From the end of February, a special period of spiritual and physical cleansing begins for believers – Great Lent. This is the longest post in Christianity and the time preceding the main Orthodox holiday – Easter. How to eat right in fasting and what other restrictions must be observed – read in the Izvestia material.
When does Lent start in 2023
The dates on which believers are ordered to fast are determined by the day of Easter, which, in turn, depends on the phases of the moon. In 2023, the main Orthodox holiday falls on April 16. Lent will last from February 27 to April 15, or rather, to April 7, since Lazarus Saturday, Palm Sunday and Holy Week make up a separate period.
Lent 2023 – the essence
Opinions of religious historians on the origin of Lent vary. Some of them believe that fasting must be observed in memory of the feat of Christ, who, after being baptized, spent 40 days in the desert without water and food.
Others also associate the need for fasting with the rite of baptism, but for a completely different reason. In the ancient church, believers were baptized on Great Saturday, and before that fasting was supposed to cleanse the body and mind.
Great Lent 2023 by day
Fasting is preceded by the week of Maslenitsa, the customs of which came to us from paganism. Nevertheless, the holiday is loved by Christians, it has long become an integral part of the church calendar, in which it is called Cheese Week. Liturgy is no longer served on Wednesday and Friday this week. Believers should refuse meat dishes, but they are allowed to eat dairy products. More information about the traditions and prescriptions of Maslenitsa can be found in the Izvestia article.
Lent itself is divided into two periods: Holy Forty Day and Holy Week. It is believed that in the first 40 days a person approaches God through restrictions, prayers and repentance, and in the last week Christ himself comes to meet a person.
Great Lent 2023: Nutrition
The strictest days of fasting are the first week and Holy Week. On the very first day, called Clean Monday, it is supposed to completely refuse any food. Throughout the first week, believers pray diligently and demonstrate humility and repentance by refusing the usual blessings and pleasures. On the remaining days of fasting, it is also necessary to exclude meat, eggs, milk, fish and other animal products, but listen to well-being and needs.
On some days, fasting allows relaxation. So, on the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (April 7, 2023) and on Palm Sunday (April 9), it is allowed to eat fish dishes, and on Lazarus Saturday there is caviar.
Entirely all prohibitions are observed only by clergy and especially devout believers. For the laity, the restrictions are conditional. If it is difficult for a person to exclude any product from the diet, the church does not forbid it – the main thing is to come to spiritual purification. In addition, nutrition can be influenced by medical conditions and life circumstances.
The same applies to the prohibition of carnal pleasures. Peace and harmony in the family are placed above prohibitions, and if one of the spouses insists on intimacy, then the second should not refuse him even on fasting days.
Also, during the fasts of Christians, it is not customary to play a wedding, get married and arrange noisy celebrations.
Earlier, Izvestia published a calendar of Orthodox fasts for the entire year 2023.
