Feasting on Fasting Days

[Purity]

What are we allowed to eat at Feast times that fall on Fasting times.
I was reading that fish is allowed on these occasions. Is it the same during Lent?
Yesterday was The Feast for Entering the Temple. When Christ was first presented in the Temple as a baby  
Could we have eaten fish yesterday??

[Copticandproud]

A fast is a fast. You do not break you fast for any reason unless it is personal. You should read Pope Shenouda's book on the spirtuality of the fast. It is really benficiant. He said that we should enjoy the fast and long to prolong it, not look for every chance to break our fast. He said that we misinterpet fasting; it is not about food it is about you controling yourself. He also said when we break our fast, we should not eat alot quickly, for physical and spiritual reasons.

[minatasgeel]

What are we allowed to eat at Feast times that fall on Fasting times.
I was reading that fish is allowed on these occasions. Is it the same during Lent?
Yesterday was The Feast for Entering the Temple. When Christ was first presented in the Temple as a baby  
Could we have eaten fish yesterday??

No. Even on the advent fast, wednesday and friday fasts you cannot eat seafood. if a feast other than the Nativity, Theophany and Resurrection comes on a fasting day that the fast is not broken but late liturgies (where we abstain from food for longer hours) are not done. A morning liturgy replaces that. ALSO, the rite (means the tunes and prayers) of that liturgy (from vespers praises to communion the next day) is prayed according to the feast's and not the fast.

[Purity]

Gosh! I have started the Lent Fast too early! I thought Lent had started already ?? I guess I needed that!

Anyway, thanks for your 'concern'!

[minatasgeel]

Gosh! I have started the Lent Fast too early! I thought Lent had started already ?? I guess I needed that!

Anyway, thanks for your 'concern'!

lucky you.....

[Purity]

You know you are right minatasgeel! It has been a blessing! "A blessing in disguise" as the saying goes! Now I feel more worthy to participate in Great Lent!
Thanks and Praises to our Merciful God!!!

God Bless,
Blessed Be our God!!!

[minatasgeel]

You know you are right minatasgeel! It has been a blessing! "A blessing in disguise" as the saying goes! Now I feel more worthy to participate in Great Lent!
Thanks and Praises to our Merciful God!!!

the old we get, even thoo I am not really that old, the less time we get to dedicate to God and ways to progress to Him. Lent is one of those ways.

[Purity]

You know you are right minatasgeel! It has been a blessing! "A blessing in disguise" as the saying goes! Now I feel more worthy to participate in Great Lent!
Thanks and Praises to our Merciful God!!!

the old we get, even thoo I am not really that old, the less time we get to dedicate to God and ways to progress to Him. Lent is one of those ways.

Well, I don't know if I would agree w/that statement as a 'rule'.  Our fr. Isaac played a lecture for us one day after fellowship; one by another COC priest, on the subject of distractions. Using seemingly essential things to distract us from what is really important is yet another one of the Devils tricks.
The Industrial Revolution was supposed to make our lives easier, machines were supposed to take the 'hard labor' from us and give us more time for the important things in life. Instead our need for this gadget and that has taken up all our time.
I mean to say, I would not blame age on the fact that we get distracted in  this life. Distractions can come at anytime in our lives. But, yes, thankfully God made preparation for us to keep away from distractions through fasting and prayers and times such as these in Great Lent.

I'm still wondering about celebrating Feast times during Fasting times though.
I read about how some celebrate the Feast days of their patron Saints all year. How is this done? Is it a Feast of Fasting foods? Or maybe they prepare non-fasting food and give it to the sick?

Does anyone know people who celebrate their patron saints faithfully every month?

Thank u

[minatasgeel]

I'm still wondering about celebrating Feast times during Fasting times though.
I read about how some celebrate the Feast days of their patron Saints all year. How is this done? Is it a Feast of Fasting foods? Or maybe they prepare non-fasting food and give it to the sick?

Does anyone know people who celebrate their patron saints faithfully every month?

There are no general Church fasts for any saint except Saint Mary. But people can fast on their own for different reasons.... repentance, discipline....etc. These fasts are called personal fasts and those are fasts that you are actuialy supposed to hide rather than the general Church fasts.

[Purity]

Excuse me, my question is being misunderstood. I'll try again.

I have read about orthodox christians who keep the feasts celebrating, commemorating, their patron saints on the corresponding day faithfully.  I was just wondering how they celebrate those feast days during FASTING days?

[minatasgeel]

Excuse me, my question is being misunderstood. I'll try again.

I have read about orthodox christians who keep the feasts celebrating, commemorating, their patron saints on the corresponding day faithfully.  I was just wondering how they celebrate those feast days during FASTING days?

Oh. I am not sure if it is documented anywhere but I was taught by my church priest that the only time a church can do that is if it is its patron saint feast. Also with that, they don't replace the hymns of the occasion but add to them. also, most of the churches just do vespers the night of......but i am not sure how would that be done  in lent's weekdays considering that you cannot do vespers.

[Purity]

Thanks for your reply's minatasgeel.
This question always comes to my mind during fasting times because when I was in Ethiopia; during the Christmas fast I found out about feasts for different saints. I remember the celebrations where all on the weekend, now that u mention it.
I was not thinking of the Church celebrating these feasts though. I was thinking of each household which has its patron saint and how each home celebrates during fasting times.
I think they would probably feed the sick or children who are unable to fast at these times.
Thanks n Praises

GB