Although the basic requirements of the fast are laid out in any Church calendar, both believers and non-believers often have a wide range of questions on this topic. How does one properly prepare for the beginning of the fast? How should the first week be spent? Priest Ioann Kurbatsky: The Church prepares Christians for Great…
Observing fasts teaches Christians one of the virtues, namely temperance. The righteous and the prophets of Old Testament times observed fasting. Even our Lord Himself fasted, giving us an example of restraint. The requirement for Christians to observe the Great Fast and one-day fasts is found in the Apostolic Canons. The 69th canon of the…
In our era, after decades of atheism, many have not forgotten God but possess a mistaken notion about the path to salvation. Some people believe that being baptized and not harming anyone suffices for sainthood. They think it’s not necessary to observe fasting days for the salvation of the soul. However, Christian life is not…
by Bishop Mikhail Semyonov What is fasting? Nowadays, we hear objections against fasting more frequently than ever. Why is it necessary? “Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man, but that which cometh out of the mouth,” saith the Lord. Yes, He said it. He said it—He who fasted forty days and gave…