[Sca-cooks] European Fast Days?
johnna holloway
johnna at sitka.engin.umich.edu
Fri Oct 25 15:18:40 PDT 2002
It varies but about half the days is the usual estimate.
See: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05789c.htm
http://lilt.ilstu.edu/rtdirks/FAST.html
from http://93.1911encyclopedia.org/F/FA/FASTING.htm
one finds the following:
Besides fasts of an occasional and extraordinary nature, the following
are recognized as
of stated and universal obligation;(x) The Wednesday and Friday
fasts throughout the
year (with the exception of the period between Christmas and
Epiphany, the Easter
week, the week after Whitsunclay, the third week after Epiphany) (2)
The great yearly
fasts, viz. that of Lent, lasting 48 days, from the Monday of
Sexagesima to Easter eve;
that of Advent, 39 days, from November 15 to Christmas eve; that of
the Theotokos
(eoareta rijs eeoro~ov), from August I to August 15; that of the Holy
Apostles, lasting a
variable number of days from the Monday after Trinity; (3) The minor
yearly fasts before
Epiphany, before Whitsunday, before the feasts of the
transfiguration, the invention of the
cross, the beheading of John the Baptist. During even the least
rigid of these the use of
flesh and lacticinia is strictly forbidden; fish, oil and wine are
occasionally conceded, but
not before two oclock in the afternoon. The practice of the Coptic
church is almost
identical with this. A week before the Great Fast (Lent), a fast of
three days is observed
in commemoration of that of the Ninevites, mentioned in the book of
Jonah. Some of the
Copts are said to observe it by total abstinence during the whole
period. The Great Fast
continues fifty-five days; nothing is eaten except bread and
vegetables, and that only in
the afternoon, when church prayers are over. The Fast of the
Nativity lasts for
twenty-eight days before Christmas; that of the Apostles for a
variable number of days
from the Feast of the Ascension; and that of the Virgin for
fifteen days before the
Assumption. All Wednesdays and Fridays aie also fast days except
those that occur in
the period between Easter and Whitsunday.
Johnnae llyn Lewis Johnna Holloway
lilinah at earthlink.net wrote:
> but i'm not sure how many fast days were there in a
> typical year (if there is such a thing) in the Middle Ages /
> Renaissance? I realize things might vary by region, i just want a
> ballpark figure.>
> Anyone have a good estimate?
> > Anahita
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