The fourth and last of the lenten seasons of the year is the Christmas (or Advent) Fast, which begins 40 days before the Nativity of Christ our Lord, and for this reason is also called a 40-day fast. As to its antiquity, its origin is in no way later than those already described. It is mentioned in the 4th century, and Pope Leo the Great in the 5th century describes it as anciently established. Its duration, like that of the Dormition Fast, was ordained at the church Council of Constantinople in the year 1166, during the time of the same Patriarch Luke, when it was decided to begin it on 15th November. This lent is also called Philip’s Lent, for it begins on [the day after] St. Philip’s day. Its severity is similar to that of the Apostle Peter’s Fast. It increases specially from December 20th and reaches its culmination on the last day, that is on Christmas Eve.

These four fasts enumerated are to some extent similar to the four fasts which existed in Old Testament Church times, mention of which is made in the book of the prophet Zacharias (8:19).

Furthermore, the Church summons us to fast on definite days of the year, in particular, as we have seen in paragraph 69 of the Apostolic Canons, on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays was appointed by the Church in commemoration of the betrayal of the Saviour, His suffering (Wednesday), and His death on the Cross (Friday). In the ancient Church, these days were known as the days of fasting and standing, for on Wednesdays and Fridays Christians spent the whole night at Divine service, as if standing on guard; and this fast continued until the 9th hour (by our time 3 o'clock in the afternoon). As to the rigor with which the Church regarded the Wednesday and Friday fast days, we can judge from the same Apostolic Canon Law, which punishes clergymen for its violation by deposing them from their sacred dignities, and by excommunicating laymen from the Church. Submitting innumerable testimonies about keeping fast on Wednesday and Fridays, the commentator on this law of the Church also permits lawful departure from it. First of all, the sick are excluded and are permitted to eat fish, if they deserve this dispensation. But no one, not even the sick on his death bed, is permitted to eat meat on Wednesdays and Fridays, with the exception of the paschal days and those permitted by the Church, namely: Wednesday and Friday preceding the week of meatfare; Wednesday and Friday of the week when cheese is allowed; the week of Pascha, which is considered to be one beautiful bright Lord’s Day; the week of Pentecost; and the 12 days from the Birth of Christ to the Theophany [excluding the eve of Theophany, see below -ed.].

The following are also fast days: the holy day of the Elevation of the Cross of the Lord, 14th of September; the day of the beheading of the prophet, St. John the Baptist on the 29th of August, and the Eve of Theophany - January 5th.

It is interesting to note the fact that a 40-days fast and a two day a week fast, on Wednesdays and Fridays, are still kept by pious Jews. A new convert from the Jews, Jacob Averbach, in his pamphlet, The similarity between rituals and decrees of the Orthodox Church and rituals and decrees of the Old Testament Church, testifies that in one of the Jewish books, Xaie-Adam, it says that when Moses when up for the second time to the mountain of Sinai and remained there for 40 days in fasting, the Jews at the same time fasted 40 days, and that at the present time, the Jews commemorating that practice still observe fasting every year for 40 days in repentance, and a few days in prayer. During those days, he says: the, Jews, although permitted to eat meat., abstained from it from the first to the tenth of the month of ‘Ov’ in memory of the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem. These days are known under the general name of penitential and fearful, called Fomen Norim, beginning in the month of ‘Elel’ and ending with the great Bossinami, or the day of forgiveness of sins - Yom Kippur. Stating that with the Jews, besides this 40 day fast, there are others also (Zach. 7:8), he says that they now keep fasting on two days, namely on Mondays and Thursdays of each week. This corroboration undoubtedly serves as strong evidence of the fact that all fasting that is kept and preserved by the Church today, had its origin in ancient times, and that in the New Testament Church, according to the prophecy of Zacharias (8:19), it has simply been changed to other fast days.

And so, if all fasting days from all lenten periods are summed up, the fulfilment of which is required by the church in all severity, then it is readily seen that the greater part of the life of a Christian is passed in fasting. It can even be said that his life is one of continuous fasting with the exception of the designated days of holy feasts. On those days, as on those when fasting was not required of the disciples of Christ during His lifetime on earth, fasting is not required of us either, for on those days the Lord is near to us and it is not repentance that is then required of us, but the praise and glory due to God.

… to be completed in the next issue.