www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Parish Life & Evangelization the apostles fast

do all byzantine catholics fast during this time now? and if so....what r the regulations ?

Hi Mateusz,

The Apostles fast was recently discussed here

https://www.byzcath.org/bboard/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=002108

I didn't get involved, I don't know enough about it. However, it seems that this fast has a unique (to me anyway) characteristic of having a moveable beginning and a fixed ending. That leaves open the possibility of being extremely short (or not at all?, on the new calendar)! Varying by the year.

Perhaps that is why it's optional for Ruthenian Byzantines.

Michael

I don't think that most folks do, but I suspect that there is a spiritual awareness of St. Peter and the feast. During these "minor lents" (including the Dormition fast), I think that many folks will abstain from meat and possibly dairy on the Fridays and perhaps on the Wednesdays.

I think the absolute key factor is the fact that we Byzantines (and our fellow Eastern brethren) are REALLY calendar people. We are very aware of the cycles of feasts and fasts, and what we are doing churchily.

And while we may not be "observant" according to the "rules" or "regulations", the fact is that we are aware, and this is what counts. One must always remember (despite what some would say) we are very much identified with our church as well as the ethnicities and cultural aspects that combined give us our personal identities. We are less rule-bound, and more "identifiers"; this, of course, drives the legal folks crazy because we are not easily boxed.

We pray with the Orthodox, and do strange ceremonies, commune infants, give our bishops salt and keys, have sacred icons and use incense like there's no tomorrow, and bring flowers, plants and grapes to church. And we sing EVERYTHING except the phone book, and I'm sure SOMEWHERE there's a rubric for that too!! [Dry Cleaners in the 4th Tone!!!!]

So, the result of all this: be a living, breathing, giving and volunteering member of the parish. And ask for advice from the other folks. Read the rule books; then, close them. And talk with your fellow Christians.

Blessings!

i see....i am in the process of becomming ukrainian catholic but its not official yet, but the priest didnt mention anything abt the apostles fast nor was it in the bulletin.

Why is the Feast of SS. Peter and Paul not a Holy Day of Obligation for the Ukrainian Byzantine Catholic Churches in America while the Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic Churches have it on their liturgical calendar as a Holy Day of Obligation??

Ung-Certez

Dear Ung-Certez,

Well, it is on my Ukrainian Catholic Calendar up here!

My experience is fast becoming that one should not be surprised by anything that may occur in the parishes south of the border . . .

My parish also enforces the Wednesday/Friday weekly fasts as well.

Just never go to confession there to say you didn't fast . . .

Adultery etc. - yes, those sins do happen.

But breaking the fast?

Look out!!

Alex

Dear Mateusz,

Why didn't you say you were in training to become a Ukrainian Catholic?

Welcome, dear brother!

Remember all that stuff about St Peter that I disagreed with you on the other thread?

I take it all back!

Alex

Even south of the border you can find both the Fast indicated on the Ukrainian Catholic calendars, the feast highlighted as a solemn feast day, and the prominence of the fast and feast is still mentioned from the pulpit in some places.

thanks for the welcome orthodox catholic!hopefully i can be byzantine soon.

at the ukrainian parish i joined...we just follow a general byzantine calender i think. the actual calender i got is from the byzantine seminary press in pittsburgh under the most reverend basil M. Schott, and it said the apostles fast began monday and ends on the 28th, the day before the sunday of the feast of the prime apostles, sts. peter and paul.

Dear Mateusz,

If I am correct, I believe the Petrine Fast is the only Fast that does not have a set length of fast days - while it ends on the Feast of the Apostles on June 29/July 12, its beginning depends on the paschal cycle and therefore the days assigned to it vary from year to year.

Alex

Alex,
Glory to Jesus Christ!
Yes, the Apostle's Fast begins on the evening of the Sunday of All Saints (which follows Pentecost Sunday) after Vespers.
It lasts until June 28.
Deacon El

Dear Father Deacon,

See! And I didn't go to seminary either!

God bless you,

Alex

Alex, Diak,

Why is it only a Solemn Holy Day and not a Holy Day of Obligation? We're talking about the prime apostles. Why do some Ukrainian Byzantine Catholic Churches put more emphasis on Latin feasts (Christ the King, Sacred Heart of Jesus, etc.) and then not honor "Sv. Petra i Pavlo" with an obligatory feast? It doen't make sense.

Ung-Certez

Opps! I forgot... What happens now?

"Day of Obligation" is an entirely Latin designation and underlies a Latin sense of duty and obligation. I am glad to see it removed from some of the Ukrainian calendars. People in glass houses...

None of the feasts you have mentioned were ever considered days of obligation even at the height of Latinization in the UGCC. In our local UGCC parish neither of the first two have even been mentioned in at least ten years. Sts. Peter and Paul have.

Historically some Ruthenian parishes also observed these two Latin-inspired feasts. Frankly I don't see your point. I also don't have a problem with the transformation of Sacred Heart to Christ the Lover of Mankind as it is now officially referred to in the UGCC, which is a uniquely Byzantine title for Christ. This was a brilliant move by Patriarch Josyp to take a Latinization and provide a positive opportunity for transmitting Byzantine tradition.

If you are trying to one-up Latinizations no Greek Catholic Church, Melkites included, are free from them. And there is no positive benefit in trying to hash back through them one at a time, but rather to procede to recapture Byzantine tradition through each particular Greek Catholic church.