christ.

Useful video: how to observe Lent correctly?

Conclusion

At the time of the coming of Christ, many fasted and kept the whole law. But these were just external formal affairs; people thought that they were pleasing God by doing this, and they exalted themselves over other people whom they considered worse than themselves. But the Lord said that the true worshipers of God are those who bow to God in spirit and truth. What matters to God is our hearts, not our bellies. Fasting is just a tool to cleanse our soul. And we must remember that everything has its own measure, excessive fasting is also not good for you, but can lead a person into pride or darkness.