Orthodox church calendar fasts and meals for 2019 indicating and brief description multi-day and one-day fasts and continuous weeks.

Church Orthodox calendar of fasts and meals for 2019

Fasting is not in the belly, but in the spirit
Popular proverb

Nothing in life comes without difficulty. And in order to celebrate the holiday, you need to prepare for it.
In the Russian Orthodox Church there are four multi-day fasts, fasting on Wednesday and Friday throughout the year (except for a few weeks), and three one-day fasts.

In the first four days of the first week of Great Lent (from Monday to Thursday), the Great (Repentant) Canon, the work of the brilliant Byzantine hymnographer St. Andrew of Crete (8th century), is read during the evening service.

ATTENTION! Below you will find information about dry eating, food without oil and days of complete abstinence from food. All this is a long-standing monastic tradition, which even in monasteries cannot always be observed in our time. Such strictness of fasting is not for the laity, and the usual practice is abstaining from eggs, dairy and meat foods during fasting and during strict fasting also abstaining from fish. For all possible questions and about your individual measure of fasting, you need to consult your confessor.

Dates are indicated according to the new style.

Calendar of fasts and meals for 2019

Periods		Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
from March 11 to April 27		xerophagy	hot without oil	xerophagy	hot without oil	xerophagy	hot with butter	hot with butter
Spring meat eater				fish		fish
from June 24 to July 11		hot without oil	fish	xerophagy	fish	xerophagy	fish	fish
Summer meat eater				xerophagy		xerophagy
from 14 to 27 August		xerophagy	hot without oil	xerophagy	hot without oil	xerophagy	hot with butter	hot with butter
Autumn meat eater				xerophagy		xerophagy
from November 28, 2019 to January 6, 2020	until December 19	hot without oil	fish	xerophagy	fish	xerophagy	fish	fish
	December 20 – January 1	hot without oil	hot with butter	xerophagy	hot with butter	xerophagy	fish	fish
	January 2-6	xerophagy	hot without oil	xerophagy	hot without oil	xerophagy	hot with butter	hot with butter
Winter meat eater				fish		fish

in 2019

The Savior himself was led by spirit into the desert, was tempted by the devil for forty days and did not eat anything during these days. The Savior began the work of our salvation by fasting. Lent- a fast in honor of the Savior Himself, and the last, Holy Week of this forty-eight-day fast was established in honor of the memory of the last days of earthly life, the suffering and death of Jesus Christ.
Fasting is observed with particular strictness during the first and Holy weeks.
On Clean Monday, complete abstinence from food is customary. The rest of the time: Monday, Wednesday, Friday - dry food (water, bread, fruits, vegetables, compotes); Tuesday, Thursday – hot food without oil; Saturday, Sunday - food with vegetable oil.
Fish is allowed on Annunciation Day Holy Mother of God and on Palm Sunday. Fish caviar is allowed on Lazarus Saturday. On Good Friday you cannot eat food until the Shroud is taken out.

in 2019

On Monday of the Week of All Saints, the Fast of the Holy Apostles begins, established before the Feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul. This post is called summer. The continuation of fasting varies depending on how early or late Easter occurs.
It always starts on All Saints Monday and ends on July 12th. The longest Petrov fast consists of six weeks, and the shortest one is a week and a day. This fast was established in honor of the Holy Apostles, who, through fasting and prayer, prepared for the worldwide preaching of the Gospel and prepared their successors in the work of saving service.
Strict fasting (dry eating) on ​​Wednesday and Friday. On Monday you can have hot food without oil. On other days - fish, mushrooms, cereals with vegetable oil.

in 2019

From August 14 to August 27, 2019.
A month after the Apostolic Fast, the multi-day Dormition Fast begins. It lasts two weeks - from August 14 to 27. With this post the Church calls us to imitate Mother of God, who, before Her relocation to heaven, incessantly remained in fasting and prayer.
Monday, Wednesday, Friday – dry eating. Tuesday, Thursday – hot food without oil. On Saturday and Sunday, food with vegetable oil is allowed.
On the day of the Transfiguration of the Lord (August 19), fish is allowed. Fish day in Assumption, if it falls on Wednesday or Friday.

in 2019

Christmas (Filippov) fast. At the end of autumn, 40 days before the great feast of the Nativity of Christ, the Church calls us to winter fasting. It is called both Filippov, because it begins after the day dedicated to the memory of the Apostle Philip, and Rozhdestvensky, because it occurs before the feast of the Nativity of Christ.
This fast was established in order for us to offer a grateful sacrifice to the Lord for the collected earthly fruits and to prepare for a gracious union with the born Savior.
The charter about food coincides with the charter of Peter's Fast, until the day of St. Nicholas (December 19).
If the Feast of the Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary falls on Wednesday or Friday, then fish is allowed. After the day of remembrance of St. Nicholas and before the forefeast of Christmas, fish is allowed on Saturday and Sunday. On the eve of the feast, you cannot eat fish on all days; on Saturday and Sunday - food with oil.
On Christmas Eve you cannot eat food until the first star appears, after which it is customary to eat sochivo - wheat grains boiled in honey or boiled rice with raisins.

Solid weeks in 2019

Week– week from Monday to Sunday. These days there is no fasting on Wednesday and Friday.
There are five continuous weeks:
Christmastide– from January 7 to January 17,
Publican and Pharisee– 2 weeks before
Cheese (Maslenitsa)– week before (no meat)
Easter (Light)– week after Easter
- week after Trinity.

Fasting on Wednesday and Friday

Weekly fast days are Wednesday and Friday. On Wednesday, fasting was established in memory of the betrayal of Christ by Judas, on Friday - in memory of the suffering on the cross and death of the Savior. On these days of the week, the Holy Church prohibits the consumption of meat and dairy foods, and during the week of All Saints before the Nativity of Christ, one should also abstain from fish and vegetable oil. Only when the days of celebrated saints fall on Wednesday and Friday is vegetable oil allowed, and on the biggest holidays, such as Intercession, fish.
Those who are sick and engaged in hard work are allowed some relief, so that Christians have the strength to pray and do the necessary work, but eating fish on the wrong days, and especially the full permission of fasting, is rejected by the rules.

One-day posts

Epiphany Christmas Eve– January 18, on the eve of the Epiphany. On this day, Christians prepare for cleansing and consecration with holy water on the feast of Epiphany.
Beheading of John the Baptist- 11 September. This is the day of remembrance and death of the great prophet John.
Exaltation of the Holy Cross- September 27. The memory of the Savior's suffering on the cross for the salvation of the human race. This day is spent in prayer, fasting, and contrition for sins.
One-day posts– days of strict fasting (except Wednesday and Friday). Fish is prohibited, but food with vegetable oil is allowed.

Orthodox holidays. About meals on holidays

According to the Church Charter, there is no fasting on the holidays of the Nativity of Christ and Epiphany, which happened on Wednesday and Friday. On Christmas and Epiphany Eves and on the holidays of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord and the Beheading of John the Baptist, food with vegetable oil is allowed. On the feasts of the Presentation, Transfiguration of the Lord, Dormition, Nativity and Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, Her Entry into the Temple, the Nativity of John the Baptist, the Apostles Peter and Paul, John the Theologian, which occurred on Wednesday and Friday, as well as in the period from Easter to Trinity on Wednesday and Friday Fish allowed.

When marriage is not performed

On the eve of Wednesday and Friday of the whole year (Tuesday and Thursday), Sundays (Saturday), twelve days, temple and great holidays; in continuation of the posts: Veliky, Petrov, Uspensky, Rozhdestvensky; in continuation of Christmastide, on Meat Week, during Cheese Week (Maslenitsa) and on Cheese Week; during Easter (Bright) week and on the days of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross - September 27.

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Church post

Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw miracles, but because you ate the bread and were filled. Do not strive for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, for the Father, God, has sealed Him.

Ev. John 6; 26-27.

Church fasting is a voluntary abstinence from the enjoyment of food. This is precisely a voluntary action, since other reasons for food restrictions do not fall into this category (due to illness, poverty, old age, etc.) In the broadest sense of the word, fasting for an Orthodox person is a combination of good deeds, sincere prayer, abstinence during everything, including food.

Church fasts are widespread (four multi-day “big fasts”, three one-day fasts and “small” fasts - every week on Wednesday and Friday). One can also distinguish between a general fast, which is observed by the entire Church, and a private fast, which a person maintains in relation to himself, which happens either out of some kind of vow, or out of obedience to his spiritual father. On days of fasting (days of fasting), the church charter prohibits light food - meat and dairy products; fish is allowed only on some days fast days. On days of strict fasting, not only fish is not allowed, but any hot food and food cooked in vegetable oil, only dry food - bread, water, fruits, boiled vegetables, compote In the Russian Orthodox Church there are four multi-day fasts, three one-day fasts and, in addition, fasting on Wednesday and Friday (with the exception of special weeks) throughout the year. Wednesday and Friday were established as a sign that on Wednesday Christ was betrayed by Judas and crucified on Friday.

There are five degrees of strictness, fasting:

Eating fish;

Hot food with oil (vegetable);

Hot food without oil;

Xerophagy;

Complete abstinence from food.

Fasting is made up of three components: time, quantity and quality.

As for time, according to Old Testament the fast lasted throughout the daylight hours until the evening. The New Testament is not so categorical regarding the time of day or the duration of fasting. Therefore, each believer chooses his own version of abstinence. Some people abstain from food until the evening, others do not eat food in the evening, especially on Wednesdays and Fridays of the Holy Pentecost. Others imitate the example of the Apostle Paul, who did not eat or drink for three days, and especially believers, out of love for Christ, refuse food for five days from Monday to Saturday, remembering the five plagues of the suffering Jesus Christ.

The second part of fasting is determined by the amount of food consumed.
According to church ideas, a person who is fasting should eat as much food as is required only to maintain strength, to strengthen and maintain the strength of the fasting person, but not for satiety. But since one person works and the other rests, they need food for this different quantities. Therefore, the Church has not determined the same measure for everyone when consuming Lenten food.

The third element of fasting is the quality of food. What kind of food should a fasting person eat: meat or fish, should he eat only vegetables or fruits? How should one treat animal food, i.e. cheese, cow butter, milk and eggs? There is great disagreement among believers on this issue. If a person considers himself to be a deeply religious person, then he must definitely clarify his diet during Lent or with his confessor, or turn to the works of a called church authority in this area.

To show how complex and detailed the instructions for using fasting are, we present an excerpt from the work of Metropolitan Stefan Yavorsky on this topic, concerning Great Lent.

“Lent begins seven weeks before the holiday of Holy Easter and consists of Lent (forty days) and Holy Week(the week leading up to Easter). The first was established in honor of the forty-day fast of Christ, and Holy Week - in memory of the last days of his earthly life. The total continuation of Great Lent along with Holy Week is 48 days. The days from the Nativity of Christ to Lent (until Maslenitsa) are called Christmas or winter meat-eater. This period contains three continuous weeks - Christmastide, the Publican and the Pharisee, and Maslenitsa. After Christmastide, fish is allowed on Wednesdays and Fridays, until the whole week (when you can eat meat on all days of the week), which comes after the “Week of the Publican and the Pharisee” (“week” in Church Slavonic means “Sunday”). In the next week, after the full week, fish is no longer allowed on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, but vegetable oil is still allowed.

This establishment has the purpose of gradual preparation for Great Lent. The last time before Lent, meat is allowed on the “Meat-Fast Week” - the Sunday before Maslenitsa. In the next week - cheese week (Maslenitsa), eggs, fish, and dairy products are allowed all week, but they no longer eat meat. Making a fast for Lent ( last time eat fast food, with the exception of meat) on the last day of Maslenitsa - Forgiveness Sunday. This day is also called “Cheese Week”.

It is customary to observe the first and Holy Weeks of Great Lent with particular strictness. On Monday of the first week of Lent (Clean Monday), the highest degree of fasting is established - complete abstinence from food (pious laymen with ascetic experience abstain from food on Tuesday as well). During the remaining weeks of fasting: on Monday, Wednesday and Friday - dry food (bread, water, fruits, boiled vegetables, compote), Tuesday, Thursday - hot food without oil (vegetables, cereals, mushrooms), on Saturday and Sunday vegetable oil and , if necessary for health, a little pure grape wine (but in no case vodka). If the memory of a great saint happens, then on Tuesday and Thursday - food with vegetable oil, Monday, Wednesday, Friday - hot food without oil. Fish is allowed twice during the entire fast: on the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (if the holiday does not fall on Holy Week) and on Palm Sunday. On Lazarus Saturday (Saturday before Palm Sunday) fish roe is allowed. On Friday of Holy Week, it is customary not to eat any food until the shroud is taken out (our ancestors in Good Friday did not eat at all). Bright Week (the week after Easter) is continuous - fasting is allowed on all days of the week. Starting from the next week after the continuous week until Trinity (spring meat-eater), fish is allowed on Wednesdays and Fridays.”

In conclusion, it should be noted that, according to the view of the Church, physical fasting, without spiritual fasting, does not bring anything for the salvation of the soul; on the contrary, it can be spiritually harmful if a person, abstaining from food, becomes imbued with the consciousness of his own superiority. True fasting is associated with prayer, repentance, abstinence from passions and vices, eradication of evil deeds, forgiveness of insults, abstinence in married life, with the exclusion of pleasure and spectacular events, watching TV. Church fasting is not an end in itself, but a means to humble one’s flesh and cleanse oneself of sins. Without prayer and repentance, fasting becomes just a diet.

Christian Orthodox faith provides for a number of fasting days and weeks a year, when, thanks to abstinence in food during fasting, a simple Christian approaches God, cleansing himself not only physically, but also spiritually.

IN Orthodox rules Holy Apostles said that “If Orthodox Christian does not fast during Lent or on Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the year, except holidays, then the laity, according to the 69th rule of the holy apostles, are excommunicated from communion of the Holy Mysteries, and the priests are expelled. Relaxation in fasting is allowed for the infirm, sick, and elderly..."

That is, if an Orthodox Christian does not observe all multi-day and one-day fasts throughout the year, he is not allowed to receive communion, and priests are generally deprived of their rank.

At the same time, pregnant women, children under 14 years of age, sick people and the elderly may not observe fasting or observe it not fully, about which it is better to consult with a priest in your local Orthodox Church.

A good Christian must observe the Orthodox Lent before Easter - the Feast of the Feasts of the Resurrection of Christ, during the fast of the holy apostles Peter and Paul - Peter's Fast, during the Fast of the Most Holy Theotokos - Dormition Fast from August 14 to 27, Nativity Fast - Philip's Fast before the Nativity from November 28 until January 6.

And Orthodox man must observe fasting on Epiphany Eve on January 18, on the day of the Beheading of John the Baptist - September 11, on the day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross - September 27, as well as throughout the year fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays, except for the weeks of continuous Orthodox weeks and Christmastide from 7 to January 18.

The meaning of multi-day fasts and fasting days on Wednesdays and Fridays is that by abstaining from food, limiting own desires and appetites in direct and figuratively of this word, the Orthodox Christian is likened to Jesus Christ (remember his forty-day hermitage in the desert, where He fought with Satan and temptations) and pays tribute to his suffering, which the Son of God endured for the sake of us, mere mortal people, in order to bestow us with immortality - eternal life in Paradise in Heaven as a reward for a righteous lifestyle.

IN modern world Orthodox fasting is not observed as strictly as it was before the revolution in Russia, when the positions of the Orthodox Church and Orthodox canons were strong and respected. Today, the Orthodox Church does not insist on absolute, meticulous compliance with all restrictions regarding the Lenten menu, both during multi-day and one-day fasts.

At the same time, no one canceled the fasts themselves for a believer. But…

If, for example, a working person simply does not have the physical and material ability to observe all the canons of Orthodox Lent, then he can himself, or better yet, with the blessing and permission of the priest, make indulgences for himself according to the Lenten menu during the days and weeks of Lent.

After all the main objective any Orthodox fast does not exhaust the body, does not bring it to exhaustion and anorexia - no!

The main goal and task of Orthodox fasting is to strengthen a person in the Faith through renunciation, temporary renunciation of some physical and food joys, the pleasures of life.

How can a person prove his love and faith to the Lord God? Simple and very difficult at the same time: by not violating the 10 commandments of God, with the help of daily Orthodox prayer, by periodically visiting the temple of God - the Orthodox Church and by observing Orthodox posts and separate fasting days in almost every week.

Recipes and menus for Orthodox fasting and fasting days must be individual for each person - they must take into account the state of his health, lifestyle, and also - let's not be hypocrites - the degree of a person's faith in God.

Lenten menu on fasting days

Fast days of the week - Wednesdays and Fridays - were established in honor of the memory of the suffering of Jesus Christ before the crucifixion on the Cross: on Wednesday Judas betrayed Jesus Christ for thirty pieces of silver, and on Friday the Son of God was executed - crucified on the Cross, where he died on the same day .

Their observance disciplines a believer and constantly reminds him of the presence of God in his life.

My husband and I, for example, always observe (at least I try very hard) fast days - Wednesday and Friday. Because There is simply not enough strength or spirit to observe long Orthodox fasts - we can hold out for a maximum of 1 week and that’s all.

And by observing fast days every week, we at least do something to please God.

What should our Lenten menu on fasting days of the week - on Wednesdays and Fridays?

So, on fasting days of the week on Wednesdays and Fridays, an Orthodox Christian should, as far as possible, avoid eating fast food.

What is fast food? FAST FOOD is any food of animal origin that contains proteins and fats of animal origin, as well as any products and dishes containing at least some products of animal origin. Specifically, lean food is pork and beef, butter, eggs, sour cream, milk, cottage cheese, cheese, dumplings, egg pasta, fat, non-lenten cookies (cooked with eggs, sour cream, milk, fat), cakes, pastries, cream , ice cream, sausages, sausages, lard...

All these and many other dishes containing proteins and fats of animal origin are fast dishes by definition and cannot be eaten on fasting days almost every week - on Wednesdays and Fridays.

The only thing you can eat on fasting days on Wednesdays and Fridays is vegetable oil, fish, vegetables, fruits, honey, jam, cereals, nuts, dried fruits, potatoes, cabbage, and herbs. So we can say with full responsibility that observing Orthodox fasting on fasting days is beneficial to the Christian himself, because plant food is healthy food that cleanses not only the body, but also the soul and delivers it from sin.

And one more thing: if during the Great Orthodox Lent before Easter a Christian is prohibited from entering into a close relationship with his spouse, then this restriction does not apply to daytime fasts on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Thus, every Orthodox believer decides for himself whether or not to observe fast days week by week on Wednesday and Friday.

In general, taking into account the fact that our country has been “atheistic” for a long time, every Orthodox believer must gradually come to a conscious understanding that observing Orthodox fasts is necessary, first of all, for himself...

Weekly posts on Wednesdays and Fridays

Fasting on Wednesday and Friday of each week: Wednesday in memory of the betrayal of Christ by Judas, Friday in memory of the suffering on the cross and death of the Savior.

So, fasting is observed weekly on Wednesday and Friday (with the exception of those free from fasting). Solid weeks and Svyatki (“holy days”), which begin with the arrival of the Feast of the Nativity of Christ (January 7) and last until Epiphany (January 19).

On weekly fasting days, eating animal products (meat, milk, butter, cheese, eggs) is prohibited; plant foods, vegetable oil and fish are allowed. A particularly strict fast must be observed a week after Trinity (from the Sunday of All Saints) until the Nativity of Christ - on Wednesdays and Fridays it is forbidden to eat not only meat and dairy foods, but also vegetable oil and fish.

From the book Lenten Table author Bushueva L A

One-day fasts 1. Epiphany Eve - January 18, on the eve of the Epiphany. On this day, Christians prepare for cleansing and consecration with holy water on the feast of Epiphany.2. The beheading of John the Baptist - September 11. This is the day of remembrance and death of the great prophet John.3.

From the book Kulich, Easter, pancakes and other dishes of Orthodox holiday cuisine author Kulikova Vera Nikolaevna

Fasting and Meat-Eating The first mention of fasting can be found in the Third Book of Kings Holy Scripture, which tells about events that took place several thousand years before the birth of Christ. The ancient Jews fasted once a week, on days of purification. Long fast

From the book Cookbook of Orthodox fasts and holidays author Isaeva Elena Lvovna

Fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays Fasting on these days of the week is established in memory of the fact that Jesus Christ was betrayed by Judas (on Wednesday) and crucified (on Friday). Saint Athanasius the Great said that “by permitting eating modest meals on Wednesday and Friday, this person crucifies the Lord.” During the summer (between

From the book Orthodox fasts and holidays author collection of recipes

One-day fasts One-day fasts, if they fall on any day of the week except Friday and Wednesday, are strict days (without fish, but with vegetable oil). The first one-day fast was established on January 18 - Epiphany Christmas Eve. On this day before the feast of Epiphany

From the book Fast Tasty! Orthodox Lenten table author Mikhailova Irina Anatolyevna

Multi-day fasts There are only four multi-day fasts: these are the Great, Nativity, Assumption and Petrov (Filippov, or Apostolic) fasts. The most important and strictest food restrictions have always been Lent. It continues for forty days in memory of the fast.

From the book Orthodox Lent. Lenten recipes author Prokopenko Iolanta

One-day posts Weekly posts on Wednesday and Friday, except: Easter week(Bright Week after Easter) week after Trinity Christmastide (from Christmas to Epiphany Christmas Eve) week about the publican and the Pharisee before Lent (so that we do not become like the Pharisee,

From the book Cookbook of Orthodox Fasts author Kashin Sergey Pavlovich

One-day fasts - fasting on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord (September 27) was established in honor of the memory of the suffering of Christ on this day; - fasting on the day of the Beheading of the Baptist of the Lord John the Baptist (September 11) was established in order to honor the memory

From the book Cookbook-calendar of Orthodox fasts. Calendar, history, recipes, menu author Zhalpanova Liniza Zhuvanovna

Multi-day fasts - Nativity Fast, or Filippov Fast (from November 28 to January 7 - 40 days); - Great Lent (from Forgiveness Sunday to Easter - 49 days); - Petrine (or Apostolic) Fast (from All Saints Week (a week after Trinity) until the day of the apostles Peter and Paul (12

From the author's book

Fasts Nativity (Philippovsky) Fast This fast begins on November 28 and serves to prepare believers for Christmas. This fast lasts until January 7. Fasting begins the day after the celebration of the memory of the Holy Apostle Philip (November 27), which is why it is called

Everyone knows that our ancestors adhered to traditions and considered every day of fasting a joy. This time was special. Historically, fasting is the restriction of a religious person in something for the purpose of repentance. Some Christians use the metaphor "springtime of the soul." It characterizes the internal state of a person who has set the goal of sacrificing himself to God. The Lord set an example for believers when he stayed in the desert for 40 days and did not eat anything. Spring in nature means awakening, new life Likewise, fasting is a time for testing oneself, self-improvement, and prayer. Some people can independently, without external help, look for flaws, shortcomings, and correct them.

In Christianity, a special time is allocated for this, called fasting days. During periods of fasting, active spiritual work is performed, passions are eradicated, and the soul is cleansed. To do this, you must go to church often, pray in the morning and evening, do good deeds, give alms, visit the weak, prisoners, and learn humility.

Why is a fast day needed?

In the practice of Christianity, there are 4 multi-day fasts (Great Lent takes place in the spring, Assumption and Petrov - in the summer, Rozhdestvensky - in the winter) and separate fasting days - Wednesday and Friday. During long fasts, the main ones are the first and last weeks. At this time, a person needs to be extremely attentive to himself and his loved ones. What is important for a fasting person is his internal state, actions, actions, and spoken words.

What should abstinence consist of?

Many people mistakenly believe that they need to limit themselves only to food. Self-control is a very complex action that requires considerable effort. It is to track these changes that the Lord created the state in which man resides. If a Christian fully observes external conditions, but visits places of entertainment, watches entertainment programs, behaves unworthily, this can be called an ordinary diet. In this case, the Lord will see the wickedness, and there will be no spiritual development. It happens the other way around, when a person consumes forbidden foods, but fasts in his soul. An example would be a stomach or intestinal disease that requires a strict diet. This desire and perseverance will be highly appreciated.

What you can and cannot eat

So, now let's figure out what food you can eat during fasting and what you can't. There is a simple rule about nutrition. Allowed to eat food plant origin and it is forbidden to eat animal products.

Forbidden

• products, poultry.
• Fish (but on some days of fasting it is allowed).
• Eggs, as well as products that contain them.
• Dairy products, butter, fermented milk products, sour cream, cheeses.

Allowed

You can eat these products:

• Vegetables in in different forms, pickles.
• Fruits, dried fruits, nuts.
• Porridge on the water.
• Legumes, soy products.
• Mushrooms.
• Bread, lean pastries.
• Fish (only on permitted days).

During fasting, you need to diversify your diet as much as possible, since the body is accustomed to proteins and fats. You need to eat everything, such as juices, soy products, sweets, chocolate. In addition to basic ingredients such as vegetables and fruits, you need to introduce a variety of modern products.

You should definitely try eggplant, celery, spinach, broccoli, arugula, and chickpeas (from the legume family). Ordinary vegetables from the garden can be prepared in a special way, experimented with, and various herbs and seasonings added.

For any housewife, preparing a new dish is a special ritual, during which a woman immerses herself in her element. To do this you can create Personal diary and enter each recipe. Lenten days will be brightened up by communication with loved ones, as sharing a meal brings you closer together. Try recommending methods of cooking dishes that really turned out great to your friends and sharing experiences. It is important to remember that the body must be supported by foods that contain protein, glucose, and fats.

Lenten recipes for every day

The most common ingredients in Lenten cuisine are vegetables; they are suitable for both side dishes and gourmet dishes. There are a huge number of recipes. Let’s say it’s easy to make excellent cutlets from ordinary potatoes, as well as a salad or casserole. From boiled vegetables - vinaigrette.

IN Lately It has become fashionable to make puree soups. They are very nutritious, quickly and thoroughly digested. This cooking method will appeal to young children and older people. There is no difficulty in using this product. The recipe is very simple, because all the selected ingredients must first be boiled and then chopped in a blender. Next, the resulting mixture is added to the broth.

Depending on the ingredients, the calorie content and nutritional value of the dish may vary. In some countries, this cooking method is the most common. Here is the recipe for such a soup.

Cream soup with potatoes and white bread

To make the dish rich in vitamins and minerals, take parsley, celery and carrots, a head onions. Wash them under running water, peel them, cut them into small pieces so that the cooking process takes less time. Place on the stove and cook for 30 minutes over medium heat. Now strain the broth into a separate container and set it aside.

So, it's time for the potatoes. We clean it, wash it, divide each tuber into 4 parts and put it in the broth. We do the same with white bread. Yes, you just need to cut it and boil it along with the potatoes.

Then take some wheat flour. Mix it with vegetable oil and place it in a pan with potatoes and bread. Cook until done, then strain off the broth. You can use a colander to separate the potatoes and bread from the broth.

The cooking process is coming to an end. Grind all the ingredients that were cooked earlier in a blender and send them back to our broth. The highlight of the soup will be croutons, which need to be fried in advance in a frying pan with butter. If the dish turns out to be thick, you need to dilute it with boiled water.

Diet variety

What else can you eat during fasting, besides vegetables and fruits? Of course, porridge cooked in water. Cereals are very healthy. In the first place is buckwheat, rich in vitamins and microelements that can be absorbed by the body in as soon as possible. It can be prepared with fried onions, mushrooms, broccoli, spinach. The list of cereals is huge, let’s list some of them:

• rice;
• pearl barley;
• millet;
• wheat;
• barley;
• corn;
• semolina.

You can also combine porridges with each other, for example, rice and millet. To make the taste less bland, add margarine or spread. In the morning you can eat chocolate balls with honey and juice. During fasting days, muesli will be an excellent reinforcement during working days. The same can be said about dried fruits that serve as a snack. Supermarkets sell a lot of frozen vegetable mixtures, fruits, and berries at any time of the year. These products make an excellent filling for Lenten pies, pancakes, and dumplings.

Homemade pickles and marinades, compotes and jams will help diversify your diet. Sauerkraut or lecho will be an excellent addition to pasta, potatoes or buckwheat. Today in stores you can find many products, for example, mayonnaise, cookies, waffles, which have the inscription “lenten”.

In modern Orthodox practice, many priests recommend that parishioners consult with their doctor before doing so. Here are some medical tips that will be useful. For digestion in the first couple of days, it is better not to eat chips, crackers, sweet nuts, carbonated drinks, strong coffee, tea. also in last days Orthodox Christians should not suddenly switch to permitted products. Do not pounce on eggs, Easter cakes and smoked meats. We must remember that there is such a sin as gluttony. Sometimes we don’t notice how we get pleasure from eating food, we eat greedily even during fasting. It is worth controlling your feelings.

Fast days. Wednesday and Friday

It is known that fasting time falls on different dates in each calendar circle. The fast days of 2016 are a special time for Orthodox Christians. We also noted that Wednesday and Friday are no less important in this regard throughout the year. But there are also weeks without fasting, for example, before Maslenitsa, Maslenitsa itself, Trinity, Bright, Christmastide. You can always look at the calendar of fasting days to glean the necessary information.

Wednesday became fast in connection with the memory that Judas betrayed Christ the day before. With their real sins, people betray the Savior, who suffered for us. A fasting Christian remembers this event and laments. To understand the seriousness of the historical date, a fast day is observed almost every week. Friday is a fast day, when Christ died for the sins of the world, He was publicly crucified on the cross as a thief. So that believers do not forget about the great event, on Friday it is necessary to especially abstain mentally and physically. The fast days of the Orthodox are called to take care of the spirituality of believers.

Important goal

Fasts and fasting days are skillfully and wisely structured. They alternate with idle time. This sequence encourages us to renew our souls, strive for repentance, compassion, and mercy. Then you are allowed to have fun and rejoice again. It was this way of life that helped our ancestors stay in a good mood and be healthy mentally and physically. Despite the restrictions and abandonment of usual activities, the result will not be long in coming. Harmony is always and in everything the basis the right image life. To all Orthodox Christians on the day of fasting - the most good wishes, strength, patience, joy.