Laity’s Role in Church
Part 4
Fasting and Its Liturgy
Fasting is to “Fast, abstaining from a food and drink for a defined period of time.” It is to “give up, forbid, prohibit oneself.” Fasting is not only about abstaining from food but rather it is protecting oneself from all evil deeds. (Desta Teklewold page 1119 the third Edition.) As stated in the law of the kings “Fasting is abstaining from food in a defined period of time and day.” (The Law of Kings/ Feteha Negeset/ section 15)
As the Scholar Saint Yared taught, during fasting seasons all sense organs should be protected from immoral deeds. The mouth from speaking bad words, the eyes from seeing improper things, the ears from hearing unpleasant things, the hands from doing corrupted things, the legs from going to the wrong path and the heart from thinking evil. If not fasted accordingly the fast barley gives us price, it will not have blessings. Besides that, fasting includes abstaining from alcohols which may make us lose our minds and do improper conducts. (Metshafe Meidan by Aba Gebre Kidan)
Fasting is a guard to the flesh; it vanishes the temptation of the flesh; it heals the wound of the soul, it gives peace and calmness; it is the beginning of all good deeds which helps us gain power that is of the Lord; it is the mother of prayers; the source of tears; the law of love given to Adam; it existed in the Old Testament as well as the New Testament; it is a narrow path where humans and God meet; it is a way for the flesh to be restricted from animalistic behavior and allows for humans to live the life of Saints. In our Christian life, fasting is giving in our hunger and thirst for the love of the Lord and it is also a way of worshipping. Prophet of God Saint David has told us to serve the Lord with fear (Psalm 2:11-12). So it is indeed one of the ways we show our submission and worship as follower of Orthodox Christianity.
During fasting, the soul is beyond and above the flesh and be in control of it. If a human does good deeds, he will be blessed. He will inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. If he does evil deeds, he will be punished and would not embraced the blessings of the soul and flesh; Then he will eventually descend to hell. When a person has fallen in to sin it means the needs of his flesh took over him. And when he does good it means he won over the needs of his flesh. So, whether a person is blessed or not it is based on the wills of the soul or flesh.
Our Holy Church proclaims about the seven fasting seasons for all believers. They are: The Fast of the Prophets, The Fast of Gehad (The eve of Lord’s Birthday and Epiphany) The Fast of Nineveh, The Fast of Great Lent, The Fast of Wednesdays and Fridays, The Apostles’ Fast, and The Fast of Assumption of the Holy Virgin Saint Mary. It is the responsibility of a Christian to fast these seasons of fasting according to the orders and in a humble manner. The devil could be overcome by this spiritual weapon that is given to us.
The Fast of Great Lent
This is the fast our Lord Jesus Christ fasted himself. So it is also known as “The Lord’s Fast.” Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is honored; He is the King of Kings; He is the righteous of all. But just to be an example for us, and since He wanted us to learn that if we fast and pray, we will have triumphant over the devil, and for Him to bless fasting, for us not to go astray because of food, for our sins, He fasted 40 days and night. So, we fast following His lead. This fasting season has 8 weeks and 55 days of fasting. It has 8 Saturdays and 7 Sundays a total of 15 days. These days are only for fasting from meat, milk and egg products, but not for abstaining from foods and drinks until confirmed hours. So, the total fasting days from food and drinks is 40 days.
The Fast of Wednesdays and Fridays
This is a fast of redemption. It is done in the New Testament in place of the Old Testament fast that was proclaimed in the fast of Aster and fast of Yodit. In the old testament the death that was announced for the Israelis because of Hama was repealed by the fast of Aster, and the devils skim was revoked by the decision to betray and kill Jesus that took place on Wednesday. It holds the same for the fast of Yodit, that gave triumph over Holofornis, the same is for our Lord and savior Jesus Christ who was crucified on Friday, the biggest victory over the devil. So, in the remembrance of the decision of the Sanhedrin, we fast on Wednesday in place of the fast of Aster. And commemorating the Crucifixion of our Lord, we fast on Friday in place of the fast of Yodit.
The Fast of Nineveh
The Fast of Nineveh is a fast of Nineveh people seeking forgiveness and repentance from God. The sins of the Nineveh people were off limits during the time of Prophet Jonah. The people of the Nineveh were told to repent and be saved from the wrath of God that was coming ahead by Prophet Jonah. Nineveh was 800 km way from the birth city of Prophet Jonah Gath-hepher. At first he backed out of delivering the message but he had to later on say, “And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?” (Jonah 4:11). It is told “The people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them.” (Jonah 3:5), with the fast of repentance humbling themselves, they were saved from the wrath of God, so the fast is called the Fast of Nineveh.
The Fast of Nineveh reminds us the Lord’s mercy and kindness. This is a reason God gives to forgive us despite our constant falls in sin; Jonah was not willing to preach but the Lord guided his way to Nineveh. The Lord may have had another Prophet that He could have sent but he wanted to teach Jonah a lesson as well. The people of Nineveh are inspirational as they show us that if a person admitted his sin and repent the Lord will forgive him. The Prophet Jonah was sad for a gourd which grew up in a day without his effort, so it is no surprise that the Lord who always wants our salvation, told Jonah to warn Nineveh whom are over 120 thousand people and animals. So, with the example of this when we fast, we plead the Lord to give us mercy over His wrath: to gain forgiveness with His constant patience.
The Fast of the Prophets
This fast is done because of the nativity of Lord Jesus Christ, the prophecy of the prophets who waited for so long to come which was the basis to this fast. That is why the name “Fast of the Prophets” was given. It is also known as “The Fast of Adam” since the hope of salvation that was told to Adam ensued. Since a lot of Gospel lessons about the intersection of God is preached in this season, it is also called “Fast of Preaching.” The end of the fast is on the birth of Christ so it is also known as “Fast of Birth of Christ.” It is also addressed as “Fast of the Apostles.” The apostles of Christ said, “We celebrate the resurrection of Christ after the great fast of lent. But how will we celebrate the birth of Christ?” So they fasted it as the prophets of God fasted before the nativity of Christ.
In general, prophets and the apostles of God got blessings from this fast. As believers, in order to attain the blessings, they received, our fathers in the Church made an order for us to fast. Therefore, to receive blessings from the prophets, the apostles of God, saints, martyrs, Holy Mother of God Saint Mary and to be the heirs of the kingdom of heaven, we should be part of this fast and plead for Gods’ mercy.
The Fast of Gahad (The Fast of Eve of Lord’s Birthday and Epiphany)
The fast of Gehad is done during the eve of the nativity of Christ and epiphany. Earlier it was fasted during the eve of the nativity of our Lord and savior Christ. The apostles said “If the holiday of the nativity of Christ or epiphany will be on Wednesday or Friday, the Divine Liturgy should take place in the night time, and those who are ready should take part in the communion. They should not arbiter fast until 9:00. (Fiteha Negest section 15). If the holidays take place on Wednesday or Friday, it is told for people to eat any kinds of food as it is the season of Pentecost. This is because these two holidays are great holidays.
The second reason is commemoration of the baptism of Christ for we fast it on the eve of epiphany. So, it is to abstain from food on the eve of epiphany. For one who takes communion shall fast “Akefelote (a fast of three days).” When epiphany is celebrated on Wednesday or Friday, fasting Tuesday and Thursday instead of Wednesday and Friday does us two good favors. It is the fasting itself and the celebration of the holiday.
For the eve of Lord’s Birthday and epiphany, we should avoid any kinds of foods. So it is called ‘Gehad,’ means ‘revealed, open and public.’ It is also called ‘gad’ meaning ‘change and exchange.’ When epiphany is celebrated on Wednesday and Friday, we fast on Tuesday and Thursday in exchange for that so it is called ‘gad.’ So that it is not forgotten when the fast is on Saturday and Sunday it is not fasted on an hourly basis but feasting foods are not allowed.
The Fast of the Apostles
The fast of the apostles is fasted in the month of June. It is also known as “Yesene Tsome/ Fast of June.” After the apostles received the Holy Spirit from God before they set out to preach the gospel, they fasted this fast, it is fasted after Pentecost.
After our Lord and savior Jesus Christ transcended the apostles were feeling sad and looking through the sky. The angel of God said to them. “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11)
After hearing the comforting words of the angel, the apostles went to a Church which was found in Jerusalem and they fasted and prayed day and night with the Holy Mother of God Saint Mary among them until what they have been told happened. Earlier, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ told them that they will fast this fast saying “Can the children of the bride chamber 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.” Matthew (9:15)
The fact that He said they will not fast with him amongst them is because unless He was crucified, resurrected, transcended and send them the Holy Spirt, it is not possible to succeed in fasting, without the Holy Spirit in them. We fast this season to receive the power that can overcome the world, as the apostles fasted, prayed and overcame the world. The fast of the apostles is a fast of every believer, but nowadays people are leveling it as the fast of preachers. This is not based on the laws of the Church, so believers should fast this season as it is among the seven chronical fasts.
The Fast of Assumption of Our Holy Mother Virgin Saint Mary
This fast is also known as “Fast of Saint Mary.” “The assumption of Mary” elucidates from going one country to another. It also clarifies the fast that when the Holy Mother of God Saint Mary died, her body ascended to heaven from gethsemane.
In Mariology, it is written about our Holy Virgin Mother of God who rested from this world on Tir 21 in 49 years, Ethiopian Calendar. When the apostles of Christ took her to gethsemane to bury her, the Jews rebel against them saying “if she is risen from the dead as her son, they will say she is transcended and disturb us.” A Jew named Tawfaneya held the bedstead and tried to take her down. But angel of God cut of his hand. After that, our God took Saint Mary including Saint John the Apostle, above the clouds and took her body to heaven. The apostles fasted for two weeks starting from august 1, praying to God to reveal this mystery to them. That was on the eight months after the death of Saint Mary.
After they finished their fast, God, who does not forget His promise, who gives for those who seek Him, heard their prayers and gave them her body. They buried her honoring her body. On the third day, she raised among the dead as her Son and then her Assumption took place. The only apostle who witnessed this was the apostle Thomas who was above the clouds at that time. After a year, the apostles started fasting seekig to see Saint Mary’s assumption as the apostle Thomas did. They started fasting on august 1 E.C. The Lord heard their prayers on august 16. And held a Divine Liturgy with Saint Mary as a Throne, Peter as an Assistant Priest and Stephen as a deacon. Then He gave communion to Saint Mary and the apostles. They got to partake the Holy Communion beyond seeing the Holy Mother of God. (translation of praise of Saint Mary). Based on this story, Patristic Fathers of the Church proclaimed this fast as one of the seven fasts, to be fasted from August 1-16 E.C. by all believers of the Church.
In the fast of the assumption, not only hermits but even worldly people separate from there family and go to monasteries and churches to take time apart from worldly affairs and engage in spiritual deeds like prayer, fasting and feeding their soul with the Lord’s mercy through saints and martyrs’ intersection. Partaking the Holy Communion is common in this season. We also commemorate of Saint Mary’s rest from the world, her assumption, the blessings and hopes that is given from her beloved son. We go by the path in which our fathers and mothers showed us and fast this season every year. Those who can attend the Divine Liturgy and partake the Holy Communion. In addition, this fast is where we express our love for the Holy Virgin Mother of God. Especially orthodox children learn the gospel abundantly and also partake the Holy Communion in this fast of assumption.
When we fast, it is not appropriate to present oneself in a gloomy way: “when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” (Matthew 6:16-18) said the Lord. Therefore, when we fast, we should not seek for praises from people but instead get blessings from God. So in order not to be praised for nothing looking gloomy and disfiguring faces is not proper at all during for the fasts that are done willingly that are proclaimed by the Church. The saying “put oil on your face” also states that we should be loving and repent while we fast.
In the first week “He who comes down (Zewerede), it is expected to fast until 12:00 LT. The weeks between Zewerede and Passion Week, it expected to fast until 9:00 LT except for those who can fast until 12:00 LT. For the last week, the Passion Week (Semone Himamat), it is fasted until the sun sets. For the rest of the 6fasts, the Church proclaims we should fast until 9:00 LT. Drinking alcohol is not recommended during the season of fasting; weddings are not held; especially on the great fast even celebrating martyrs and saints is only done on Saturday and Sunday as our father taught us (according to the 300 scholars’ rules). As it is said “Do not mix with winebibbers, Or with gluttonous eaters of meat ” (Proverb 23:20)
As the 300 scholars said “Fast is the work of the flesh; Alms giving and tithe is the scarification of money” fasting is taking away the needs of the flesh; again fasting is contributing to the less fortunate, if not it is not fasted as intended by God. If it is by taking away from the less fortunate, causing them stress, having arguments with people, it won’t have its real value. If one fasts truly, one could really understand what it is like to be hungry and so he will be kind enough to share with others. All in all, fasting according to the Liturgy of the Church is our responsibility as laities/believers and includes doing good deeds, and avoiding all inappropriate doings. So, to get blessings for our soul and flesh, we must fast according to the Liturgy of the Church, humbly, in repentance and in a broken heart.
Praise to God! Amen!
Sources: The Laws of the kings, Translation of the Gospel, Fitiha Negest Min Ale by Memihir Betsha Alemu, Metshafe Miedan by Abba Gebre Kidan