Notes for the Great Fast

Monday after Cheesefare Sunday begins the Great and Holy Fast.

Fasting: It is the ancient custom of our Church that meat, eggs and dairy products are not eaten on any days from now until Easter (with a few exceptions on feast days). This is called "black fasting." I strongly recommend that everyone keep this practice; or keep it as much as possible. It's better to do even a little, for example one day a week, than none at all.

THE CURRENT LAW is minimal: "Black fast" on the first day of Lent and Great Friday and meatless Fridays.

Naturally, one should take into account age and health conditions when fasting, since God does not wish us to impair our health by fasting, only to discipline and modify our behavior as a guide to our growth. The Fast is not only about abstaining from food, but also abstaining from sin. Unlike the Roman Church, we do not have the custom of "giving up things" for Lent, except for the focus on food and sin, which to me seems more than sufficient. Still, if other practices are helpful to your observance then please follow them.

Main Services: The main Lenten Service is the Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts, which we will serve every Friday evening. The Divine Liturgy is considered too joyous to celebrate on the weekdays of the Fast; the Pre-Sanctified takes its place. Its name comes from the fact that the Eucharist has already been "sanctified" previously at Sunday's Liturgy. The Pre-Sanctified is a special vesper service, oriented toward this season, and Holy Communion is distributed. The readings are from the Old Testament, revealing God's saving work in times past, and His wisdom as found in the Book of Proverbs.

It is the custom to celebrate it on Wednesday and Friday evenings, however, due to our circumstances we only schedule it on Friday nights. It is a very beautiful service, and while I regret that so many have never taken part in this Liturgy, I still hope that all who can will come at least once to worship the Lord through this moving and ancient Lenten service.

Obidnitsa is a part of the regular daily prayer cycle served in monasteries. During the Fast it has a Lenten theme. It may also function as a Communion Service, and we use it in this capacity during the Fast on Wednesday mornings (9:00) to accommodate those who are not able to come to evening services on Friday.

Something New: This year we will have a service on almost every day during Lent, when I am at home. (BE SURE to check the bulletin and calendar for these days, and you can find them at nativityukr.org) On Monday evening, the last night prayer, Compline, will be served at 7:30 before Bible Study. On Tuesdays, the First Hour will be prayed at 7:00 a.m. and the Sixth Hour on Thursdays at noon. These two services are a little less than a half-hour long. Saturday services will vary.

I realize that these are a lot of prayer times, and I do not expect there will necessarily be anyone in church with me for them on any given day, at any given time. But at least they provide an opportunity for you to come for a shorter service at a different time and on a different day than the usual Lenten schedule. Of course you may go to Confession before or after any of these other services as well.

SHORT CLASSES: on Fridays, after Pre-Sanctified, in connection with a simple soup and bread supper.

THE Liturgy of St. Basil the Great is served on Sundays in Lent. The only major difference from the regular Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is in the Anaphora, the central prayer of the Holy Eucharist. It is a beautiful expression of remembrance and praise to God for His saving deeds, especially the greatest gift of all, the sacrifice of the cross. This year again we will follow the more ancient custom of the priest praying this part of the Liturgy out loud on the Lenten Sundays.

Other Lenten Items:

• The Fast has two cycles that run together. Saturdays and Sundays form one of these cycles. Both are food fasting days, but not days in which we fast from the Liturgy. There are three All Souls Saturdays in Lent in which we serve Liturgy and celebrate the Panachida especially for the family members and relatives of parishioners.

• Red or purple vestments (symbolizing days of repentance) are worn on the weekdays of Lent and for services for the dead; light colors are used on Sundays. Prostrations, such as we use Cheesefare Vespers and Pre-Sanctified are a part of daily prayers during this time of the year, but not on Saturdays or Sundays. Sundays are always a celebration of the Resurrection, so they, along with Saurdays, are not considered a part of the liturgical observance of the Fast (even though they may have Lenten themes).

I strongly encourage everyone to make good use of the services of the Church, and the practices of the Fast that have been sanctified down through the centuries. Along with Confession, they constitute the curriculum of the School of Sinners and provide us with a great opportunity for learning the mind and the heart of Christ. If we listen to these lessons, and apply them, we come to the Resurrection as students who have achieved another level of growth and holiness in our continuing journey Home.