Fasting in 2016, Orthodox Christians observe about 200 days. In the canon of the Russian Orthodox Church, three one-day fasts, a post on Friday and Wednesday throughout the year, and four multi-day fasts are prescribed. Fasting is the most ancient establishment of the Church, implying bodily and spiritual abstinence, the main meaning of which is sincere repentance in sins, deep spiritual life, frequent visits to worship, prayer, communion with Christ's Mysteries.
Orthodox church posts in 2016 - the degree of fasting
- Abstention from meat products and meat, all other foods are allowed (for laymen this rule is prescribed only in Pancake week).
- Abstinence from dairy products, eggs, meat. Hot vegetable food, fish, seafood, wine, vegetable oil is allowed.
- Abstention from wine and vegetable oil. It is permissible to eat hot food prepared without adding oil.
- Xerophagy. Only raw food is allowed: dried / raw vegetables, bread, nuts, olives, figs, raisins.
- Complete abstinence from drinking and eating.
Holy Fathers do not call on parishioners to strictly observe posts, the rules specified in the charter of the rules were drawn up in monasteries and are an ideal. The essence of any fast is to achieve liberation of the spirit, oppress the flesh in the ordinary demands and needs, try to hear your heart and approach to God. Before the start of the fast, one should ask the priest's blessing and together with him determine the acceptable measure of fasting.
Posts in 2016 Orthodox - Lenten Table
Multi-day religious Orthodox fasts in 2016
Petrov Post (Apostolic). Honors the memory of the Holy Apostles, preparing for prayer and abstinence in food for the preaching of the Gospel. Begins on Monday of the week of all Saints, concludes on July 12. The length of the Petrov fast depends on the time of the onset of Easter (from 6 weeks to a week with the day). Dryness is prescribed on Friday and Wednesday, on other days it is allowed to eat cereals with vegetable oil, mushrooms, fish and seafood.
Orthodox Petrov Post-2016
Christmas post (Filippov). The church calls the laity to the post 40 days before Christ's birth to prepare them for unity with the risen Savior. The charter of bodily food coincides with the charter of the Apostolic Post until December 19 (the day of St. Nicholas).
Orthodox Christmas Post-2016
Assumption fast. Lasts for 14 days (August 14-27). The Holy Church asks the Christians to approach the feat of the Mother of God, who fasted and prayed before moving to heaven. Friday, Wednesday, Monday is dry. Thursday, Tuesday - hot food without oil, Sunday and Saturday - food with vegetable oil. August 19 (Transfiguration of Lord) is allowed to eat fish and seafood.
Orthodox Posts in 2016: a calendar of fasts and meals
| period | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday |
| The Great Lent March 14 - April 30 | xerophagy | hot food without oil | xerophagy | hot food without oil |
| Petrov Post 27 June - 11 July | hot food without oil | a fish | xerophagy | a fish |
| Assumption Post August 14 - August 27 | xerophagy | hot food without oil | xerophagy | hot food without oil |
| Christmas Eve November 28 - January 6 | hot food without oil (November 28-January 1), dry eating (January 2-6) | fish (until December 19), hot with oil (until January 1), hot without oil (until January 6) | xerophagy | fish (until December 19), hot with oil (until January 1), hot without oil (until January 6) |
| period | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
| The Great Lent March 14 - April 30 | xerophagy | hot food with butter | hot food with butter |
| Petrov Post 27 June - 11 July | xerophagy | a fish | a fish |
| Assumption Post August 14 - August 27 | xerophagy | hot food with butter | hot food with butter |
| Christmas Eve November 28 - January 6 | xerophagy | fish (November 28 - January 1), hot food with butter (January 2-6) | fish (November 28-January 1), hot food with butter (January 2-6) |
Great Lent
Established in honor of the Savior, and Holy Week celebrates the last days of Jesus' life, his suffering and martyrdom. The Great Post is the longest and most strict Orthodox fast in 2016. For 48 days it is forbidden to eat lean oil, milk, fish, meat, eggs, wine. Believers need to strive for the rules of fasting, but their fulfillment largely depends on the circumstances and state of health. Inexperienced in fasting, laymen should enter into it wisely and gradually. Adults are allowed to ease the fast, the infirm and children are recommended to fast only in the first and Passion Week.
Solemn Liturgy in the Great Lent
Great Post 2016 - Food Calendar
| weeks | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday |
| first (March 14-20) | abstinence | water, bread | raw food without oil | raw food without oil |
| the second (March 22-27) | raw food without oil | boiled food without oil | raw food without oil | boiled food without oil |
| the third (March 28-April 3 | raw food without oil | boiled food without oil | raw food without oil | boiled food without oil |
| the fourth (4-10 April) | raw food without oil | boiled food without oil | raw food without oil | Annunciation, fish / seafood is allowed |
| the fifth (April 11-17) | raw food without oil | boiled food without oil | raw food without oil | boiled food without oil |
| sixth (18-24 April) | raw food without oil | boiled food without oil | raw food without oil | boiled food without oil |
| Passionate Week (April 25 - May 1) | raw food without oil | a fish | raw food without oil | wine, boiled food with butter |
| weeks | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
| first (March 14-20) | boiled food without oil | wine, boiled food with butter | wine, boiled food with butter |
| the second (March 22-27) | raw food without oil | wine, boiled food with butter | wine, boiled food with butter |
| the third (March 28-April 3 | raw food without oil | wine, boiled food with butter | wine, boiled food with butter |
| the fourth (4-10 April) | raw food without oil | wine, boiled food with butter | wine, boiled food with butter |
| the fifth (April 11-17) | raw food without oil | wine, boiled food with butter | wine, boiled food with butter |
| sixth (18-24 April) | raw food without oil | caviar, wine, boiled food with butter | Palm Sunday is allowed fish |
| Passionate Week (April 25 - May 1) | abstinence | boiled food without oil | The Resurrection of Christ begins meat eating |
Posts 2016 - solid Sedmitsy
Week is a full week (Monday-Sunday). These days there is a lack of fasting on Friday and Wednesday. In total, there are five of them in the Church's charter: the Trinity, the Paschal, the Cheese (Shrovetide), the Publican and the Pharisee, the Saints.
Church Posts 2016: Orthodox Holidays
On the feasts of the Epiphany and Merry Christmas, which fall on Friday and Wednesday, there is no fasting. On the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, the Epiphany and Christmas Eve are allowed to eat dishes with vegetable oil. In the interval between Easter and the Trinity, on the feasts of the Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Assumption, the Transfiguration of the Lord, Meeting, Christmas, the apostles Peter and Paul, happened on Friday and Wednesday, fish and seafood are allowed - crabs, shrimp, squid .
Fasting properly during Orthodox fasts-2016
Fasting on Friday and Wednesday
Friday and Wednesday are weekly fasting days. Fasting on Wednesday is set in memory of the betrayal of Christ by Judas, on Friday - in remembrance of the death and God's cross sufferings. In these days the church statute prescribes a lean menu , abstinence from dairy / meat food, in the week of all Saints - from vegetable oil and fish / seafood. Patients are allowed to relax the fast, so that the Orthodox have enough strength for daily work and intensified prayers, but the consumption of fish products in the wrong days is strictly prohibited.
Visiting the church during the Orthodox fast-2016
One-day posts
- September 11 - The beheading of John the Baptist;
- January 18 - Christmas Eve;
- September 27 - Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord.
Orthodox posts in 2016 are designed to prepare laity for the great religious celebrations. Fasting is a time of glorification and prayer, understanding your own life in the eyes of the Savior, fighting bodily temptations and earthly pleasures. Clergymen warn that abstinence in food without fasting the spiritual does not contribute to the salvation of the soul. A true post is curbing the language from abuse, lying, slander, removing evil thoughts from your heart. The meaning of fasting is to refrain from temptation, to approach to Jesus, to enter into a joyful and repentant communion with him, to receive communion with his Goodness.
Calendar of Orthodox Posts-2016