Fasting On Wednesday & Friday - St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ก.พ. 2024
- Drawing upon the witness of Christ and many saints, St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite sets forth the standard (akrevia) for the Orthodox Church's weekly fasts on Wednesday and Friday. Even if the ideal is beyond our abilities or beyond what our spiritual father has blessed, we must know the standard and humbly be aware of how we measure up, repenting and striving to offer more and more of ourselves to our gracious King, Jesus Christ.
This podcast is a reading from "Exomologetarion: A Manual of Confession" by St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite, pp. 209-212
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Not sure what all this fasting is about? First, talk with your spiritual father or parish priest and ask for guidance. Additionally, read the wealth of resources on the meaning of fasting from a variety of authors here: orthodoxinfo.com/praxis/pr_fas...
A helpful word from Archimandrite Zacharias Zacharou regarding penances, canons, and not "throwing the baby out with the bath water": “Here in the West [versus Greece], though, because of the circumstances of life, and the difficulty of the conditions in which people live and the world that surrounds them, we have to be more indulgent and patient. But it is good to know the rules of the Church, for example, that a certain sin is punished by a two-year exclusion from Holy Communion. Nobody can apply these rules literally anymore, but it is very important that we know them, because they reflect the magnitude of the soul's deadening when certain kinds of sin have been committed. The time can, of course, be shortened in any case, depending on the repentance of the person, and on the disposition and willingness of the priest to co-operate with that person. Everything can be accelerated if the priest works together with the penitent and prays for him. I now realize that when we priests pray for ourselves, God does not listen to us, He can be as deaf as I am, but when we pray for other people He responds very quickly, which shows that this is the true nature of our ministry.” -The Hidden Man of the Heart, p. 58
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St. Nikodemos teaches:
Canon 69 of the Holy Apostles designates that any hierarch or priest or deacon or subdeacon or reader or chanter who does not fast during Great Lent and Wednesday and Friday is to be deposed. If a layperson does not fast during these times (unless he cannot fast on account of bodily illness), he is to be excommunicated. Do you see how the Apostles numbered the Wednesday and Friday fast together with the fast of Great Lent? Therefore, just as the fast of Great Lent consists in the eating of dry foods, namely, to eat but once a day, at the ninth hour, without consuming oil or wine, likewise, the fast of Wednesday and Friday is to be conducted in the exact same manner.
...the Apostles in their Canons number this fast together with that of Great Lent, and in the Apostolic Constitutions they number it together with the fast of Holy Week, saying: "One must fast during Holy Week and Wednesday and Friday."279 But why should I say that this regulation is only of the Apostles? It is a regulation of Christ Himself, for this is what the Apostles say in Book V, ch. 14 of the Constitutions: "He (that is, Christ) commanded us to fast on Wednesday and Friday."
Therefore, because the fast of Great Lent is equal to the fast of Wednesday and Friday it follows that, for those who are sick or weak, the relaxation of the fast is also to be equal during these fasts…. So says the divine Jerome: "The fast of Wednesday and Friday is not to be broken unless there is great necessity." The divine Augustine says the same.
We must also note the following, that just as there must be a fast from food on Wednesday, Friday, and Great Lent, there must also be a fast from pleasures of the flesh. For this reason weddings cannot take place on these days, because the divine Paul commands that married couples are not to come together during a time of prayer and fasting: "Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer" (1 Cor. 7:5).
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Not sure what all this fasting is about? First, talk with your spiritual father or parish priest and ask for guidance. Additionally, read the wealth of resources on the meaning of fasting from a variety of authors here: orthodoxinfo.com/praxis/pr_fasting.aspx
This podcast is a reading from "Exomologetarion: A Manual of Confession" by St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite, pp. 209-212
-BUY "Exomologetarion: A Manual of Confession" by St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite, published by Uncut Mountain Press:
uncutmountainpress.com/shop/product/exomologetarion-a-manual-of-confession/
-FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you:
orthodoxyinamerica.org/
I’ve found the more I take the weekly fast seriously, the less of a jarring switch it becomes when I enter into a fasting period. The weekly fast kind of makes you feel like you’ve been doing it already.
When I took it less seriously, broke more rules etc; I dreaded the fasting periods. Now I actually look forward to them.
I think one of the helpful things people don’t talk about is the fact that the fasts are a spiritual weapon against the demons, the not eating of certain foods is just a part of what’s supposed to be taking place.
so true I look forward to the fast now its weird I use to stress and dred it now I'm like cool
I'm not Orthodox yet, but have been changing my life towards Orthodoxy. I have started fasting Wednesdays and Fridays for Jesus, and do feel closer during those days, and feel like I have done something wrong when I do eat.. God bless.
Glory to God. To be clear, the standard for fasting on Wednesday and Friday does not mean we entirely avoid food. It means we limit our quantity, number of times we eat, and foods we eat. Some who are prepared can go beyond this standard. See the video description for a link to the general rules for fasting through the year. Also, do you have a parish and priest to talk with? It’s essential for an Orthodox spiritual life.
My priest permits me to eat meat on Wednesday and Fridays at dinnertime, because I eat lowcarb for health reasons. I just go the whole day without eating anything and then have one big meal at dinner. To me it's even more spiritually strengthening to go all day with an empty stomach than a stomach full of rice and beans.
This is a good example of why we should all know the teachings of the fathers and not judge our neighbor for what is on (or off) their plate, trusting our own spiritual father’s guidance and continuing to try and go deeper in our obedience to Christ.
Obedience to your priest is the best practice. Rather than assume a fasting discipline of your own, you went to your priest and obtained his blessing to do this, good on you.
If you're following Byzantine time than dinner time on a Wednesday or Friday night would technically be after vespers and that would be the liturgical beginning of Thursday and Saturday thus those are days that are typically less stringent in terms of fasting.
I'm in the same boat brother, my fragile modern constitution was not made for grains and legumes. I made myself very ill trying to stick to the fasts as written, it was a major stumbling block for me when first coming to Orthodoxy.
That's good for you but your comment sounds belittling to those of us who eat rice and beans and abstain from meat.
I saw this on wikipedia: Do you reprove them in the sight of God ?
"Hermits were frequently seen to break a long fast when hosting visitors, as hospitality and kindness were more important than keeping the ascetic practices that were so dominant in the Desert Fathers' lives."
They broke their personal fast, which was more intense than the minimum, not the basic standard of the fast which normative for the entire Church. We should all follow our spiritual father’s guidance and we should not take the desert father’s example to mean something it doesn’t.
@@OrthodoxWisdom Charity is above temperance and hospitality above fasting. They broke the fast to honour their hosts or their guests, some later did stricter personal penances as a consequence (though not all). Haven't you read of a Desert father drinking wine thrice on a Friday when invited to do so ? As a Desert father said, if you become proud to keep a fast, then it is better to break it. If you value the observance of a fast to the point of not honouring your neighbour, you place pride above charity.
Great timing 😉
Thank you
I didn’t know that the fast was until dinner time and that you aren’t supposed to eat shell fish I asked my priest and he said I can have a protein shake throughout the day and fruit I need it to keep my diet for sports
Thank you for sharing this. Could not have come at a better time as this is the first week that I (inquirer soon to be catechumen) am tacking the biweekly fast.
Any Orthodox out there that work the overnight/graveyard shift? How do you approach the fasting rule? Personally speaking, it almost feels like cheating the system when you wake up at 6pm and are asleep by 9/10am the following morning.
Glory to God. Have you been able to ask your spiritual father or parish priest about this? Best to ask these kind of questions to an experienced spiritual guide who knows you.
I am orthadox and work rotating shifts 2 days 2 nights
I fail at the fast constantly and am so weak I have only been fasting from meat so far.
But I treat it from the whole day so midnight to midnight . wensday and Friday
But yes speak to your preist who knows you and your circumstances better
When I was in a monastery the general practice was to fast from vespers to vespers, meaning that what would be Tuesday and Thursday night on the civil calendar would be in liturgical terms Wednesday and Friday and you would fast overnight until vespers the following day. So on a civil calendar Wednesday and Thursday night the same fasting restrictions would not apply except in a fasting season. Check with your Parish priest and/or spiritual father for further instruction.
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Newbie here. Did the apostles actually fast on Wednesday and Fridays?
Where can I find this information? Also is this a weekly thing? Thank you
It is a weekly thing except for some weeks there are exceptions. You read in the didache which is a book of the teachings of the 12 they instructed to fast these days.
im stupid so what time do you end the fast? whats the 9th hour?
The 9th hour is 3pm
does fast end at 6pm?
then I can eat meat and other foods aswell
What time did you start the fast the day before? Typically people either started at 3:00 p.m. or 6:00 p.m. and that is when it would end the following day
So we as orthodox should not eat anything from the moment we wake up, until 3 p.m (or 15 by European clock)? And after 3 p m we can eat whatever?
I was thought it was basically a “vegan” fast. A Daniel fast.
In terms of what foods we eat, we still eat according the daily calendar, which means most wednesdays and Fridays are no meat, dairy, wine, or oil. Please consult a 2024 liturgical calendar from your diocese
Is not eating at all on those days an acceptable alternative on Wed. and Friday?
That’s a good question for your spiritual father. Sometimes the spiritual father will not bless zealous asceticism because they know it will lead to pride and burn out. The royal path is what we are after.
Can we take probiotics ( live bacteria ) during fasting?
That’s a great question for your spiritual father.
I do for medicinal purposes but I would also defer to my Parish pastor and/or spiritual father
Of course ask your spiritual father, but I would assume it’s fine.
In Eastern Europe and the Balkans, fermented and picked vegetables (or recipes containing them) are very popular during the fast.
Sauerkraut, pickles, troshi, dolma (sarmi), etc. These foods are full of probiotic bacteria.
I imagine therefore that a probiotic supplement (as long as it doesn’t contain meat, dairy, eggs, or oil) is perfectly fine.
No scoff until 3pm then. Perfect. With God's help. Best way! For so many Orthodox it's a day of veganism nowadays?
With God's help and the blessing and guidance of our spiritual father. Please read the video description if you haven't already.
Is that what the 9th hour is? 3pm local time?
Correct
thank you @@OrthodoxWisdom 🙏
I got permission of my priest to use protestant drinks because I work out at thd gym and trying to lose weight but I understand the the importance of fasting
I’m too curious not to ask:
What are “protestant drinks”?
Did you mean protein drinks?
Zipline-cola
I'm guessing autocorrect haha, probably "protein drinks"
I’m in a similar boat. I’m working out in the gym, except I’m trying to gain, rather than lose weight (I’m a skinny guy).
Vegan protein powder is very useful. I put some in a big cup and stir it with water.
I avoid soy for health reasons, but pea and brown rice protein is great.
A lot of it (not all) contains some kind of oil, so those would only be for those fast days where oil is permitted.
But if you’re to deviate from the strict fast to consume these drinks, it’s better to go for the ones with oil than the ones that are milk-based (whey).
After all, there are vegan natural bodybuilders out there who attain their physique without ever eating meat or dairy, it’s certainly possible for us (who don’t eat meat or dairy only half the year).
On an unrelated note, if you’re trying to lose weight or simply have digestive issues (as I do) I highly recommend psyllium husk (fiber supplement).
It has no oil so it’s good for the strict fast days. It can give your stomach a feeling of fullness with barely any calories.
What's So Hard About Fasting On Wednesday and Friday ? The Lord Jesus Christ Did It . The Apostolic Fathers Did It. The Saints Did It. Therefore, With The Power of The Holy Spirit , I Can, I Do, and I Will Fast On Wednesday and Friday As Required By My One, Holy, Eastern Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Antiochian Orthodox Christian ☦️ Faith. AMEN 🙏 ‼️
The video says that we should be fasting on Mondays as well as Wednesdays and Fridays. It's a bit much and I don't think any church teaches this.
Monastics fast on mondays but lay people are not required to. With a blessing, laity can fast on mondays but it is not a required minimum like the Wednesday and Friday fasts.
Where did Jesus teach any of this?
He taught this to the Apostles and He has continued to guide the Church since, leading the Church “into all truth.” The witness of the saints, those purified and illumines by Christ, confirms and exhibits the teachings in this video.
@@OrthodoxWisdom Where did the apostles write about this then? Is it some kind of oral tradition like the talmud?
@user-xd4rs6vr4n check out The Didache, it's directly given to us from The Apostles
It is written in the Apostolic Constitutions
"One must fast during Holy Week and Wednesday and Friday."[18] But why should I say that this regulation is only of the Apostles? It is a regulation of Christ Himself, for this is what the Apostles say in Book V, ch. 14 of the Constitutions:
"He (that is, Christ) commanded us to fast on Wednesday and Friday."[19] We therefore fast on these days according to the Holy Hieromartyr Peter (Canon 15): "On Wednesday because on this day the council of the Jews was gathered to betray our Lord; on Friday because on this day He suffered death for our salvation." The divine Jerome says the same thing.
Also Christ speaking here:
Mark Chapter 2:19-20
19And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. 20But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.
Wow.. Unintentional but if you hit the hyperlink above after "Mark Chapter" "2:19" in the video, it goes directly to the narrator saying "fast Wednesday and Friday" 0.0
Not saying it's the Lord... Buuuut... xD
Paul was not an Apostle. And, God ordered us to procreate; not to withdraw from procreation.
The first order of God to mankind:
"So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue [cultivate] it."
No excuses, even by fast.
Jesus chose Paul as an apostle and he was accepted by those who were apostles before him. It's evident you have never read the Book of Acts.
Saul wasn't, but Paul was hand picked by the Jesus himself.
I believe one true believer is worth a world filled with the opposite. Many people have children, it's easy. But to really understand what it means to be a child of God? That's different.
The struggle of asceticism is found in the narrowness of the path. I wont lie, I wish it weren't so, but I must be humble and act in good faith for it profits nobody to act otherwise.
Heterodox beliefs on display
God also said wine is good, should we always be drunk? God said feasting is good, should we be a glutton? These things are good in moderation and when we are sensible towards them. Being able to fast proves we have control over our passions, not vice versa.
It’s also interesting to point out that procreation is a consequence of the fall. Before the fall, Adam and Eve were eternal with the Father, they had no need to procreate.
Behold, someone who thinks they know better than the Holy Apostles!
Who are you, woman? What year were you born?
What is your connection to the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior, that you know better than the people He appointed and the Church He established?