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Homepage > Training Course > Dietary Rules
Description and comparative analysis of the dietary rules of different religions and confessions
Dietary Rules
Period | Dietary rules | Commemoration and church service |
Clean Week | Strict fasting | On St. Theodore Saturday a special canon composed by St. John of Damascus is chanted and blessed kolyva (boiled wheat with honey and raisins) is distributed to the faithful. |
Second week | Strict fasting on Wednesday and Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, oil and wine are allowed. Fish is allowed on the feast of Annunciation. |
Sunday commemorates St. Gregory Palamas. The Epistle is Hebrews 1:10-14; 2:1-3 and the Gospel is Mark 2:1-12 |
Third week | Strict fasting is observed from Monday to Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, oil and wine are allowed. |
The Veneration of the Cross is celebrated on Sunday. This is the midpoint of the forty days. During the All-Night Vigil the priest brings the cross out into the center of the church, where it is venerated by the clergy and faithful. It remains in the center of the church through Friday of the next week. The Epistle is Hebrews 4:14-5:6 and the Gospel is Mark 8:34-9:1. |
Fourth Week | Strict fasting on Wednesday and Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, oil and wine are allowed. |
This week is celebrated as a sort of afterfeast of the Veneration of the Cross, during which some of the hymns from the previous Sunday are repeated each day. Sunday is dedicated to St. John Climacus, whose work, The Ladder of Divine Ascent has been read throughout the Great Lenten Fast. |
Fifth week | Strict fasting on Wednesday and Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, oil and wine are allowed. |
On Thursday the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete is chanted. This is the longest canon of the church year. It is centred on the theme of repentance. As a part of the Matins of the Great Canon, the Life of St. Mary of Egypt by St. Sophronius is read and the famous kontakion, "My soul, my soul, why sleepest thou..." by St. Romanos the Melodist is chanted. On Thursday morning a special Presanctified Liturgy is celebrated, and the fast is mitigated slightly as consolation after the long service the night before. On Saturday the Holy Mother of God is honoured with the hymn the Akathist to the Theotokos. Sunday is to St. Mary of Egypt. |
Sixth Week | Strict fasting on Wednesday and Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, oil and wine are allowed. On Palm Sunday, fish, caviar and others invertebrates are also allowed. |
The resurrection of Lazarus is celebrated on Saturday. The blessing of palms (or willow) takes place at Matins on Sunday morning, and everyone stands holding willow leaves and lit candles during the important moments of the service. The Divine Liturgy on Palm Sunday morning recreates the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. The Holy Week services begin on the night of Palm Sunday, and the liturgical colours are changed from the festive hues of Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday back to somber Lenten colours. |
Holy Week | Strict fasting is observed from Monday to Saturday. Abstaining from all food and drinks is encouraged on Good Friday. | During Holy Week each day has its own theme, based upon the Gospel readings. The Matins services for Holy Monday through Thursday develop the theme of "Christ the Bridegroom". The icon often displayed on these days depicts Jesus with a crown of thorns and a robe of mockery. |
Passion scenes
End of the 15th century Eastern Orthodox icon by an unknown master from the Novogorod school. It depicts the suffering of Christ - the Flagellation, roman soldiers mocking Christ the Bridegroom, Procession to Golgotha, Climbing to the Cross.
Parable of the Ten Virgins
Artist interpretation.-The Ladder of Divine Ascent-Icon depicting The Ladder of Divine Ascent (12th century, Saint Catherine's Monastery).
Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
On Friday of the first week of Great Lent, after the Vespers service with the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, a moleben canon is sung in church to the Holy Greatmartyr Theodore the Tyro and koliva is blessed in his honor—boiled wheat or rice with honey. Coourtesy of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
Sundays of Great Lent
Courtesy of St. Vladimir Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral, Parma Ohio
The Great Feasts
Russian Icon showing the Resurrection and the 12 Great Feasts c. 1903.
Fasting in Great Lent. A conversation with Fr. John Guy Winfrey
Great Lent - Great Entrance During Presanctified Liturgy- Great Entrance during Presanctified Liturgy on first Wednesday of 2014 Great Lent at Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, New York
Chants Of Great Lent The Russian Church- Orthodox Russian church singing.
The Great Lent. Chants Hymns- Orthodox Russian church singing.