Christmas is one of the brightest Orthodox holidays in our country. It is preceded by forty days of various abstinence. The Nativity Fast is considered less strict than the Great Fast. It is important to understand its true meaning. It is a mistake to think that by giving up certain foods, you are observing all the canons of the church.
In Orthodox Russia, the New Year is celebrated on the strictest days of the Nativity Fast. On this holiday, as in all forty days of fasting, it is necessary to give up entertainment, watching TV, listening to music. It is not necessary to cancel the New Year's Eve. The main thing is not to violate the basic rules of fasting, to limit entertainment and abundant meals on a festive night.
In food, it is necessary to abandon animal products: meat, eggs, milk and dairy products. Fish is allowed on all days except Wednesday and Friday. For the last two weeks of the Nativity Fast, it is forbidden to eat fish and caviar. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, only dry food is allowed, that is, no vegetable oil is added to food. It is forbidden to drink wine on all days of fasting. Do not overeat because it is considered a sin.
The Orthodox spend all forty days before the birth of Christ in prayer and repentance. For those who are fasting for the first time and do not know the order of the ceremony, the priests in the temple will explain all the rules. You should come to church services as often as possible and spend time in prayers of repentance. Confession and the sacrament are held every day during the first three weeks of fasting. On the eve of the performance of these ordinances, it is recommended to attend the evening service. Physical abstinence should be fully combined with spiritual fasting throughout the forty days.
The day before Christmas is called Christmas Eve. From the very morning until the first star appears in the sky, it is not allowed to eat food. This star reminds people of biblical legends.
The purpose of the Nativity Fast is not to abstain from certain foods, bad habits and carnal pleasures, but to purify the soul and repentance. And if you are trying to observe fasting in all its forms for the first time, perhaps something will not work right away, or somewhere you will be mistaken. There is no need to despair and be angry, upset and renounce your undertakings. You will always be helped by the advice and instructions of the priests and the commandments of the scriptures.
