Fasting and abstinence of the Coptic Orthodox Church

Last updated

The Copts (Christians of Egypt), who belong to the Coptic Orthodox Church, observe fasting periods according to the Coptic calendar. In Coptic Orthodox Christianity, fasting is defined as going without water and food from midnight to sunset; after that time, the consumption of water and one vegetarian meal is permitted. [1] The fasting periods of Coptic Christians are exceeded by no other Christian denomination 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. [2] [3] 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. [4] Married couples refrain from sexual relations during Lent "to give themselves time for fasting and prayer". [1]

Contents

Fasting

There are spiritual, symbolic, and even practical reasons for fasting. In the fall from Paradise, man became possessed of a carnal nature; he adopted carnal practices. Through fasting, the Oriental Orthodox Christians attempt to recapture Paradise in their lives by refraining from those carnal practices. In general, Coptic fasting means adhering to a vegan diet, thus abstaining from meat, fish, eggs, dairy, and other animal products. [2] [3] Food made of fava beans, lentils, grape leaves, tomatoes, potatoes etc. are consumed during fasting days. [5]

There are those who see fasting as an exercise in self-denial and Christian obedience that serves to rid the believer of his or her passions (what most modern people would call "addictions"). These often low-intensity and hard-to-detect addictions to food, television or other entertainments, sex, or any kind of self-absorbed pleasure-seeking are seen as some of the most significant obstacles for man seeking closeness to God. Through struggling with fasting, the believer comes face to face with the reality of his condition—the starting point for genuine repentance. [6]

All Coptic Christians are expected to fast following a prescribed set of guidelines. In Coptic Christianity, the Black Fast of the early Church is the normative way of fasting, meaning that the believer goes without water and food from midnight to sunset; after that time, the consumption of water and one vegetarian meal is permitted. [1] Dispensation is however granted under special circumstances, such as pregnancy and sickness.

There is no specified age limit for children to start fasting. This is decided by their parents and parish priest. But, children are encouraged to fast from an early age of eight or ten. It is considered a sign of devotion. [6] For children, fasting is seen as a means to develop their "Coptic skills". It introduces them to asceticism, which is integral to the Coptic way of life. [7]

The time and type of fast is generally uniform in Oriental Orthodoxy. The times of fasting are dependent on the ecclesiastical calendar. In the Coptic Orthodox Church, this calendar is the Coptic calendar, which corresponds largely to the calendars of other Christian denominations. Observance of the fasting periods is very strict in the Coptic community.

Observation periods

The major fasting periods during the ecclesiastical calendar year are:

The Fast of the Advent

The Nativity Fast (Advent or Winter Lent) is the 40 days preceding the Nativity of Jesus (Christmas) on 29 Koiak (January 7, which also falls on 28 Koiak in leap years). The 40 days correspond to the 40 days that Moses fasted on the mountain before receiving the Ten Commandments from God, which were at that time considered the word of God to his people. Thus, with Christ being the Word of God, the Christians fast those 40 days in preparation of receiving the Word of God in flesh at the Feast of the Nativity.

An additional 3 days were added at the beginning of the 40 days of Advent during the 10th century to commemorate the three days that Copts fasted before God awarded them the miracle of moving the Mokattam, which lies within a suburb of Cairo, on the hands of Simon the Tanner during the rule of the Fatimid caliph al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah. Thus the fast of Advent begins on 16 Hathor (November 25, which also falls on 15 Hathor in leap years). The three added days are considered a separate fast rather than part of the fast of Advent. [2] [3]

The Fast of Nineveh

It commemorates the three days that the people of Nineveh fasted in repentance after Jonah's call for them to repent. [2] For Christians, these three days are a direct parallel of and a prophecy about the three days that Christ spent in the tomb, just like the three days Jonah spent in the belly of the fish. The fast of Nineveh begins on a Monday, three weeks before the Monday that marks the beginning of Great Lent. [3]

This fast was borrowed from Syriac Christianity, as one of the Patriarchs of Alexandria of Syriac descent decided to adapt it for the Church of Alexandria. This fast is also observed by the Armenian Apostolic Church (Arajavorats fast), Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and the Church of the East. [3]

The Fast of Preparation for Lent

There is an additional period of fasting before the beginning of the Great Lent, which serves as a preparatory period, often called the "Pre-Lenten Fast"; this initiates eight continuous weeks of fasting constituting three distinct consecutive fasting periods:

  1. the Pre-Lenten Fast leading up to Great Lent;
  2. the Fast of Great Lent itself;
  3. the Paschal fast during Holy Week which immediately follows Great Lent. [6] [3]

The Fast of Great Lent

Great Lent lasts 55 days, which includes traditional 40 days that Christ fasted on the mountain, plus a week before for varying reasons and a week after, as penance for Holy Week. It precedes Palm Sunday, and the Holy Week, which precede Easter. [8] [6]

The Fast of the Holy Week, Passion Week, and the Holy Pascha

This is the week preceding Easter, which climaxes with the Crucifixion on Good Friday and ends with the joyous Easter.

Since they are not related to each other dogmatically, in early Christianity, the fasts of Great Lent and of Holy Week were separate. It was later in Church history that the Fathers of the Church saw it as spiritually beneficial to join them concurrently, and later added the Preparatory week to enable the faithful to prepare themselves spiritually and bodily to experience the benefits of the fasts. [6] [3]

The Fast of the Apostles

The Apostles' Fast varies in length from two to six weeks (15 to 49 days). It begins on the Monday following the Sunday of Pentecost and extends to the feast day of Saint Peter and Paul the Apostle on 5 Epip (July 12). This fasting period commemorates the struggles of the Apostles to preach Christianity to the world. Its length varies yearly depending on the date of Easter, which in turn determines the date of Pentecost. The people who are fasting are allowed to eat vegan food and fish. [3] [6] [8]

The Fast of the Dormition of the Mother of God

This fast is fifteen days long and precedes the feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God. This fasting period is fasted to ask for the intercessions of Mary, mother of Jesus. It begins on 1 Mesori (August 7) and ends on 16 Mesori (August 22). For this particular fast, abstinence from fish is left to the Pope's discretion. Pope Cyril VI of Alexandria allowed it, whereas Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria forbade it. [3] [6]

Wednesday and Friday Weekly Fasts

Coptic Christians also fast every Wednesday in commemoration of Christ's betrayal by Judas Iscariot, and every Friday in commemoration of his crucifixion. Exceptions are the Wednesdays and Fridays between Resurrection and Pentecost (the 50-day period of joy during which fasting is not permitted) and any day whereon a Major Feast falls. [2] [6]

The Paramon Fasts

The day or days preceding the Feast of the Nativity and the Feast of Theophany is/are a fast day(s) in preparation for the Feast day. (See the rules for the fasting days of the Paramon Fasts)

Rules

General dietary rules

According to the Coptic tradition of fasting periods, the diet is mainly vegan, cooked with either oil or water. No animal products (meat, poultry, milk, eggs, butter, etc.) are allowed. [2] [6]

Permissibles

Fish is permissible during the Advent fast, the Apostles' Fast, and the fast of the Dormition of Saint Mary except on Wednesdays and Fridays of these fasts. [2] Lent and the Holy Week fasts are stricter than the other fasts in their discipline. Fish is not permitted during the Great Lent. [2] Those who wish to take a vow of strict discipline for the fast of Saint Mary may also do so.

Strict abstinence

A strict abstinence period, where no food or drink whatsoever may be taken, is encouraged for those who can endure it. The original tradition of the Church is for this period of abstinence to begin at midnight and last through sunset. Those who cannot endure this length of fast are still encouraged to strictly abstain from all types of food and drink between midnight and a certain time in the day, depending on each individual's strength and spiritual needs (this is usually based on the suggestion of the person's father of confession). For many parishioners, fasting is more likely to end at noon (the hour when Christ was placed on the Cross) or three o'clock in the afternoon (the hour when Christ died on the Cross). Strict abstinence is also expected to be kept on Great Friday between midnight and the end of the Great Friday prayers (usually around 6pm).

Regarding the Fast of the Paramon of the Feasts of the Nativity and of Theophany

Non-fasting periods

There are 7 weeks during the year where there is no fasting even on Wednesday and Friday. These are the 7 weeks between Easter and Pentecost. These 7 weeks are fast-free because this period is a period of joy for Christians in celebration of the Resurrection of Christ.

Abstinence Fasting observance before partaking of the Holy Communion

Coptic Orthodox Christians who expect to receive communion of the Eucharist on a certain day do not eat or drink at all during the nine hours preceding the partaking of the communion or from midnight of the previous night, whichever is longer. [2]

Canonical observance

Strict fasting with abstinence is canonically forbidden on Saturdays and Sundays due to the festal character of the Sabbath and Resurrectional observances respectively. Holy (Bright) Saturday is the only Saturday of the year where a strict fast is kept.

Principle of piety

It is considered worse to advertise one's fasting than to not participate in the fast. Fasting is a purely personal communication between the Orthodox Christian and God, and in fact, has no place whatsoever in the public life of the Coptic Orthodox Church.

Exceptions

These strict fasting rules are usually relaxed by priests on an individual basis to accommodate for illness or weakness. The Coptic Orthodox fasting periods are designed to foster spiritual development and focus on liturgical practices.

Fasting is not generally viewed as a hardship, but rather a privilege and joy in preparing for the coming "Feast Day".

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coptic Orthodox Church</span> Oriental Orthodox Church

The Coptic Orthodox Church, also known as the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, is an Oriental Orthodox Christian church based in Egypt. The head of the church and the See of Alexandria is the pope of Alexandria on the Holy Apostolic See of Saint Mark, who also carries the title of Father of fathers, Shepherd of shepherds, Ecumenical Judge and the 13th among the Apostles. The See of Alexandria is titular. The Coptic pope presides from Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in the Abbassia District in Cairo. The church follows the Coptic Rite for its liturgy, prayer and devotional patrimony. Adherents of the Coptic Orthodox Church make up Egypt's largest and most significant minority population, and the largest population of Christians in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). They make up the largest share of the approximately 20 million Christians in Egypt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Lent</span> Observance in Eastern Christianity

Great Lent, or the Great Fast, is the most important fasting season of the church year within many denominations of Eastern Christianity. It is intended to prepare Christians for the greatest feast of the church year, Pascha (Easter).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Friday</span> Day of the week

Friday is the day of the week between Thursday and Saturday. In countries that adopt the traditional "Sunday-first" convention, it is the sixth day of the week. In countries adopting the ISO 8601-defined "Monday-first" convention, it is the fifth day of the week.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liturgical year</span> Annually recurring fixed sequence of Christian feast days

The liturgical year, also called the church year, Christian year, ecclesiastical calendar, or kalendar, consists of the cycle of liturgical days and seasons that determines when feast days, including celebrations of saints, are to be observed, and which portions of scripture are to be read.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holy Week</span> Calendar date

Holy Week is the most sacred week in the liturgical year in Christianity. For all Christian traditions, it is a moveable observance. In Eastern Christianity, which also calls it Great Week, it is the week following Great Lent and Lazarus Saturday, starting on the evening of Palm Sunday and concluding on the evening of Great Saturday. In Western Christianity, Holy Week is the sixth and last week of Lent, beginning with Palm Sunday and concluding on Holy Saturday.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ember days</span> Three days fasting and prayer, quarterly

Ember days are quarterly periods of prayer and fasting in the liturgical calendar of Western Christian churches. The term is from Old English: ymbren, possibly derived from Latin: quatuor tempora. These fasts traditionally take place on the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday of the weeks following St Lucy's Day, the first Sunday in Lent, Pentecost (Whitsun), and Holy Cross Day, though some areas follow a different pattern. Ordination ceremonies are often held on Ember Saturdays or the following Sunday.

Christian vegetarianism is the practice of keeping to a vegetarian lifestyle for reasons connected to or derived from the Christian faith. The three primary reasons are spiritual, nutritional, and ethical. The ethical reasons may include a concern for God's creation, a concern for animal rights and welfare, or both. Likewise, Christian veganism is not using any animal products for reasons connected to or derived from the Christian faith. Pescatarianism was widespread in the early Church, among both the clergy and laity. Among the early Judeo-Christian Gnostics the Ebionites held that John the Baptist, James the Just and Jesus were vegetarians.

Orthros or útrenya in the Byzantine Rite of the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches, is the last of the four night offices, the other three being vespers, compline, and midnight office. Traditionally, in monasteries it is held daily so as to end immediately following sunrise, in contrast to parishes where it is held only on Sundays and feast days. It is often called matins after the office it most nearly corresponds to in Western Christian churches.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Friday fast</span> Christian practice of abstaining from meat, lacticinia and alcohol on Fridays

The Friday fast is a Christian practice of variously abstaining from meat, dairy products and alcohol, on Fridays, or holding a fast on Fridays, that is found most frequently in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and Methodist traditions. The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, written in the first century A.D., directed Christians to fast on both Wednesdays and Fridays. The Wednesday fast is done in remembrance of the story of the betrayal of Christ by Judas on Spy Wednesday, while the Friday fast is done in commemoration of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Good Friday. As such, all Fridays of the year have been historically kept in many parts of Christendom as a day of strict fasting and abstinence from alcohol, meat and lacticinia. Abstinence from meat on Fridays is done as a sacrifice by many Christians because they believe that on Good Friday, Jesus sacrificed his flesh for humanity. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, in addition to fasting from food until sundown, the faithful are enjoined to abstain from sexual relations on Fridays as well.

In Christianity, the Nativity Fast—or Fast of the Prophets in Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church—is a period of abstinence and penance practiced by the Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Church and Catholic Church in preparation for the Nativity of Jesus on December 25. Ethiopian and Eritrean Orthodox Churches commence the season on November 24 and end the season on the day of Ethiopian Christmas, which falls on January 7. The corresponding Western season of preparation for Christmas, which also has been called the Nativity Fast and St. Martin's Lent, has taken the name of Advent. The Eastern fast runs for 40 days instead of four or six weeks and thematically focuses on proclamation and glorification of the Incarnation of God, whereas the Western Advent focuses on three comings of Jesus Christ: his birth, reception of his grace by the faithful, and his Second Coming or Parousia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fasting and abstinence in the Catholic Church</span>

The Catholic Church historically observes the disciplines of fasting and abstinence at various times each year. For Catholics, fasting is the reduction of one's intake of food, while abstinence refers to refraining from something that is good, and not inherently sinful, such as meat. The Catholic Church teaches that all people are obliged by God to perform some penance for their sins, and that these acts of penance are both personal and corporeal. Bodily fasting is meaningless unless it is joined with a spiritual avoidance of sin. Basil of Caesarea gives the following exhortation regarding fasting:

Let us fast an acceptable and very pleasing fast to the Lord. True fast is the estrangement from evil, temperance of tongue, abstinence from anger, separation from desires, slander, falsehood and perjury. Privation of these is true fasting.

The Apostles' Fast, also called the Fast of the Holy Apostles, the Fast of Peter and Paul, or sometimes St. Peter's Fast, 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, whereas in the Coptic and old Syriac traditions, the Fast begins on the first Monday after Pentecost.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Fast</span> Ancient form of Christian fasting

A Black Fast, also known as a strict fast, is a form of early Christian fasting. Those undertaking a Black Fast consume no food or water during the day and then break the fast after sunset with prayer, as well as water and a vegetarian meal devoid of meat, eggs, dairy products (lacticinia), and alcohol. Christians normatively fasted in this way during Lent prior to the 6th century.

Abstinence is the practice of self-enforced restraint from indulging in bodily activities that are widely experienced as giving pleasure. Most frequently, the term refers to sexual abstinence, but it can also mean abstinence from alcohol, drugs, food, or other comforts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lent</span> Annual pre-Easter Christian observance

Lent is the solemn Christian religious observance in the liturgical year commemorating the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring temptation by Satan, according to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, before beginning his public ministry. Lent is usually observed in the Catholic, Lutheran, Moravian, Anglican, United Protestant and Orthodox Christian traditions, among others. Some Anabaptist, Baptist, Methodist, Reformed, and nondenominational Christian churches also observe Lent, although many churches in these traditions do not.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clean Monday</span> Eastern Christian holiday during Great Lent

Clean Monday, also known as Pure Monday, Green Monday or simply Monday of Lent 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).

Christian dietary laws vary between denominations. The general dietary restrictions specified for Christians in the New Testament are to "abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from meat of strangled animals". Some Christian denominations forbid certain foods during periods of fasting, which in some cases may cover half the year and may exclude meat, fish, dairy products, and olive oil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fasting and abstinence in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lenten supper</span> Christian meal

A Lenten supper is a meal that takes place in the evenings to break the day's fast during the Christian liturgical season of Lent, which is widely observed by members of the Catholic, Lutheran, Moravian, Anglican, Methodist, and United Protestant traditions, in addition to certain Reformed denominations.

Fasting is practiced in various religions. Examples include Lent in Christianity and Yom Kippur, Tisha B'av, Fast of Esther, Fast of Gedalia, the Seventeenth of Tammuz, and the Tenth of Tevet in Judaism. Muslims fast during the month of Ramadan each year. The fast includes refraining from consuming any food or liquid from sunup until sundown.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Samaan, Moses (9 April 2009). "The Meaning of the Great Lent". Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Los Angeles, Southern California, and Hawaii . Retrieved 10 March 2024. The Church teaches us to fast until sunset. Fish is not allowed during this period. Also married couples should refrain from physical relations to give themselves time for fasting and prayer (1 Cor. 7: 5). We would like to emphasize the importance of the period of strict abstention during fasting. It is refraining from eating and drinking for a period of time, followed by eating vegetarian food.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Farag, Lois M. (23 October 2013). The Coptic Christian Heritage: History, Faith and Culture. Routledge. pp. 133–134. ISBN   978-1-134-66684-3.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Johnson, Maxwell E.; Alexopoulos, Stefanos (5 February 2022). Introduction to Eastern Christian Liturgies. Liturgical Press. pp. 150–153. ISBN   978-0-8146-6380-6.
  4. ↑ Morgan, Robert (23 September 2016). History of the Coptic Orthodox People and the Church of Egypt. FriesenPress. p. 22. ISBN   978-1-4602-8028-7.
  5. ↑ "Coptic Christians-Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Abdennour, Samia (2007). Egyptian customs and Festivals. Oxford University Press. pp. 82–89. ISBN   978-977-416-060-8.
  7. ↑ Doorn-Harder, Nelly van; Vogt, Kari (1 February 2012). Between Desert and City: The Coptic Orthodox Church Today. Wipf and Stock Publishers. p. 198. ISBN   978-1-7252-3119-1.
  8. 1 2 Meinardus, Otto F. A. (2006). Christians in Egypt : Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant Communities Past and Present. Oxford University Press. pp. 125–126. ISBN   978-977-424-973-0.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.