Clean Monday is the first day of Lent. First day of post

March 11, 2019 begins Great Lent, which lasts 7 weeks.

One of the conditions for abstinence at this time is a strict restriction in food of animal origin.

You can go this way if you know the rules of food restrictions. You need to start with preparation, learning how to fast in the first week of fasting.

The nutrition of the first week of Great Lent should be scheduled by day so that abstinence from food does not turn into an ordinary hunger strike or diet.

What is the meaning of Lent

The main purpose of fasting is spiritual growth, during which Orthodox people try to get as close as possible to the Creator, to be filled with His power of love.

During Great Lent, pacifying and purifying their flesh, believers spend time in remembrance of the great sacrifice of Christ, who gave His earthly life to cleanse mankind from sins and diseases.

This is a blessed time when the Orthodox can focus spiritually on the great mission of Christ, bestowed on mankind by the grace of salvation through faith in Jesus.

The Savior said that those who believe in Him are the temple of the Living God (1 Cor. 3:17). The cleansing of our body is preparation for the celebration of Easter, when a miracle of miracles happened, Christ resurrected after physical death, giving us hope for Eternal Life.

Important. During the entire abstinence for 48 days, it is not recommended to eat animal products. The use of vegetable oils is limited.

Fish and seafood products are allowed on certain days:

• crayfish;
• lobsters;
• squids;
• shrimps;
• mussels and others.

The food of the first week consists of dry eating, the list of products is as limited as possible, but with a properly composed menu, you can adequately live in abstinence for 7 days.

About the other weeks of Great Lent:

First week of abstinence - basic rules

The food of the first week of Great Lent is limited to minimalism. Only the Orthodox who have passed this path more than once can fulfill the strict rules of the first 7 days.

According to the strict canons of the Church, in the first week it is recommended to eat only in the evenings, once a day, twice on weekends. Such a mode of abstinence can be endured by particularly steadfast Christians.

Orthodox who have decided to perform the feat of abstinence for the first time should draw up a menu in order to determine for themselves how to fast in the first week of fasting.

Products for the first and second days of Lent are selected taking into account the fact that this is the time of dry eating - eating without heat treatment.

For the first week of fasting, fresh, dried and pickled vegetables, fruits, honey, crackers, mushrooms, and berries should be prepared.

Monday

Food intake on the first day of fasting is limited to a minimum. If the strength of faith and health allows, then no food is prepared during the day, dry eating is established on this day.

Preparing for fasting, Orthodox Christians pre-dry crackers, fruits, prepare juices and infusions.

To withstand strict abstinence on the first day, fractional meals will help, every 3-4 hours, so that there is no feeling of hunger.

Avocado sandwich

At this fertile time, a person should concentrate on spiritual food, and not on the stomach.

• You can start the day with a cracker with honey and a cup of fruit drink.
• For lunch, a coleslaw salad with carrots, onions and a small avocado bread sandwich sprinkled with sesame seeds are suitable.
• A snack before dinner with nuts and a few pieces of prunes and dried apricots will give strength to get through this day.
• At lunch, you can satisfy your hunger with a cucumber and tomato salad mixed with avocado slices, seasoned with soy sauce and ground flax.
• Before dinner, you can eat a banana, which will give a feeling of satiety.
• The daily diet is completed by taking juice, infusion with a few crackers or bread with honey.

Tuesday

The second day of the Great Fast in the first week of abstinence before Easter is also under a great ban.

Regularly fasting Orthodox continue to consume bread, kvass or water only in the evenings.

For those who are not confident in their abilities, but are very eager to go through the path of purification, a menu is being compiled for Tuesday.

Dried fruit sweets

The church allows people who are starting to fast to make tea and coffee, which can be used to start Tuesday. A piece of bread with honey is added to drinks.

• Nuts with apples will be a great second breakfast.
• Nuts, dried fruits satisfy hunger quickly and for a long time.
• At lunchtime, you can cook a nutritious salad of turnips, apples, carrots with cranberries.
• A small sandwich with cucumber and tomato sprinkled with sesame seeds is a great pre-dinner snack.
• Ground dried fruits in the form of dried apricots, prunes, raisins, filled with any unsweetened juice, will be a wonderful addition to an evening drink.

Important! After finishing your daily meal, do not forget:

• before going to bed, thank the Savior for the food given;
• ask for forgiveness for sins, obvious and implicit, committed during the day;
• pray for blessings for the coming dream.

Wednesday

Many believers are concerned about the question: how many times a day can you eat in the first week of fasting.

For steadfast Orthodox, monks and clergy, the first week is one of the "hungry" weeks, when food is taken once in the evening in the form of bread and water.

Sauerkraut with cranberries

The rest of the people should not immediately load their body with such restrictions. The menu below will help you live Wednesday in worship of God and dry eating.

• For breakfast on the third day of the first week of Great Lent, we recommend preparing a drink in the form of an infusion or fruit drink with bread flavored with honey.
• Carrots, shredded and mixed with raisins, will help you get through the day until lunchtime.
• Sauerkraut with fresh cranberries, bread sandwiches with champignons will fill you up for lunch.
• A handful of nuts mixed with orange slices is a hearty afternoon snack during fast food abstention.
• Bread, spread with ground banana with honey and poppy seeds, will help in abstinence on the third day of fasting.

Thursday

Greens in the form of green onions and fresh herbs are introduced into the diet of the first week of fasting to maintain the immune system, which can first be grown on a windowsill or bought in a store.

Dry eating continues on the fourth day of Lent, when food cannot be cooked:

• not boiled;
• does not fry;
• not baked;
• does not steam.

candied dates

Vegetables, fruits and bread products without the addition of butter and eggs remain the main food during fast food.

• After reading the morning prayers, the fourth day of abstinence before Easter can be started with carrot salad, seasoned with orange juice, with the addition of ground flax. As a drink, you can use water or juice.
• A few walnuts crushed with honey can be recommended for a second breakfast.
• Juicy turnips, spicy radish, carrots grated on a coarse grater, pieces of sour apples with the addition of pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds are quite suitable for lunch, which can be varied with a piece of bread sprinkled with flax.
• A few pieces of candied dates with a cup of herbal infusion will help not to starve until the evening meal.
• A banana, mashed to a pulp, wrapped in a pita leaf, turns into spicy rolls, cutting them into pieces, you get a lean dinner that meets the requirements of a dry diet.

More about cuisine in Orthodoxy:

Friday

The fifth day of the first week of Lent refers to a strict restriction of all foods.

Friday is the day of the crucifixion of Christ.

On this day, food intake should be limited to a minimum, with acute hunger, snack on bread with cabbage salad or other vegetables, refusing fruits and berries.

Important! Lay people with chronic diseases, children under the age of 12, pregnant women and people of old age are exempt from the strictness of the first week.

This question should be discussed with your confessor.

Saturday

Having passed the first week of fasting with dignity in strict abstinence, on Saturday morning you can make smoothies from berries, you can frozen.

• To prepare a vitamin cocktail, it is enough to mix 250 g of any berries and 2 tbsp in a blender. water. Fruit smoothies will give a good charge for the whole day.
• The second breakfast will complement the vitamin supply of the morning dish with pear salad with orange, seasoned with honey and nuts.
• A bright salad of fresh pumpkin with ingredients will decorate the dining table.

Berry smoothie

To prepare a vegetable salad, you should prepare the following vegetables chopped to the state of Korean straw: carrots, turnips, pumpkins in a weight ratio of 1:3:2.

Salt, black pepper, lemon juice, a lot of greens are added for taste. After thoroughly kneading the prepared mixture, you can start dinner with a piece of bread or cracker.

• Avocado ice cream will be a worthy reward for a week spent in shit.

To prepare a delicacy for dinner, you should prepare:

• 70 - 80 ml of lemon juice, lime;
• lime peel - 2 tsp
• 250 - 300g thick, soft avocado cut into pieces;
• a cup of 200 ml of honey;
• vanilla sugar.

Whisk all the ingredients in a blender, put in molds and send to freeze in the refrigerator.

After a while, when the mass hardens to the state of ice cream, put it in balls on a saucer and decorate with a sprig of mint.

Sunday

Dry eating ends on this day, but it is not allowed to eat fish. Cooking is allowed to season with vegetable oil.

Sunday breakfast includes kolivo made from whole grains and flavored with honey.

Kolivo

Lunch consists of first and second courses. Vegetable borsch, boiled potatoes with mushroom sauce will seem like real culinary miracles after a week of dry eating.

Dumplings with potatoes, seasoned with fried onions, complete the meal of the first week of Great Lent.

Laity, who for some reason cannot endure strict abstinence in the form of dry eating, can start Lent with the menu of the second week.

Watch a video about the first week of Lent

Fasting in the first week of Lent consists of two main components. It must be understood that fasting is not just a diet due to a person's refusal from food of animal origin (meat, eggs, milk and derivative products). In addition to the physical component of abstinence, there is an equally important spiritual aspect.

Body component

Under the bodily component, one can understand the “menu calendar” of a person in the first week of Lent. The church charter provides for a strict fast in the early days. On the first day, many monks completely refuse food, on the second they eat bread and water, on the third, fourth and fifth days they eat dry food. This practice is rarely applied to people living in the world. Therefore, the Church recommends that an Orthodox person take food in the form of dry eating during the first five days of fasting in the amount necessary to maintain a person’s life (many Orthodox people need it in order to have strength for physical labor, because work is different).

In any case, in the first week of fasting (in the first five days), you can not eat animal products. In addition, fish, vegetable oil and boiled food are prohibited: these prohibitions just refer to dry eating. In the early days, you can eat vegetables and fruits, nuts, food that is not cooked. At the same time, it is permissible to eat baked food without vegetable oil, for example, baked potatoes.

If a person has health problems, it is necessary to talk with the priest so that the latter, if necessary, gives a blessing for eating boiled food and vegetable oil.

On Saturday and Sunday of the first week of Great Lent, an indulgence in food abstinence is expected. It is allowed to eat boiled food with vegetable oil. On Saturday of the first week, kolivo is consecrated in the temples - boiled rice with honey, mixed with dried fruits, marmalade and other meatless sweets.

Spiritual component

No less important is the spiritual component of Great Lent. By itself, abstinence in food does not give a person anything. Only complex abstinence in food and spiritual feat can be understood under the correct keeping of fasting.

On the first week of Lent, a believer needs to devote more time to prayer, reading the morning and evening rule, the Holy Scriptures. It is important to try to leave various amusements: watching TV, computer and gambling. It is necessary to try to fight with your passions and vices, because without this there is no fasting.

The very word “fasting” can be interpreted as the presence of a believer at the post of keeping his soul and body from all filth and sin, just as soldiers stand at the post of guarding the borders of the state from the invasion of enemies.

During the first week of Lent, it is very important to attend special Lenten services. From Monday to Thursday, the great St. Andrew of Crete is read in churches, at which the Church recommends that an Orthodox person be present, offering prayers of repentance to the Lord.

The spiritual component of the first week of Great Lent is determined by the preparation of a Christian for the sacraments of confession and Holy Communion. You can partake of the holy Body and Blood of Christ on Saturday or Sunday at the liturgy, and the night before, test your conscience for sins, followed by repentance in the sacrament of confession.

We must not forget that during Great Lent it is necessary to try to be at peace with others, to avoid disputes, quarrels, insults, foul language, fornication and adultery, as well as other practical manifestations of human sinfulness.

Not everyone knows the rules of Great Lent now. This is one of the strictest Orthodox fasts. Forgiveness Sunday becomes a tuning fork for him, when it is customary to ask loved ones for forgiveness for the offenses inflicted over the year. So, having removed the burden from the soul, believers begin the journey of seven weeks. This is how long Lent traditionally lasts. For those Orthodox who have been fasting for more than a year, all the rules have long been known. Our today's instruction is for "beginners" embarking on this path for the first time. What and when can you eat? What can not be eaten in Lent? What to watch and read these days? "Dialogue" puts on the shelves all the rules of Great Lent.

Let's start with the fact that Great Lent, as already mentioned, lasts seven weeks or weeks - their name is in the church way. But the date of its beginning and end (and hence the Easter of Christ) is changing. In 2017, Lent will last from February 27 to April 15.

What can you eat in Lent?

Perhaps the most popular question among "newbies", competing only with the question "what can not be eaten in fasting?". The main rule of Great Lent, speaking broadly, is that you cannot eat food of animal origin during fasting: meat, poultry, eggs, dairy products, fish. There are days with a stricter prescription, and there are days with a relatively mild one. In total there are four types of prescriptions, differing in the degree of severity:

• "Dry eating" - these days you can eat only "dry" food: bread and nuts, as well as fresh, dried or pickled vegetables and fruits. Do not add oil to food, boil or fry food;
• "Cooking without oil" - everything is permissible as with dry eating, in addition, you can boil or stew food, but without oil;
• "Permission for wine and oil" - is given to strengthen the strength of fasting people: on some days (all Saturdays and Sundays, except for the last Saturday before Easter), you can use vegetable oil and wine, but in moderation;
• "Permission to fish" - is given twice during Great Lent: on the feast of the Annunciation (April 7) and on Palm Sunday (Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem). In addition, on Lazarus Saturday (the eve of Palm Sunday) it is allowed to eat fish caviar.

On Orthodox websites, you can easily find food calendars created for those who fast. For convenience, the most liked one (for example, this one) can be printed out and used as a hint for all the days of Great Lent. True, it should be remembered that this calendar was created for monks, and not for the laity. There is no special calendar for the laity, and the severity of fasting for each believer is determined by his confessor. In this case, the nutrition calendar is needed so that the laity understand the severity of this or that day of fasting, and also know that they cannot eat during Great Lent.

The Orthodox priest, rector of the Church of the Ascension of the Lord in the city of Kineshma, Roman Posypkin, who became our “spiritual expert” in preparing this material, recommends starting fasting small - do not eat meat and dairy foods, as well as eggs on Wednesdays and Fridays. These days, by the way, are considered fasting on all other days of the year, regardless of whether there is a church fast or not.

Is it possible to eat lenten dishes in cafes and restaurants during fasting?

This question causes fierce controversy among the laity. So, some do not see anything contrary to the rules in this, others, on the contrary, believe that lean food should bring saturation, but not pleasure.

“The modern pace of life is such that some townspeople simply have no choice,” Father Roman explains, “Either you eat in a cafe, or you remain hungry all day. Nowadays, there are many recipes for lean and at the same time delicious dishes. A simple person cannot eat without pleasure. The priest Athanasius (Sakharov) said: "Eat at least tasty, but lean food." But if you go to a cafe on purpose to gorge yourself on dishes more bizarre than non-fasting food, then you should think: is this fasting?

In what else, besides food, do you need to limit yourself?

The rules of Great Lent are based on a more complex base, on the answer to a more difficult question: “Why is Great Lent necessary?”. Let's go back to the origins for the answer. Great Lent "grew" out of the fast observed by the first Christians who wanted to be baptized on the Bright Feast of the Resurrection of Christ, that is, on Easter. By limiting their food intake and practicing spiritual discipline, they prepared themselves to meet this day worthily. It is also a tribute to the forty-day fast of Jesus Christ in the wilderness and his sacrifice in the name of people. And, of course, the meaning of Great Lent is much broader and deeper than simple dieting.

“The essence of fasting is not to give up certain types of food or entertainment,” explains Roman Posypkin, “but to give up that which completely absorbs us and removes us from God. Fasting is a time of serving God through prayer and repentance.

This means that a person who observes a fast should try to give up his addictions, be kind and compassionate to people, take care of his small church - family. It is also important to remember that during Great Lent it is obligatory to visit the temple, go to services, confess and receive communion.

Prayer during Great Lent is the first thing that should be on the lips of believers in these seven weeks. You can also read some secular literature - for example, the works of Russian classics. On the website of the Orthodox magazine "Thomas" there is a selection of soul-saving literature, which is useful to read during fasting days.

Can I watch TV while fasting?

Another rule of Great Lent: of course, it is better to refuse to watch TV during Lent, and if it doesn’t work out, then at least reduce the time spent in front of it. This is especially important if you know such a habit behind you. But if you succumbed to the temptation and turned on the treasured button, it is advisable to watch programs that carry at least some semantic load and have a beneficial effect on you. There will be no big sin if, for example, you look on YouTube sermon Archpriest Vladimir Golovin or a program on the Kultura channel, but running to the TV, worrying about the fate of the participants in a fashionable reality show, is still not worth it.

Personal experience

Viktor Andronov, honorary donor of the Russian Book of Records, head of the Energy of Life public movement:

I have been fasting for over ten years. And at first, of course, there were many questions. For example, a wine permit. But over time, understanding came. Here you can draw a parallel with the sailors, who also consumed alcohol. It was vital for them not to get a mental disorder due to being in a confined space. The monks prayed more during fasting and spent almost all their time in their cells, and they also needed wine.

The main misconception is that people think that food restrictions are the main thing that must be observed in fasting. But it's not. The most important thing is spiritual food. You can eat meat, but do good deeds - and be closer to the very essence of Lent than someone who is starving but does not change anything in his spiritual life. From fasting, in my opinion, should not suffer. The closer to Easter, the greater lightness should appear in the soul. If you are going to fast for the first time, then you should definitely go to the priest - he will tell you what it is better to refuse, maybe it will be one thing. My confessor makes me some indulgences, because I am a donor and I have to take care of my health, think about the other person. And in order not to go astray and go through all seven weeks of fasting, strength must be sought in prayer.

Lenten recipes collected by Dialogue correspondents can be seen.

Prepared by Alexandra Zaspa / IA "Dailog"

Roman Posypkin, an Orthodox priest, rector of the Church of the Ascension of the Lord in the city of Kineshma, helped the Dialogue correspondent to understand the church canons.

The first day of Lent in 2019 falls on March 11. The fast will last until April 27, and on April 28 we will celebrate the Holy Resurrection of Christ.

The first day of Lent is popularly called Clean Monday. March 10, 2019 will be Forgiveness Sunday. On this day, all Christians close to each other, as well as church parishioners, ask each other for forgiveness. In the church, this is accompanied by a bow, signifying repentance and humility.

It is believed that, having received forgiveness for sincere repentance of sins, the soul is ready to enter a period of trials and purification.

Housing and body are also brought to a state of cleanliness in advance. At home, you can not just get out, but also get rid of everything superfluous, do a general cleaning. The body needs to be washed and meet Clean Monday in fresh clothes.

Origin

The tradition of observing Great Lent came from ancient times, the first mentions date back to the 5th century BC. People limited themselves to food, humbling the flesh and desires at the very dawn of Christianity. Before baptism, many adults fasted, but its duration varied from several days to several weeks.

The familiar days of Great Lent appeared in the time of the apostles, who declared it necessary to fast exactly the amount of time that Jesus and Moses fasted.

It is believed that Christians, observing Great Lent, mourn with Jesus and for him, starving as much as he was starving, and refusing food, joys and excesses in everything, being sad about his death.

But this is how the cycle of rebirth is marked in Christianity. After long weeks of asceticism, Easter comes, Christ truly rises and the Christian world rejoices and celebrates. Traditionally, not too varied dishes are prepared for Easter. Muffin as the main treat and eggs as a symbol of the beginning of a new life.

Interestingly, such food is not capable of causing any disturbances after a long abstinence (of course, in moderation).

As for the daily diet of a Christian, it should already be quite simple, but at the same time varied. Since keeping the body, soul and contents of your stomach clean is a matter of life, and not a few weeks a year.

First day of Lent and menu

The first days of Great Lent are among the days when it is prescribed to observe the fast especially strictly. On Monday of the first week, the clergy do not eat anything at all and limit their water intake.

Ordinary parishioners can eat uncooked food in strictly limited quantities and only once a day.

Those who wish can, like monks, abstain from food completely, maintaining a reasonable balance between caring for the spirit and body. Partly because the first day of fasting is considered the most difficult.

These requirements for fasting are specified in the Church Charter. You can get acquainted with them by contacting your spiritual mentor. He can also be consulted if for any reason you cannot fully abstain from food (pregnant, ill or old). The Church allows various indulgences, since the most valuable thing has always been and remains the righteous desire to come to spiritual purity, regardless of the diet.

At the same time, the days of Great Lent are considered especially joyful in the church, when the spirit triumphs over the joys of the flesh.

It's not just that animal products are banned. They are suppliers of aggressive and sexual energies to the body, especially meat. It is believed that it bears the imprint of the emotions of the killed animal. Such energies are present in all living beings, but the purpose of fasting is to get rid of their excessive amount and “forget” about the desires of the body. Then the spirit acquires the lightness and joy appropriate to it, and fasting is the reason for this.

Divine Liturgy on the First Day of Lent

From the first day of Lent in the churches, the service of the Liturgy ceases. This means that the main worship service takes place only on Saturdays and Sundays. The liturgy is intended to be a "remembrance" to the laity about the existence of the Lord, his deeds and influence on our everyday life. During fasting, weekdays are considered days of mourning, when one should remember and partake of the “passion of Christ”, mourn for his crucifixion and educate the spirit on one’s own, adhere to certain limits and rise. Therefore, the sacrament of communion and repentance, that is, the Eucharist, can be performed only on holidays: Saturdays and Sundays. Or if the church holiday falls on any of the weekdays.

In the evenings, the reading of the canon of Andrew of Crete begins. It lasts the first 4 days and is the forerunner of the celebration of the Triumph of Orthodoxy on Sunday.

Personal prayers also become special. It is advisable to retire by choosing a special time and place when nothing and no one can disturb. Any requests are superfluous, it is desirable to devote yourself to communion with the Lord and prayers in memory of His Son, Jesus.

The Church also prescribes the obligatory reading of the Gospel (all four) during fasting and the reading of the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian.

2019

The first day of Lent in 2019 falls almost on March 11. During this period, there is an opportunity to observe fasting and a healthy diet.

If you follow the rules of dry eating, on the first day you can eat: greens, apples, carrots, radishes and radishes, pears (and other fruits), unsalted crackers, cabbage, turnips.

On the second day of Lent, it is also advisable to limit yourself to such a diet. But in the following days, it expands to ready-made meals like boiled potatoes, cereals, and fish on special days of fasting. On such days, it is allowed to drink red wine from grapes and flavor the meal with a small amount of vegetable oil, including oil.

The first and last weeks of Great Lent require special abstinence. In the rest, you can even use compote or herbal decoction.

Family meals are held without much solemn mood and cheerful conversations. This demonstrates that eating, that is, nourishing the body, does not bring much joy, like any indulgence in it.

The way of life also needs to be changed. During Lent, the church does not hold wedding ceremonies. That is, Christians do not marry and do not celebrate other holidays during this period, with the exception of church ones.

It is also desirable to limit communication that is not considered necessary, avoid places of entertainment, limit viewing of entertainment programs. This period should be spent in meditative and prayerful reflections, and thoughts leading to the opposite should be expelled.

The Church says that for at least 5 minutes in the morning and in the evening it is necessary to turn your thoughts to the Almighty. And the first day of Great Lent should be completely devoted to this occupation. This will make it easier for the body to switch to a different diet.

Such restrictions are of a health-improving nature for certain diseases. such as obesity or gastritis. If you adhere to the reasonable observance of the prescriptions, you can put in order not only the soul, but also the body.

Lent is one of the most important periods in the calendar of the Orthodox believer. Great reverence allows you to prepare for the big holiday - Holy Pascha, to cleanse yourself spiritually and physically, and also to get closer to God. That is why fasting before Christ's Sunday is given increased attention by believers.

History of Lent

Proper Great Lent has a long history. According to scientists, the first mention of Great Reverence was written by Saint Athanasius the Great in his Easter message. In accordance with Scripture, fasting begins 6 weeks before the feast of life, hope and joy. The period lasts for 40 days, excluding Saturday and Sunday, as well as Holy Week before Easter.

In modern concepts, Lent is associated with the period of Christ's wandering in the desert. However, there is no such mention in the message of Athanasius the Great. But, despite this, the fast of the Holy Forty Day is characterized by ascetic preparation for this grandiose religious holiday.

The final establishment of Great Lent occurred only at the end of the 4th - beginning of the 5th century. Great Lent was not observed according to a single canon in different localities. Both the rules of spiritual purification themselves and the food that was allowed for Christians during this period differed.

Parts of Lent

If we cover Great Lent by day, then the entire period can be divided into 4 important stages. Forty days is a fasting period that lasts for 40 days. This stage is a symbol of the life of Christ in the wilderness before the sermon. At this time, one should fight against all sins with the help of prayer, appeals to the Lord, an ascetic lifestyle. Here it is very important to know what to eat in Lent, what prayers to say, what time to go to services.

The second important stage of Great Reverence is Lazarus Saturday. In the Christian calendar, on this day, they remember the miracle that Christ performed - the resurrection of Lazarus. Jesus resurrected the deceased Lazarus, while forcing him to rise from the tomb on the 4th day after death. Such a phenomenon instilled in the Jews faith in God, in Jesus Christ. Therefore, when the Son of the Lord entered Jerusalem, the local Jews met him as a King, laying palm branches and their clothes at his feet.

The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, or Palm Sunday, symbolizes the Second Coming of Christ. These were the last days when Jesus Christ was an earthly inhabitant. The period was approaching when the Son of God would be subjected to a painful execution on the cross.

The final stage of Great Lent is Holy Week lasting 6 days. During this period, you should know for sure that Great Lent has its own specific canons for each day. Since the time of mourning has come, when believers remember all the torments of the Son of the Lord, his death and burial.

Preparing for Great Lent

To prepare for Great Lent, one should not only learn how to fast during Great Lent, but also realize the fact itself. To get closer to God, it is not enough just to refuse. It is necessary to cleanse oneself spiritually, forgive all one’s enemies, get rid of anger and anger. Prayers should contain words of appeal to God for help, healing and cleansing. The grace of the Lord will descend on all those who ask during this period.

Conversations with a priest

As soon as you understand that the first week of Great Lent is coming soon, you should go to church and talk with the clergyman. Why is this needed? This is necessary so that the clergyman can explain what to eat in Lent in accordance with age, health status. Every post should be worth it. Therefore, the Church allows sick people, pregnant and lactating women, travelers and children to refrain from fasting.

saving week

Great Lent (the first day and the entire subsequent week), in accordance with Orthodox canons, is considered a period of cleansing believers from sins. What is happening at this time? In the first days of Great Lent, all the clergy urge their parishioners to take the path of the Lord, to get rid of all the vices and sins that they received during their earthly life. It is possible to get rid of this spiritual burden only through fasting, humility and prayer.

Great Lent, like the last week, is celebrated in the church with the greatest zeal, both by the clergy themselves and by the parishioners. It is at this time that spiritual and physical feats are carried out. Food in Great Lent (the first day) is a forbidden fruit for all believers. In accordance with Orthodox customs, food is not supplied on the first two days of Lent (and for the physically able - on the first four days). Thus, the body is cleansed of the vices of earthly life.

The first week of Great Lent is marked by lengthy sermons. Divine services begin with the canon of St. Andrew of Crete during Compline. Scripture awakens in the soul of believers a special repentance, humility and increases the mood to observe fasting. Other writings during the first week are the hymns of Joseph and Theodore the Studites, which are obligatory for preaching in the church.

How to fast?

The question of how to fast during Great Lent remains the most crucial for believers. During Great Reverence, it is recommended to completely exclude from food all foods and dishes that contain meat and offal. Milk, cheese, vegetable oil, fish, eggs and other fast foods are prohibited. Do not forget about alcohol, which is taboo during Lent.

However, there are some indulgences that become possible during the holidays. So, fish and all derivative products can be eaten on the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, on Palm Sunday. Fish caviar becomes available on Lazarus Saturday.

What can you eat in the first week of fasting?

As noted above, the first week of Lent is quite strict. It is recommended to abstain from food completely. However, those who decide to fast for the first time should not completely deprive themselves of the meal. Entry into fasting should be gradual, without a sharp rejection of meat and fish.

Great Lent (the first day) is associated among Orthodox believers with cleansing and repentance before God, which comes after Forgiveness Sunday. On the first day, it is customary to clean up the house, wash and put on clean clothes. The intestines also require cleansing, so there are strict requirements for the meal.

In the monastery, according to the charter, all confessors must completely refuse food on the first day. To maintain strength, only holy water is offered. Laity on the first day of fasting are allowed to eat raw food of non-animal origin. In other words, during this period of time raw food is common. Fruits, vegetables, bread and water are allowed. Great Lent, the first day and the second in particular, takes place according to a single scenario.

On the third, fourth and fifth day, according to church canons, it is recommended to eat hot food, but without the addition of oils. The main ingredients can be mushrooms, vegetables baked in the oven, lean soups, honey and fruits.

On Saturday and Sunday, laymen are allowed to eat dishes with the addition of a small amount of butter. In addition, on the Sabbath day you can drink light grape wine. Food should be hot, contain vitamins.

What can you eat in the second week of fasting?

The second week of Great Lent is quite strict. Of the seven days, there are three for dry eating: Monday, Wednesday and Friday. These days, you should adhere to a strict menu, which can contain only raw vegetables, fruits, bread and water. On Tuesday, Thursday, laymen are allowed to taste steamed food, but without the addition of vegetable oil of any type. The meal can be varied with lean cereals, vegetable soup, oven-baked mushrooms. On Saturday and Sunday, the fast is softened. On these days, laymen can eat food with vegetable oil and drink a glass of wine.

What can you eat in the third week of fasting?

The third week of Great Lent in the church lexicon is listed as the Adoration of the Cross. During this period, parishioners should reflect on what it means to "bear your cross." The post is still strict. On Monday, a raw food diet is recommended. It is better to give preference to nuts, figs, raisins, fruits and vegetables. On Tuesday, you can include boiled or baked food in the amount of 200 grams in the meal. On the Wednesday of the Cross, it is allowed to eat two dishes with a little oil, as well as to drink a glass of grape wine. Saturday is the Parent Universe Saturday.

What can you eat in the fourth, fifth and sixth week of fasting?

The presented weeks of fasting do not differ from the first three. However, on some days, indulgences are allowed for fasting. On the feast of the Annunciation, confessors are allowed to eat fish food once a day. In addition, you can taste dishes with butter, as well as drink a glass of wine. On Lazarus Saturday, when Christians remember the miraculous resurrection of Lazarus, fish caviar is allowed in quantities up to 100 grams. You can use oil and grape wine.

Holy Week

Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday, when Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem. What do they eat during Great Lent in Holy Week? On Sunday, laymen are allowed to eat hot cooked food without oil. The post gets tougher:

• Holy Monday is the day when confessors remember the prototype of Jesus Christ - Patriarch Joseph. On this day, dry eating is recommended 1 time per day. A serving should not exceed 200 grams. Food should be raw, without oil added. As a drink, you can choose a decoction of berries with honey.
• Maundy Tuesday is marked by the sermon of the son of God, which was read in Jerusalem. The high priests asked Jesus incriminating questions about the second coming, but did not dare to arrest him because of the betrayed people. On Tuesday, the laity eats raw food: vegetables, fruits, nuts, bread.
• Great Wednesday in Christian Scripture is overshadowed by the betrayal of Judas. In addition, the anointing of Jesus Christ took place on this day. On this day, dry eating should be preferred. From a drink, choose water or a decoction (tincture) of berries on honey.
• Maundy Thursday. On this day, one of the most important events took place - the Last Supper. On Thursday, Jesus Christ washed the feet of his disciples. It was a gesture of brotherly love as well as divine humility. At the Last Supper, a rite was established, called Holy Communion (according to the Gospel). On this day, confessors take bread and wine, thus referring to the body and blood of the Son of God, remembering the sufferings of Christ.
• Good Friday. Good Friday is marked by the arrest of Jesus Christ, his trial, the way of the cross, crucifixion and death on the cross. On this day, the laity do not eat anything. The elderly are allowed to take bread and water after sunset.
• Great Saturday is dedicated to the memories of how Christ arrived in the tomb and descended into hell to save the souls of the dead from eternal torment. On this day, it is recommended to abstain from food until Easter.

How to get out of a post?

What they eat in Lent is not the only issue that needs clarification. To avoid complications, special attention should be paid to breaking the fast. The process of leaving the fast should be gradual. This is due to the fact that over the past seven weeks the body has adapted to light plant foods. Therefore, in the Easter week, you should gradually dilute the menu with food of animal origin. This will allow the production of enzymes that contribute to the processing of a heavy meal.

Great Lent is a time of hope and humility, which is achieved through spiritual rapprochement with God and physical cleansing. But do not resort to fasting if there are health problems.