In the last days of the year, Orthodox Christians begin the Christmas fast, in 2022 its first day falls on 28 November. Healthy Food Near Me tells how long it will last, what believers can and cannot do at this time, and what can be eaten every day.
When does Advent start and end?
For believers, the Advent Fast in 2022 begins on Sunday, November 28. It will last exactly 40 days and end on Christmas Eve, January 6th. Already on January 7, believers break their fast and can eat any food.
Meals by day
Compared to Great or Assumption Lent, Christmas Lent is not so strict. Dry eating – that is, eating foods that have not undergone heat treatment, is necessary only on Wednesdays and Fridays for several weeks. The rest of the time, meals with hot food in vegetable oil are allowed, on some days – fish, on weekends – wine. The strictest fast begins a few days before Christmas, culminating in Christmas Eve, during which many believers do not eat until the first star rises.
The Church has determined the circumstances that allow a person to weaken the Nativity fast (here, of course, we are talking not about spiritual food, but about bodily food). These include illness, hard physical labor, old age, travel, military duties. Pregnant women and young children are also exempt from restrictions on the consumption of animal foods.
Do’s and Don’ts
If you are going to follow the rules of the Advent Lent, you must remember that the main restrictions are by no means related to food. Therefore, do not treat this time as a diet.
True fasting consists not so much in abstaining from animal food, but in striving for spiritual purification, deliverance of thoughts from all evil. Therefore, if you have decided to fast, turn your thoughts and actions to creating good and stopping evil, curbing your tongue, which, as you know, is “boneless”, forgiving insults, paying accumulated debts and repaying all people for the help they once provided , visiting the sick and infirm, comforting those in trouble.
At this time, you need to internally tune in to thoughts about the main thing, about enduring values: about God, about the immortal soul, about relationships with loved ones, about your sins and their redemption.
What should be abandoned in the Advent Post 2022 is carnal pleasures. At this time, believers deliberately push aside entertainment, entertainment events, and give up bad habits. Also at this time it is not customary to play a wedding, get married and arrange noisy celebrations.
Historical information
The Nativity fast was established during the time of the early Christians, most often the sources mention the XNUMXth century as a date. For many centuries, the duration of fasting did not exceed a week, but in the XII century, by the decision of the Patriarch of Constantinople, it became forty days.
In Our Country, the Nativity fast was called Korochun – this is the name of a pagan spirit, symbolizing the arrival of winter and cold, the frosty villain of Slavic mythology. The name of the fast is associated with this name in that its period has the shortest days and longest nights – not the most pleasant time for a superstitious peasant. By the way, it is believed that over the years it was Korochun who transformed into the Santa Claus we know today.
The first day of Advent always falls on November 28th. And the day before – on the 27th – the day of memory of the holy Apostle Philip, one of the disciples of Christ, is celebrated. It is on this day that the conspiracy falls, so the Nativity fast is often called Filippov, or simply “Filippki” by the people.