The Apostles' Fast, also called the Fast of the Holy Apostles, the Fast of Peter and Paul, or sometimes St. Peter's Fast,[1] is a fast observed by Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Eastern Catholic, and Reformed Orthodox Christians. In the Byzantine tradition, the Fast begins on the second Monday after Pentecost (the day after All Saints' Sunday), whereas in the Coptic and old Syriac traditions, the Fast begins on the first Monday after Pentecost.
It continues until the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul on June 29. Traditionally, its duration varies from eight to forty-two days because of the moveable nature of Pascha. However, in Eastern Orthodox Churches that follow the Revised Julian calendar, the fast can be as long as 29 days, or may not occur at all in some years.
History
13th century icon of Ss. Peter and Paul (Belozersk).
Having rejoiced for fifty days following Pascha (Easter), the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Apostles began to prepare for their departure from Jerusalem to spread Christ's message. According to Sacred Tradition, as part of their preparation, they began a fast with prayer to ask God to strengthen their resolve and to be with them in their missionary undertakings.
The scriptural foundation for the Fast is found in the Synoptic Gospels, when the Pharisees criticized the apostles for not fasting, Jesus said to them, "Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast."[2] In the immediate sense, Christ was referring to his being taken to be crucified; but in the wider sense it is understood in terms of his Ascension into heaven and his commission to preach the Gospel, which can only be accomplished with prayer and fasting.
The Fast is thought to have been instituted out of thanksgiving to God for the witness of the apostles of Christ. With this Fast, believers express their thanks for the apostles' endurance of persecution during their mission.
Practice
The Apostles Fast is not as strict as Great Lent or the Dormition Fast, but entails fasting from red meat, poultry, meat products, eggs, dairy products, fish, oil, and wine. For many Orthodox, fish, wine, and oil are allowed on all days except Wednesdays and Fridays.[3] Some other Orthodox, such as the Antiochians,[4] have slightly more strict rules, with fish only allowed on certain weekends. These fasting rules are much the same as those observed during the Nativity Fast.
As with the three other fasting seasons of the church year, there is a Great Feast that may fall during the Apostles Fast; in this case, the Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist (June 24).
In some places, the Services on weekdays during the Apostles Fast are similar to the Services during Great Lent (with some variations). Many churches and monasteries in the Russian tradition will perform the Lenten Services on at least the first day of the Apostles Fast.
Duration of the Fast
The length of the Fast is variable, being determined by the date of Pascha (Easter). 8 weeks after Pascha comes the Sunday of All Saints. The next day, Monday, the Fast of the Holy Apostles begins. The Fast lasts until June 29, the Feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. Depending on the date of Pascha, the Apostles Fast can begin as early as May 18 or as late as June 21. It may be as short as eight days or as long as 42 days in duration.
The Apostles Fast may not be observed at all in certain years for those Orthodox using the new calendar as the second Monday after Pentecost may fall on or after June 29, but it is always observed by the Orthodox using the traditional calendar. For those who follow the traditional Julian calendar, June 29 falls on the Gregorian calendar date of July 12.
The Syriac Orthodox Church also fasted from the first Monday after Pentecost until June 29, but the Council of Homs, held in 1946, shortened the fast by starting it on June 26.
In the Maronite Church, the duration of the fast has also been shortened as centuries passed by. Since the Maronite Church is an Oriental Church belonging to the Syriac tradition, we may suppose that in ancient times the fast used to start on first Monday after Pentecost. In the 16th century, Maronites fasted approximately 30 days, even less in some regions.[5]
In 1598, the Synod of Dai'at Mussa shortened the fast to 14 days, making it start on June 15 (canon 30).[6] This decision was renewed at the Synod of Hrash, in 1644 (chapter 9, canon 5).[7] Finally, the Lebanese Synod, held in 1736, shortened the fast to 4 days, starting it on June 25 (part 1, chapter 4, canon 2). Maronites used to abstain from all animal products, including fish and sea products, and from wine, but did not abstain from oil.[8]
In the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, as well, the traditional start of the fast has been delayed. According to Byzantine Daily Worship, the fast begins on June 17. According to the liturgical calendars of the eparchies of New Zealand, Australia, as well as the United States, the fast begins on June 19.[9]
Pentecost is a Christian holiday which takes place on the 50th day after Easter Sunday. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Virgin Mary and the Apostles of Jesus Christ while they were in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast of Weeks, as described in the Acts of the Apostles.
The liturgical year, also called the church year, Christian year or kalendar, consists of the cycle of liturgical seasons in Christian churches that determines when feast days, including celebrations of saints, are to be observed, and which portions of Scripture are to be read either in an annual cycle or in a cycle of several years.
A lectionary is a book or listing that contains a collection of scripture readings appointed for Christian or Jewish worship on a given day or occasion. There are sub-types such as a "gospel lectionary" or evangeliary, and an epistolary with the readings from the New Testament Epistles.
The Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar describes and dictates the rhythm of the life of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Passages of Holy Scripture, saints and events for commemoration are associated with each date, as are many times special rules for fasting or feasting that correspond to the day of the week or time of year in relationship to the major feast days.
The Paschal cycle, in Eastern Orthodox Christianity, is the cycle of the moveable feasts built around Pascha (Easter). The cycle consists of approximately ten weeks before and seven weeks after Pascha. The ten weeks before Pascha are known as the period of the Triodion, referring to the liturgical book that contains the services for this liturgical season. This period includes the three weeks preceding Great Lent, the "pre-Lenten period", the forty days of Lent, and Holy Week. The 50 days following Pascha are called the Pentecostarion, also named after the liturgical book.
The Feast of Saints Peter and Paul or Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul is a liturgical feast in honor of the martyrdom in Rome of the apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul, which is observed on June 29. The celebration is of ancient Christian origin, the date selected being the anniversary of either their death or the translation of their relics.
The Copts, who belong mostly to the Coptic Orthodox Church, observe fasting periods according to the Coptic calendar. These fasting periods are exceeded by no other Christian community except the Orthodox Tewahedo. Out of the 365 days of the year, Copts often fast between 210 and 240 days. This means that Copts abstain from all animal products for up to two-thirds of each year. Coptic Orthodox fasts have evolved over time to become more lengthy and severe. A lifestyle involving such fasts may have contributed to the pacifist mindset of the Coptic people for centuries.
The Pentecostarion is the liturgical book used by the Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic churches during the Paschal Season which extends from Pascha (Easter) to the Sunday following All Saints Sunday.
Joseph IX Ragi El Khazen, , was a former bishop of the Maronite Catholic Archeparchy of Tripoli and the 69th Maronite Patriarch of Antioch from 1845 until his death in 1854.
Joseph VIII Peter Hobaish, , was a bishop of the Maronite Catholic Archeparchy of Tripoli and 68th Maronite Patriarch of Antioch from 1823 until his death in 1845.
John XI Helou (Dolce) (born in Ghosta, Lebanon - died on May 12, 1823, in Qannubin, Lebanon) (or Youhanna Helou, Al-Hilu, Arabic: يوحنا الحادي عشر الحلو, French: Jean el-Hélou, Latin: Iohannes Dolce) was the 67th Maronite Patriarch of Antioch from 1809 until his death in 1823.
Philip Gemayel was the 65th Maronite Patriarch of Antioch for a few months in 1795–1796.
Tobias El Khazen was a former Eparch of the Maronite Catholic Archeparchy of Cyprus, Maronite Catholic Archeparchy of Tripoli and the 62nd Maronite Patriarch of Antioch from 1756 to his death in 1766.
Simon VII Awad, was the 61st Maronite Patriarch of Antioch from 1743 to his death in 1756.
Joseph VI Estephan was the 63rd Maronite Patriarch of Antioch from 1766 until his death in 1793 with the name of Joseph VI Estephan.
Joseph V Dergham El Khazen, was the 60th Maronite Patriarch of Antioch from 1733 to his death in 1742.
In Syriac Christianity, the Fast of Nineveh is a three-day fast starting the third Monday before Clean Monday from Sunday Midnight to Wednesday noon, during which participants usually abstain from all dairy foods and meat products. However, some observe the fast more rigorously and abstain from food and drink altogether from Sunday midnight to Wednesday after Holy Qurbana, which is celebrated before noon.
Clean Monday, also known as Pure Monday, Ash Monday, Monday of Lent or Green Monday, is the first day of Great Lent throughout Eastern Christianity and is a moveable feast, falling on the sixth Monday before Palm Sunday which begins Holy Week, preceding Pascha Sunday (Easter).
Fasting and abstinence have historically constituted a major element of the practice of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, following the counsel of Saint Paul to "chastise the body and bring it under subjection" per 1 Corinthians 9:27. It is generally agreed, and asserted by the Church itself, that the fasting regime of the Ethiopian Church is the strictest of any Church, with 180 mandatory fasting days for laypeople and up to 252 days for clergy and the particularly observant. The general list of fasts are laid out in the Fetha Negest.
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