Within the liturgical cycle of the Orthodox Church we are provide with a wonderful balance of both feast days and times of fasting. Throughout the course of each year, we are called upon to experience moments of great spiritual joy and celebrate with exuberance, but to also practice periods of humility with solemn penitence and sacrifice.
Besides various one-day fasts, the Orthodox Church prescribes four major fasting periods annually: the Great Fast (Great Lent) before Pascha, the Nativity Fast (Advent) prior to the Birth of our Savior, the Dormition Fast which prepares us for the Falling Asleep of the Blessed Virgin, and the Apostle’s Fast which precedes the Feast of Sts. Peter & Paul.
The first three Fasts are fixed and exact in days, while the Apostle’s Fast varies in duration from year to year because its length is based upon the celebration of Pentecost, which occurs fifty days following the date of Pascha. The Sts. Peter and Paul Fast always begins on the Monday following Pentecost Week (i.e. on the day following the Sunday of All Saints).
The Apostle’s Fast is sometimes referred to as the “forgotten fast” because it is possibly the least one followed. Still, it needs to be taken seriously. The fifth century saint, Leo the Great, wrote about this fasting period saying, “After the Feast of Pentecost, fasting is especially necessary to purify our thoughts and render us worthy to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit.”
The ancient Apostolic Constitution, dating back to the forth century , also gives us some important insight into the Apostle’s Fast: “After the Feast of Pentecost, celebrate one week, then observe a Fast, for justice demands rejoicing after the reception of the gifts from God and fasting after the body has been refreshed.”
It is clear, therefore, that from the early days of the Christian Church, it was customary to fast after the joyful days of celebrating Christ’s Resurrection, Ascension, and the Descent of the Holy Spirit.
This year, the Apostle’s Fast is only ten days in length. Let us try and do our best to keep this sacred season and prepare for the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, all the while remembering that we, too, are called upon to be Apostles for Christ. Therefore, let us accept this spirit-enriching time by beginning the Fast with joy!
