I am giving up blogging for Lent.
In a helpful article HERE, Ted Olsen explains that
Lent is one of the oldest observations on the Christian calendar. Like all Christian holy days and holidays, it has changed over the years, but its purpose has always been the same: self-examination and penitence, demonstrated by self-denial, in preparation for Easter. Early church father Irenaus of Lyons (c.130-c.200) wrote of such a season in the earliest days of the church, but back then it lasted only two or three days, not the 40 observed today.
In 325, the Council of Nicea discussed a 40-day Lenten season of fasting, but it's unclear whether its original intent was just for new Christians preparing for Baptism, but it soon encompassed the whole Church.
How exactly the churches counted those 40 days varied depending on location. In the East, one only fasted on weekdays. The western church's Lent was one week shorter, but included Saturdays. But in both places, the observance was both strict and serious. Only one meal was taken a day, near the evening. There was to be no meat, fish, or animal products eaten.
Until the 600s, Lent began on Quadragesima (Fortieth) Sunday, but Gregory the Great (c.540-604) moved it to a Wednesday, now called Ash Wednesday, to secure the exact number of 40 days in Lent—not counting Sundays, which were feast days. Gregory, who is regarded as the father of the medieval papacy, is also credited with the ceremony that gives the day its name. As Christians came to the church for forgiveness, Gregory marked their foreheads with ashes reminding them of the biblical symbol of repentance (sackcloth and ashes) and mortality: "You are dust, and to dust you will return" (Gen 3:19).
By the 800s, some Lenten practices were already becoming more relaxed. First, Christians were allowed to eat after 3 p.m. By the 1400s, it was noon. Eventually, various foods (like fish) were allowed, and in 1966 the Roman Catholic church only restricted fast days to Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. It should be noted, however, that practices in Eastern Orthodox churches are still quite strict.
Though Lent is still devoutly observed in some mainline Protestant denominations (most notably for Anglicans and Episcopalians), others hardly mention it at all."
It is a shame that Lent has fallen out of popularity, for it is a wonderful way to prepare for Easter. It is also a time to exercise self-control and thankfulness as we abstain from certain habits and hobbies we are normally accustomed to.
Click HERE to read more about the church calendar and why it is important.
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As to the strictness of Orthodox Lent. Many people we talk to do not understand that what we give up is not a personal decision. Like the primitive Roman Catholic Church, we eat a basically vegan diet for 40 days before both Nativity and Pascha (Easter). Wine and oil are allowed on weekends and Feast Days such as the Annunciation. There are also two shorter and less strict fast seasons, one after Pentecost, and one preceding the Feast of the Death of the Virgin Mary. Also, every Wednesday and Friday are vegan fast days except immediately after Nativity and Pascha. We are hard core.
ReplyDeleteLike all the externals of the Orthodox Church, this mere dietary fasting is meant to point to something more important: in this case fasting from sin. If you don't fast from sin then you have missed the point. But we don't believe you can do this without the aid of the Holy Spirit. We believe that fasting is a weapon of Grace to destroy the power of sin and death in our lives. It is an instrument of our sanctification (theosis). If we only fast with the body, only bow with the body, whatever, we miss the point. We need the reality in our hearts, other wise we deserve Jesus' criticism of the white washed tombs.
Fr. Thomas Hopko refered to it, in his book, The Lenten Spring as ¨bright sadness¨.
ReplyDeleteHere in Peru things are a little more strict, especially for Holy Week, in which businesses are shut down and a kind of fasting is observed. They have processions through the streets and public reinactments of the passion.