Is it possible to eat fish in the Orthodox fast? Fish in Lent: is it possible to eat and when

The Annunciation is a very important holiday that must be celebrated. Believers should go to church in the morning, pray, then have breakfast with consecrated prosphora, drink a sip of Cahors and then sit down at the festive table. Despite the fact that the Annunciation belongs to the category of holidays that have a constant date - the seventh of April, each time it is celebrated in different ways.

And it all depends on when Lent begins and ends. If fasting has already ended by April 7th and believers have celebrated Easter, then the Annunciation is also celebrated on a grand scale. But if the fast is still going on, then almost all restrictions on this day remain, there are only a few exceptions.

When the holiday coincides with Great Lent, parishioners ask the same questions: “Can I have fish on the Annunciation?”, “Do they eat fish on the Annunciation?”. What is the answer to this in the temples?

Eating fish on the Annunciation

This year, the Annunciation just coincides with Great Lent, so the question “Can I eat fish for the Annunciation in 2018?” relevant.

In general, when believers celebrate the Annunciation on April 7, fish can be eaten. But when Easter is celebrated earlier, and Holy Week coincides with the holiday, then fish dishes should be abandoned. However, this does not happen very often.

Important! In 2018, the Annunciation coincides with Holy Saturday, therefore, it is forbidden to eat fish on this day!

No fish to eat this year. But when the holiday does not fall on Holy Week, you can eat any fish, but the church recommends choosing one with few bones. Each hostess can choose the way of cooking fish herself. Fish can be baked, fried or marinated. But it is worth remembering that you can not make fish with mayonnaise, because it contains eggs. You can stew fish with onions or make fish with semolina.

Fish Days in Lent 2018

There are 2 days when it is allowed to eat fish - this is the Annunciation and Palm Sunday. But, as we wrote above, it is allowed to eat it on the Annunciation only if the holiday does not fall on Holy Week. As for Palm Sunday, there are no exceptions - you can always eat fish on this day.

In 2018, Palm Sunday is celebrated on April 1 - this day is the only one in 2018 when fish is allowed.

There is another day of relaxation, although it can rather be called caviar. This day is Lazarus Saturday. It falls on March 31st. Then you can only eat caviar, but immediately the next day you can also taste fish.

There are many versions of why fish is allowed, but not chicken, for example, because this bird is also considered dietary. Nutrition experts note that, in general, the nutrition calendar during fasting is compiled correctly. And fish is a product rich in fatty acids, iodine and other useful substances. Fish dishes help strengthen bones, give a person strength and vigor, and also have a beneficial effect on the nervous system. Therefore, it is very good that there are days when such an exception can be made from the general rules of fasting.

But the church explains the permission to eat fish on some days of fasting by the fact that these inhabitants of the rivers and seas are a symbol of Christianity.

In the Roman Empire, Christianity was banned, so people who professed this religion were forced to hide their beliefs. And in order to communicate with each other, Christians invented various symbols. In such cryptography it was very often possible to see the image of a fish.

Also, the fish symbolizes Jesus Christ himself, and holidays such as the Annunciation and Palm Sunday are directly related to God's son. The fact is that in Greek the word fish sounds the same as the name of the Savior.

The New Testament also often features fish. Suffice it to recall the episode when Jesus Christ fed a huge number of people with seven loaves of bread and several fish. Representatives of the church often compare Christians themselves, that is, the followers of Christ with fish that swam after the Savior in the "water of eternal life."

Inflatable boats and boats RIB

Spinning fishing

Fishing from a boat

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Advantages and disadvantages of PVC inflatable boats

PVC boats are not uncommon these days! They can be used for different needs. On the boat you can take walks along the picturesque lakes, fish and ride with the breeze, having previously installed the motor. But unlike a rigid boat, an inflatable analogue needs a lower power motor. Therefore, such a vessel is economical.

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Due to the peculiarities of manufacturing and the materials used, PVC inflatable boats are quite durable, but at the same time they are light in weight and take up little space. Therefore, an important advantage belonging to this transport is ease of storage. The design when folded takes up minimal space in the house or garage. And you can assemble the boat in a few minutes.

But, despite the many advantages, "inflatable boats", unfortunately, have their drawbacks. It is somewhat more difficult to manage such a vessel than a conventional one. In addition, the dynamic characteristics of transport are low. And the repair of PVC boats can be quite a laborious process, and in some cases even impossible.

Inflatable boats and boats RIB

RIB boats deserve special attention (RIB is an abbreviation for Rigid Inflatable Boat) - boats or boats with PVC inflatable sides with a hard plastic bottom.

They are compact, load-carrying, manoeuvrable, faster, and at the same time more economical than conventional inflatable boats, and all this thanks to the rigid bottom. In addition, rib inflatable boats differ from their younger PVC counterparts in greater safety on the water. There are also no problems with the transportation of RIB boats - they easily fit in a car trailer, and models with a folding bottom can also be transported in the trunk.

What is the difference between PVC boats and rubber boats?

PVC boats appeared relatively recently, but rather quickly took a leading position in the inflatable boat market due to their advantages over rubber models. PVC layers guarantee inflatable boats airtightness and reliable protection against external influences - UV radiation, salt water, fuels and lubricants.

The material is very elastic, and this is very important for multiple folding and unfolding of the vessel, especially at low temperatures. In addition, PVC does not rot, does not become moldy and does not wear out, but is more resistant to aggressive environments and rarely peels off from the base. "Rubber boats" are less tear resistant but cost less than PVC products.

The use of fish in church fasting is a topic of constant disputes and bickering. Both on the Internet and in Orthodox publications, information about whether you can eat fish in fasting or not is full of contradictions. Some argue that the use of this seafood during fasting is unacceptable, others - that fish is allowed for laymen during Christian fasting. In fact, everything is both simple and complex at the same time, and depends on what fasting is for you and what you are fasting for. Why did I focus on this? Because, depending on the purpose of the fast, one should also determine the measure of its fulfillment for oneself. I think it’s no secret to anyone that most of them don’t realize why they are doing it: someone wants to get healthier, someone else wants to lose weight, and still others just set up an experiment - they say, do I have willpower or not? Yes, it’s really important to decide on the purpose of the post, and here’s why. The fact is that the meaning of abstaining from food during fasting is not to prove something to God, to yourself, and to people, but to help the soul be cleansed of the burden of sins.

By and large, it doesn’t matter whether you eat fish during Lent or not, if the diet you have chosen and approved by an Orthodox priest helps you move away from passions and find strength in yourself for prayer and other spiritual feats. After all, believers refuse fast food for the sake of this, and not for show.

Should Orthodox believers eat fish during Lent?

And yet, no one forbids an Orthodox Christian to strictly adhere to fasting if he feels such a need in himself. This is especially true for Great Lent - it is this that believers most often strive to observe in accordance with all the rules. According to the monastic charter, fish is allowed twice during Great Lent: on the feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos (April 7) and on the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem (or Palm Sunday, celebrated a week before Easter). On the eve of Palm Sunday - Lazarus Saturday, on which you can eat fish caviar.

During the Assumption (August 14–28) fast, fish is also prohibited, the only relief is made on the feast of the Ascension of the Lord (August 19).

Much softer are Christmas (November 28 - January 7) and Petrov (Monday after All Saints' Day - July 12) fasts. During the Advent fast, fish can be eaten on Saturdays and Sundays from November 28 to December 19, after which the fast becomes stricter, and eating fish and fish products is prohibited until its very end. During the Petrov fast, fish can also be eaten on Saturdays and Sundays, but until its very end.

Who is shown the obligatory use of fish in fasting?

As you know, fish is an invaluable source of Omega-3 fatty acids, iodine, protein, iron, and a number of B vitamins. The exclusion of fish from the diet for a long time during Orthodox fasting, especially for residents of regions far from the sea, is very harmful.

Therefore, doctors insist on the use of fish in fasting (especially Great, since it is the longest and falls on the poorest time of the year in vitamins) by children, adolescents, students, pregnant and lactating women, people with thyroid problems, and also employed in harmful productions.

In addition to fish, during Christian fasting, these people should also eat dairy products that are a source of calcium: cheeses, cottage cheese, kefir, yogurt. One of the apostles once said that when he eats, he does it for God, and when he does not eat, he also does not eat for God's sake. So those who are contraindicated in strict fasting should not lose heart: pray more, go to church, give up bad habits (smoking, alcohol), devote more time to your family - and God will accept your feasible sacrifice. And you can refuse fish on the most strict days - Wednesday and Friday - for most modern lay people this is more than enough.

The main and longest fast is the Great Lent or, as it is also called, Holy Forty Days. Lent is a kind of spiritual sacrifice and offering to God, an imitation of the fast of Christ the Savior. It lasts forty days. It is given to purify a person both spiritually and physically, and prepares us for the Great Feast of Easter.

What days can you eat fish?

Throughout the strictest fasting, the church charter forbids the use of fish dishes. However, twice during the entire fast, relaxation is allowed and it is allowed to eat fish.

This happens on major church holidays - such as the Annunciation and Palm Sunday. On the eve of Palm Sunday, Lazarus Saturday is celebrated, believers can eat dishes with fish caviar.

Feast of the Annunciation

The holiday is very significant for Orthodox Christians. Its meaning is that on this day an angel brought the good news to the Virgin Mary and Joseph, her husband, about the upcoming birth of their son of God Jesus from an immaculate conception. From the feast of the Annunciation to the feast of the Nativity of Christ, just nine months pass. However, if the Annunciation in some year falls on Holy Week, then it is forbidden to eat fish on that day. Holy Week requires especially strict abstinence and food restrictions.

Feast of Palm Sunday

It is also allowed to eat fish on Palm Sunday, which is celebrated on the sixth week of Lent. The Joyful Feast symbolizes the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem.

Believers illuminate willow branches with holy water and bring them home. Consecrated twigs protect the house from trouble. You can’t work on this day, you need to devote yourself to visiting the temple.

How to cook fish for fasting?

The festive table, nevertheless, should be modest, and it is advisable to choose low-fat fish and cook in a slow cooker for a couple, bake in the oven or boil. Fried and smoked fish is undesirable to eat. Canned fish is also not recommended. Low-fat varieties of marine fish include:

cod;
pollock;
navaga;
haddock;
flounder;
sea bass;
saithe;
asp.

Low-fat varieties of river fish include:

perch;
zander;
pike;
crucian.

Serve cooked fish garnished with boiled or fresh vegetables. Pairs well with fish rice.

The main condition for eating fish on these holidays is moderate consumption. On all other days of Lent, fish is strictly prohibited, as are animal products. In case of any life circumstances, it is possible to relax the fast, with the blessing of the priest. This applies to lactating and pregnant women, to sick people, to travelers.

It is important to understand that the time of fasting is not a time of fasting, but a period of purification of a person by limiting carnal pleasures and entertainment. The meaning of fasting is the perfection of the soul and prayer. A believer who fasts discovers spiritual potential and comprehends divine truths.

Many people sometimes wonder: what date is Palm Sunday celebrated. There is no specific date, it all depends on what day Easter falls on. Palm Week is celebrated on the last Sunday before Easter.

Sunday is called Palm Day, since willow is the main attribute, a symbol of palm branches. It was with palm branches that the inhabitants of the holy city of Jerusalem met the King of Heaven.

How is Palm Sunday celebrated?

It is important that willow twigs stand in the house on this day. They need to be collected on Saturday evening on the eve of the holiday. By the way, the Saturday before Palm Sunday is called Lazareva. Nowadays, willow branches can be bought on the street from grandmothers or in a flower shop.

The branches must be consecrated in the Temple, and then placed in the house near the icons. Here they must stand until the next Palm Sunday.

On the night from Saturday to Sunday, an all-night service is held in all churches, and in the morning the second festive part, the morning part, begins. It is then that the willow twigs are holy.

Since ancient times, Christians have been very carefully keeping the consecrated branches, because they are sure that this is a guardian of their homes. If the bouquet will stand in the house, then he will be able to save the house from any bad weather. Therefore, it is necessary to meet Palm Sunday according to all church customs.

In ancient times, there was an interesting custom in which willow participated. Whoever woke up earlier had to wake everyone up with a light blow of a willow branch. This was especially true for children. Our ancestors claimed that if the baby is beaten with a sacred branch, then no illnesses and ailments will overtake him.

What can you eat on Palm Sunday?

Recall that Palm Week falls during Lent. Therefore, many are interested in what you can eat on Palm Sunday.

Palm week is considered the brightest, because it brings us closer to the greatest triumph of Jesus Christ.

Lent is the heaviest - the use of many products is excluded. However, on the eve of such a bright holiday, the church allows you to eat fish, but this is only on Palm Sunday.

Often, each family bakes special cookies during Palm Week. It is baked without eggs and animal fat, which does not violate the rules of Great Lent.

On Saturday, special breads are baked. There should be exactly as many of them as there are people in the family. The hostess puts a coin in one of the loaves. And whoever got it was considered blessed for the whole year.

Palm Sunday Prohibitions

The holiday on the eve of Easter has a number of prohibitions, namely:

physical work is prohibited. This also applies to any other church holidays. They do not even recommend letting livestock out to pasture;
comb your hair. Of course, a girl will not be able to walk all day without combing, so you just need to keep this to a minimum;
You can not have fun, especially to abuse alcohol.

What can you do on Palm Sunday?

On this day, you must definitely go to church and consecrate at least one willow branch. Our ancestors claimed that the Holy Willow has a miraculous effect on the human body, and is also able to save people from various ailments.

The church claims that Palm Sunday should be spent in a quiet environment and with family.