What are the guidelines to fasting before receiving communion in the various Eastern Catholic Churches? Are they the same as the guidelines for Orthodox? Additionally, if someone could outline the days of the year on which Greek Catholics are obliged to practice fasting/abstinence (and what these respective terms mean in "Eastern" language) I'd be very thankful.

ChristTeen287

dear CT287:

The Eucharistic fast for the Orthodox In Communion with Rome should be generally the same as those for our Orthodox siblings. We may not be quite as strict as Rocor or Palaiocalendarist jurisdictions, but we should fall somewhere with the Greeks, OCA or Antiochians.

I say "should" because I recognize that we still partake of much of the Latin ecclesial culture, where the Eucharistic fast does not seem to be a big thing any more. So a lot of our more Latinized people don't follow this too closely alas.

Clearly the Latin rule of 1 hour before Communion cannot apply to us. Else we could down a sandwich after the Sermon and still be Ok :rolleyes:

There are 4 main Fast seasons for the Orthodox in Communion with Rome of the Byzantine tradition:

1. The Great Fast [which the Latins call "Lent"]
2. The Apostle's Fast [ends with the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul]
3. The Dormition Fast [2 weeks before the Dormition]
4. St. Philip's Fast [from the Feast of St. Philip till the Feast of the Nativity]

There is generally every Wednesday and Friday [except during Fast Free periods].

There are specific pre-Feast or Feast Fasts: e.g.: Holy Cross, Beheading of St. John the Baptist etc.

If you look into the Liturgical Calendar published by St. John of Kronstadt Press, you will find the Fasts all laid out, plus what mitigations are allowed on what days, e.g. we get to eat Fish during the Dormition Fast on the Feast of Transfiguration, during the Great Fast on Annunciation and Palm Sunday. Fish is a feast food for us!

Generally we are allowed invertebrates and abstain from vertebrates and vertebrate products, e.g.: meat, dairy products, fish, poultry, fish, eggs, etc. plus wine and olive oil. [Technically I suppose such invertebrates as lobster and oyster fall within the "law" of fasting but I would think certainly contradict the "spirit" of fasting.]

One of our priests, when he was a kid, tried to convince his parents that chips and coke was "Fast food"! (Technically, he was right) But his parents didn't buy it.

There are lots of sites out there with Fast recipes!

The best "treatise"/article/blurb that I have read on fasting is found in His Grace, Vladyka Kallistos' (Ware) edition of the Lenten Triodion - in the Introduction.

It deals with the technical side of it, how much, when, abstinence, "dry-eating", etc. - probably more than you wanted to know.

But more importantly it deals with the spirit of fasting, how it is prayer and part of one's spiritual journey and ascesis - and the temptations and spiritual dangers that accompany same.

Enjoy the upcoming "Pilipivka"!

herb.

ps: what happened to the other 286 ChristTeens? Too much fasting?

Fast every Sunday from midnight to noon.

Dan Lauffer

Well,

From Midnight until one approaches the Chalice. The time of which differs in many parishes.

Brian

Herb,

Thanks for the info. I wish there were 286 other Christ teens on this message board, but unfortunately there are not

Dan and Brian,

Isn't fasting from midnight until the reception of communion the traditional Latin practice?

ChristTeen287

dear CT287:

If you prefer a more rigourous alternative, you can follow the tradition of Fasting from Vespers onward. (or Litiya onwards, if there is a great Feast.)

herb.

ps: clearly these rules have evolved some in the Church's development. E.g. one of the earliest Orthodox Fasting principles was: Never Fast on Sat. or Sundays, since these were the Sabbath and the Lord's Day!

Teen,

However that may be, this is the practice of the Orthodox Church in America, the former Russian Orthodox Metropolia. In Russia itself, the fast is much more rigorous before Communion.

The discipline also includes a recent Confession (ROCOR demands a Saturday Night Confession before Communion on the Sunday), attendance at Vespers, the reading of the Communion Canon and Pre-Communion prayers etc

Peace,
Brian in Sacramento

Dear Teen in Christ,
Someone with more knowledge than I have must fill you in here on the forum regarding the history and recent changes in fasting times in the Latin church, but my impression was that about thirty years or so ago, the practice from fasting from midnight until reception of Holy Communion the following day was universal, when it was changed from that to three hours and now it is one hour of fasting prior to reception of the Eucharist. I wonder if those who attend the traditional Latin Mass (Tridentine) do fast from midnight. Anyway, as of now, the rule is one hour. It doesn't seem very much time, does it? As I say, I don't know what the specific years are in which these changes were implemented.

By the way, I have a friend who says she misses the church of her youth in the Latin Church, when she and her family fasted from midnight, and she had a sense of both the discipline and the mystery involved in the whole thing.

Herb,

Thanks for the information. Unfortunately, I was unable to find a complete liturgical calendar on the 'net that outlines year-round fasting guidelines for Eastern Catholics and Eastern Orthodox.

C of S,

I believe that many who attend the Tridentine Mass do indeed submit to the pre-V2 fasting rules of the Latin rite. I am almost positive that the very few parishes in North America (one is actually just 45 minutes away from me) that are fully Tridentine parishes in full communion with Rome follow the pre-V2 fasting rules.

ChristTeen287

These fasting rules changed even before Vatican II- It was Pius XII who allowed the mitigation of the Midnight Fast to 3 hours and the Dialogue Mass etc etc.

Brian in Sac

Thanks, Brian.

When was the fasting rule changed from three hours to one hour, or has it been officially changed?

I love many things about both Western and Eastern Catholicism, but one thing that "turns me off" about Roman Catholicism is an overriding mentality that many of them have to "do the bare minimum."

ChristTeen287

Yes, indeed and it is one of the reasons Orthodoxy tends to turn its nose up at the idea of reunion.

Dan Lauffer

Yes, but perhaps you and others will be inspiring in that you will not be doing the 'minimum,' and in any case, you won't be basing your decision, I would think, on what individual parishes do or don't do ... Surely there will always be some annoying things about any place ...

Dan,

Well they can jump right of their high horse if they think everyone in Orthodoxy is perfect. But, in all fairness, I must admit that it seems that faithful Orthodox do more than faithful Roman Catholics.

C of S,

Actually, part of the reason I am considering entering the Latin Church is because so many of them do the bare minimum. If all the good people leave, then the Latin Church will be left full of liberals and the like, even more so than today. Also, if I enter the Latin Church maybe I can encourage some others to change things around too. (I know all this sounds like I'm saying I'm Mr. Holy, but I don't mean to imply that at all, I just can't think of another way to phrase it).

ChristTeen287

Dear ChristTeen,
Thanks for your reply. I might have missed it before, but are you deciding between Eastern Catholic Churches and the Latin, or, are you also considering Orthodox churches that aren't in communion with Rome -- just curious.

ps -- actually, Christ Teen, your posting and this whole topic of fasting before receiving the Eucharist has made me think more about the whole question of preparation before receiving Communion ...

Dear Brian,
Thank you for giving us that information. What do you mean by a "Dialogue Mass" by the way? I haven't heard the term.

Fasting is not the only aspect of Eastern Eucharistic preparation. Generally one who is to receive the Holy Mysteries should have been to confession and be reconciled to all.

Also proximate preparation is also practiced by saying the appropriate prayers. There is a specific office for preparation, which is generally Small Compline with the Canon of Preparation the night before receiving. Various prayers and Akathists are also said the day of receiving the Holy Mysteries.

C of S,

I am considering becoming a traditional Latin Catholic (not part of the SSPX, but a Latin Catholic that is a member of a Tridentine parish in full communion with Rome), an Eastern Catholic (I'm thinkin' Melkite), or the slim possibility of becoming a regular Latin Catholic.

It's a really tough decision for me, there are so mant "ifs" "ands" and "buts." Ultimately, I need to join whichever Tradition brings me closest to God, and right now that seems to be traditional Roman Catholicism, but it has been Eastern Catholicism before; it changes a lot. Before I convert I'll consult with both a Latin and Eastern Catholic priest, as I will need a lot of guidance in this matter.

ChristTeen287

But wouldn't you have to go through a basic "RCIA" program, even for the traditional Latin rite parish? Or, is there some way you could get some sort of special course approved in place of a regular RCIA if you did not wish to go through a "regular" Latin parish -- I am wondering if the Tridentine people have a class in place of the run of the mill RCIA. Anyway, best wishes on your 'journey' and whichever you choose, it sounds as if you really cannot go wrong, as you're obviously sincere and devoted. So, congratulations in advance ... as Saint Catherine of Siena once said, "All the way to heaven is heaven." (I have to look it up as to where that quote comes from - I just heard it quoted again recently!) Also keep in mind that even if you 'must' go through a 'regular' RCIA program in order to be part of the Latin church of either parish type and you're not happy with it, you can always supplement it as I am sure you are doing anyway, with your own studies. (In other words not to reject it just because you have to go through a less than optimal program doesn't mean it won't be worth it!)

Thanks for the well-wishes, C of S

I really have not done any research to find out whether one must go through RCIA even if he wants to enter into a traditional Latin parish. I haven't done any researching in exactly how to enter the Church (Eastern or Western) yet (but I do know of RCIA) because I don't know which sui iurus Church I'll join. Even if I did know, it would be a pretty difficult thing right now because I'm 15 (I'll be 16 in less than two months though). I've thought about it, and I have no idea how I'd have the time for RCIA right now, because it starts in September and goes on for months; right in the heat of my school season! After it's all decided, I may have to wait to join the True Faith after my graduation from high school, which is very depressing, but definitely worth the wait.

ChristTeen287

P.S.- Cradles Catholics really do not know what a blessing they have. There are people fighting tooth and nail to get into the Church, and many cradle Catholics couldn't care less if they belonged to it.

CT287:

I hear ya' Bro.!

Nevertheless, the Churches NEED Converts!

So, courage, perseverance, and full steam ahead!

herb.

plus, it's also a Great Blessing to Know what a Blessing you will have!

Anticipation!

Plus there is a great deal to be said for being in the Catechumenate. You get a whole litany to yourself, plus you get a special blessing/inclination! (and if you really want, you can skip the 2d part of the Liturgy!) (and I haven't even mentioned the 3 exorcism & the 3x Immersion!!! )

I suppose all this is only in the Eastern Churches of the Catholic Church, right Herb? How does the Latin (post-V2 or pre-V2) compare? How do they bring in catechumenates? I can't be rebaptized because I was baptized in the United Methodist Church as an infant.

ChristTeen287

Yep, as far as I know. Sorry. Are we back in the running?

Don't know, sorry.

herb.
Happy new Calendar Theodore the Studite Feast!

LOL, the Eastern Churches were never out of the running, but right now my spirituality is more in tune/more drawn to the Latin church. I feel more regretful and sorry for my sins inside the boundaries of Latin spirituality. As Our Lady of Fatima said, "Penance! Penance! Penance!" And I am more in tune with this from a Western perspective.

With that said, there are many things that draw me to the Eastern Churches that the Western Church lacks.

ChristTeen287

The Dialogue Mass was the Tridentine Mass that allowed the Congregation to make the responses that were usually the place of the Altar Server or choir to make. It was a feature of the late 50's and early 60's as a result of the LIturgical Renewel movement in some parishes.

The canon of prepararation does not belong in small compline. Small compline, for Saturday night at least, has its own canon.

The canon of preparation belongs in the Rule of Prayer before Holy Communion.

S Bogom -
Mark, monk and sinner.

Thank you, Brian, for letting me know what the Dialogue Mass is.

Dear ChristTeen,
No matter which you are 'in,' east or west, you can of course have devotions that are both eastern and western. Since as you say you are still young and very busy besides, you can take the time you need to keep growing spiritually, and since you are seeking guidance of spiritual fathers, too, that will be helpful in all matters of discerning and planning. It sounds as if you are very inspired and serious ...

Thanks for the advice, C of S.

Yes, I think that I am "inspried" to do what I can to strengthen the Church, my own faith, and the faith of others with whom I come in contact. I am quite serious when it comes to my spirituality and religion, because I think it is of foremost importance. However, outside of my spirituality, I am not serious at all. Actually, I'm the "class clown." I'm sure I manifest a serious attitude on this forum, but that's because this is part of my spirituality. If this forum were more recreational in nature I'd be a lot less serious. I guess you could say I'm a little dichotomous: I am very serious at times, but the majority of the time I am your normal (immature) fifteen year old.

ChristTeen287