Lent is the cleansing of the mind, soul and body from excesses and negative emotions. This is tireless work on oneself, deliverance from sin. Time for reconciliation and mercy. Pacification of pride, vanity, anger, envy. Physical and spiritual abstinence, which is designed to prepare a person for repentance.
When fasting ends, the need for daily prayers, good deeds, good relationships goes away. After him, a person decides whether to have piety in his heart. A conscious choice of spirituality is the main goal of Christianity.
What is fasting
The church charter explains that Orthodox fasting is for clerics and monks. If a layman does not have the strength and ability to endure it all, then you should turn to the priest. He, depending on the state of he alth and financial situation of a person, will make an indulgence or allow him to confine himself to prayers.
Fasting is abstaining from fast food. It cannot be started at will. All multi-day and one-day fasts are dedicated to memorable dates. Therefore, the charter states when fasting ends and begins.
Total in the year4 long periods of abstinence from fast food. The clergy recommend that the laity only restrain themselves from excesses during fasting, and not bring the body to a painful state by severe restriction in food.
The main goal of fasting is physical and spiritual cleansing, the subordination of the body to the spirit. You can allow indulgence in food due to illness. Fasting should not be harmful to he alth. But daily prayers, modesty and kindness in relationships should continue for the entire period until the moment when the fast ends. At the end of abstinence, the Christian himself decides whether he will continue to be well-behaved or not.
Post history
The history of fasting began in the time of the apostles. They are the witnesses of the life path of the Savior. The apostles testify that before his baptism, Christ spent 40 days in the wilderness. Loneliness, lack of wholesome food, reflection and prayer are the fundamental moments of fasting.
You should know that the Savior was tempted by Satan during his stay in the wilderness. He passed the test by giving up bread and power.
In the desire to become like the Savior, a forty-day fast was formed. Later, it was timed to coincide with Easter, the brightest holiday in Christianity. The Passion of Christ, with its tragedy and subsequent heavenly glory, gave a special meaning to the whole fortecost. Fasting before Easter is called Great. It involves not only restriction in food, but also in worldly pleasures.
You should start and end the post correctly,pray to avoid temptation. Concentrate forces and opportunities on the spiritual struggle against them.
Lent before Easter
Over time, several more memorable dates were added to the Ecumenical Council for the Great Quate.
- Lazarus Saturday - in honor of the miraculous resurrection of Lazarus.
- Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, or Palm Sunday - a solemn entrance to the capital.
- Passion Week - judgment, suffering, martyrdom of Christ.
Therefore, the fast lasts 48 days. It begins on the day after Forgiveness Sunday. The Easter holiday is the day when fasting ends. Every year it falls on a different date. This is due to the fact that the calculation of the days of celebration or fasting is determined by the astronomical calendar.
For example, in 2016, Lent will begin on March 14. The numbers of 2015 are February 23 (beginning of Lent) and April 12 (Easter holiday).
How to pray during Lent
Fasting is a responsible time for the soul. Restriction in food can bring anxiety, irritability. And this is unacceptable during any post. Therefore, great attention should be paid to relationships with loved ones. Avoid quarrels and bad moods. There will be no benefit in abstaining from food if the person is angry or lying. Therefore, good relations with people and works of mercy are so important.
Daily prayers will help keep your soul from evil. You can attend church services. Priests recommend limiting yourself to a few prayers, but reading them daily, withlove for God.
If possible, add the reading of akathists, the Ps alter, canons in moderation. If desired, add to them the works of Seraphim of Sarov, John Chrysostom, Augustine the Blessed.
What not to eat in fasting before Easter
The Church provides for exceptions during Lent. It may not be observed at all or partially by sick, traveling, minor children, pregnant and lactating women.
Fasting is not meant to be harmful to he alth. Therefore, if there are concerns, you should discuss them with the priest, the attending physician. It is necessary to gradually prepare for fasting, step by step limiting yourself in food.
Prohibited during the entire fasting products of animal origin (meat, eggs, milk, cottage cheese, sour cream, butter). Pastries, sweets, fast food are not allowed.
- Complete renunciation of food occurs on the first day, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday.
- Fish is allowed on the Annunciation and Palm Sunday. Fish caviar - on Lazarus Saturday.
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday - dry eating.
- Tuesday, Thursday - hot, boiled food is allowed 1 time per day (without butter).
- Saturday, Sunday - hot, boiled food 2 times a day with butter and dressings (except Holy Saturday).
When Lent ends, don't pounce on festive treats. This can lead to serious he alth problems. You need to gradually increase the diet over 2-3 weeks.
Acceptable fasting food
Necessaryremember that for the laity, the strictness of fasting is an optional condition. It is better to devote this time to enhanced spiritual growth. If he alth allows, you can adhere to food restrictions for the entire period of Lent.
Porridges are cooked on water, without adding oil. Vegetables and fruits are allowed for the laity in any form - boiled, baked, stewed. Nuts, honey, legumes, dried fruits, herbs, jelly, tea, jam. It is permissible to drink alcohol during fasting up to 2 glasses to maintain the body - no more.
When fasting ends, on the morning of Easter, try not to abuse meat, alcohol, rich pastries. It is better to limit yourself to one egg a day. Prefer not fresh, but yesterday's pastries. Add meat to the diet on the 3rd day after fasting, before that, eat fish.
Restrictions during Lent
Fasting before Easter is the time to perfect your soul. This is the renunciation of pleasures, excesses in everything. Time of reflection, prayers, loneliness, good deeds. It is necessary to consciously treat Great Lent. Determine your physical and spiritual capabilities, avoid extremes.
It is not recommended to deplete your body with fasting or intensified prayers. You should not completely abandon it, devoting yourself only to pleasure.
Slow down the emotions, subdue the flesh. Avoid anger and irritation. Try to avoid guests (as much as possible). Intimate relations between spouses are prohibited during fasting. Try to analyze yourrelationships, make adjustments to improve them. Ask for forgiveness and forgive offenders.
If this is the very first post in life, you need to turn to the priest for help. He will advise where to start, how to do works of mercy and overcome pride, how to participate in the liturgy, what prayers to read at home.
Last week before Easter
Holy Week is the last week before Easter. In it, every day is called great. This week is the last days of the Savior's earthly life. His torment, suffering, reflection.
No wonder the phrase "bear your cross" means not only physical abilities or weaknesses. This is the awareness of one's path, its understanding and acceptance. Not every person is able to submit to the will of God, many try to avoid their problems or shift them to other people.
Every person has his own way. Therefore, the foundations of Christianity lie in the avoidance of envy, pride, anger, hypocrisy, revenge, vanity. Acceptance of the path, agreement with it bring humility, repentance.
In the last week before Easter, you should devote yourself to increased fasting, prayer. And also clean up the house. General cleaning will help clear the room of accumulated negativity. Water will wash away negative energy. The purity of the house, body, soul will testify to the approach of the bright holiday of Easter.
Meaning of Great Lent
Worthy to bear your cross, your suffering is one of the possibilities of spiritual improvement of a person. Another opportunity is to help others. Often behind their illnesses, losses,through trials one fails to see the weakness of another. Unwillingness to help, refusal of mercy bring indifference. Therefore, so often in prayers to God there are basic requests for patience, humility, surrender of strength to bear your cross.
The last week before Easter is an opportunity to realize that the Savior endured, what spiritual burden he endured for the sake of people. Therefore, Great Lent as a whole is not gastronomic restrictions, but the pacification of one's negative manifestations. Orthodoxy asks to refuse idleness and idle talk for this period. Post – call to virtue, a special state of mind and spirit. The meaning of Great Lent lies in drawing closer to God, his Grace.
