The Prophet’s Fast
November 23,2021
The Prophets seeking to see the salvation of mankind, through the work of salvation by Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ fasted for the forty three days with His coming, His birth from the Virgin and baptized in the Hands of Saint John, suffer and be crucified upon the cross. The Prophets craved for the His revelation and awaited for the fulfillment of the prophecy, fasting and praying by acknowledged the Salvation of being a man of God and fasted.
The Prophet’s Fast is amongst the seven canonically recognized by the Ethiopian Orthodox Incarnation Church. The Fast begins on November 24 and ends on Eve of the Holiday. (Fetha Negest, Article 15, Number 565)
The Prophet’s Fast has different names even though it is officially known as the “The Prophets Fast.”
1. The Fast of Adam
God promise to Adam to be born from his root and spare him from eternal punishment and so, it is called “The Fast of Adam.”
2. The Fast of Sermon
It is termed as the “The Fast of Sermon” the Gospel is widely taught during this season.
3. Fast of Apostles
As Apostles with the thought of fasting the Prophet alike the Great Lent, fasted, it is also termed as “Fast of Apostles.”
4. Fast of Philip
Apostle Philip traveled around provinces, preached the words of God, “The Gospel” and performed miraculous, encouraged believers, convinced those heresies and died as a Martyr. But, when the disciples attempted to bury his body, they couldn’t find it as it was invisible. So, they prayed, fasted and remained in Sabbath for God wills to reveal the body for them. On the third day, they found and buried it. However, they fasted till the Birth of Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, it is known as “Fast of Philip.”
5. Fast of Mary
Holy Saint Mary the Mother of God, fasted before she gave birth to her beloved Son Lord Jesus after Saint Gabriel declared her Honor and thinking that she necessitated to fast.
We abstain throughout this season not just from food and drink or any other luxurious, but also from every evil deed such as vanity, violence, jealousy, lie, hatred and all other deviousness. We shall fast, The Prophets of Fast, in the celebration of the beginning of Mankind’s salvation, with faith and good endeavors.
May it be the will of God in reaching the graceful day of His Birth; Amen!
Source:
• Holy Bible: The King James Version (1769)
• Fetha Negest, Article 15, Number 565