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Fasting bodily, without spiritual fasting, is not beneficial ... Fasting is not a goal, but a means to humble your flesh and cleanse yourself from sins ... Lenten recipes for Christmas fast ...

The Nativity Fast began. It precedes the feast of the Nativity of Christ in forty days and is also called the Philip Fast, because it begins after November 27 - the day of remembrance of the Apostle Philip. The Nativity Fast is established so that by the day of the Nativity of Christ we have purified ourselves by repentance, prayer and fasting, so that with a pure heart, soul and body we can reverently meet the Son of God who has appeared in the world and so that, in addition to the usual gifts and sacrifices, we can offer Him our pure heart. and a desire to follow His teachings. The rules of abstinence prescribed by the Church during the Nativity Fast are just as strict as the Peter Fast. It is clear that meat, butter, milk, eggs, and cheese are prohibited during fasting. In addition, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday of the Nativity Fast, the charter prohibits fish, wine and oil, and it is allowed to eat without oil (dry eating) only after Vespers. On the other days - Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday - it is allowed to eat with vegetable oil. Fish during the Nativity Fast is allowed on Saturdays and Sundays and on great holidays, such as the Feast of the Entry into the Temple Holy Mother of God, on temple holidays and on the days of great saints, if these days fall on Tuesday or Thursday. If the holidays fall on Wednesday or Friday, then only wine and oil are allowed to fast. From January 2 to January 6, the fast increases, and on these days, even on Saturday and Sunday, the fish is not blessed.

How to spend your fasting time For works of godliness to which we should devote fast days, the days of fasting are approaching the days of holidays. The Word of God testifies that fasting ... will become for the house of Judah a joy and a joyful triumph (Zech. 8:19). But fasts are still different from holidays and weekdays. On holidays, the Church calls us to thank God and the saints for good deeds, in fasting - to reconciliation with God and participation in the life, suffering and death of the Savior and the saints. Holidays dispose us to spiritual joy, hope, fasts - to contrition and tears. On holidays, in accordance with spiritual fun, the Church blesses a plentiful meal, during fasting it prescribes moderate consumption of food and drink, and, moreover, food is not modest, but lean. The Church Rite clearly depicts both the time of consumption and the quality of the lean food. Everything is strictly calculated in order to weaken in us the passionate movements of the flesh, excited by the abundant and sweet nourishment of the body; but so as not to completely relax our bodily nature, but on the contrary - to make it easy, strong and capable of obeying the movements of the spirit and cheerfully fulfilling its requirements.

The Church's charter teaches what should be abstained from during fasting - “all piously fasting should strictly observe the regulations on the quality of food, that is, abstain in fasting from some brushes (that is, food, food), not as bad ones (may this not be done) , but as from obscene fasting and prohibited by the Church. Brashna, which should be abstained from during fasts, are: meat, cheese, butter, milk, eggs, and sometimes fish, depending on the difference between holy fasts. "

There are five degrees of severity in fasting:

1) complete abstinence from food; 2) dry eating; 3) hot food without oil; 4) hot food with oil (vegetable); 5) eating fish.

On the day of eating fish, hot food with vegetable oil is also allowed. In Orthodox calendars, vegetable oil is usually called oil. To observe on certain days a more strict degree of fasting than specified, you need to take a blessing from a priest.

Physical fasting, without spiritual fasting, does not bring anything for the salvation of the soul, on the contrary, it can be spiritually harmful if a person, refraining from food, is imbued with the consciousness of his own superiority. True fasting is associated with prayer, repentance, abstaining from passions and vices, eradicating evil deeds, forgiving offenses, abstaining from married life, with the exception of entertainment and entertainment, watching television. Fasting is not a goal, but a means - a means to humble your flesh and be cleansed from sins. Without prayer and repentance, fasting becomes just a diet. While fasting bodily, at the same time, we need to fast spiritually: “Fasting, brethren, bodily, fasting and spiritually, let us resolve any union of unrighteousness,” the Holy Church commands. The essence of fasting is expressed in the following church song: “Fasting from brushes, my soul, and not cleansing from passions, we needlessly consoled ourselves with non-eating: for if fasting does not bring you correction, then God will hate it as false, and will become like evil demons, never poisonous. "

How to train yourself to fast Fasting is based on fighting sin through abstaining from food. It is precisely abstinence, not exhaustion of the body, so everyone should measure the rules of fasting with their own strength, with the degree of their preparation for fasting. Fasting is an ascetic feat that requires preparation and gradualism. It is necessary to enter into fasting gradually, in stages, starting at least with abstaining from light food on Wednesday and Friday throughout the year. Some thoughtlessly and hastily undertake the feats of fasting and begin to fast immensely, strictly. Soon they either upset their health, or because of hunger they become impatient and irritable - they get angry at everyone and at everything, the fast soon becomes unbearable for them and they give up. In order to make our disposition to fasting lasting, we need to accustom ourselves to fasting slowly, carefully, not all at once, but gradually - little by little. Everyone must determine for himself how much food and drink he needs per day; then little by little it is necessary to reduce the amount of food consumed and bring it to the point that it is no longer possible to reduce your food, so as not to undergo weakening, exhaustion, - inability to work. Here is the main rule given by the Lord Himself: do not overburden your hearts with gluttony and drunkenness. Those who wish to observe fasting should consult with an experienced confessor, tell him about their spiritual and physical condition and ask for blessings for fasting.

FAST CHRISTMAS FAST RECIPES

FISH DISHES

Herring vinaigrette

300 g salted herring, 4 boiled potatoes, 1 onion, 1 tbsp. a spoonful of sunflower oil, 1 teaspoon of mustard, pepper, 1 teaspoon of vinegar, herbs. Cut the potatoes into thin slices. Peel and chop the herring, finely chop the onion. Mix potatoes, herring, onions, season with oil mixed with mustard, pepper, vinegar. Sprinkle with herbs.

Potato salad with canned tuna

3-4 boiled potatoes, 1/2 celery root, 1 onion, 200 g canned tuna. For filling: 2 tbsp. tablespoons of vegetable oil, 1-2 tbsp. tablespoons of white and red wine, lemon, salt, pepper, parsley, basil, 1/2 teaspoon of mustard.

Peel and slice the boiled potatoes. Add cooked and sliced ​​celery, finely chopped onion and tuna, and canned sauce. Mix white and red wine with vegetable oil, lemon juice, mustard and spices. Stir the marinade well and pour over the salad. Put the salad in a cold place.

Fish salad

200 g of boiled fish (silver carp, carp, pollock, cod), 100 g of canned green peas, 1 onion, 1 tbsp. a spoonful of vegetable oil.

Separate the fish fillet from the bones, cut into small pieces. Add finely chopped onions, green peas and vegetable oil. Mix everything, fill with oil.

Kamchatka salad

150 g of fish (cod or other fish), 1-2 potatoes, 1-2 fresh or pickled tomatoes, 1 boiled carrot, 2 tbsp. spoons of green peas, 1 tbsp. a spoonful of lingonberries or cranberries, a bunch of lettuce or green onions. Salad dressing: 100 g of sunflower oil, 100 g of 3% vinegar, 1 teaspoon of sugar, ground pepper, salt.

Cut boiled and raw vegetables into thin slices, mix with green peas, lingonberries or cranberries. Cut the boiled fish into small pieces. Mix all the products and pour over the salad dressing. Decorate the salad with pieces of fish, tomatoes, herbs.

Salted herring with fried onions

150-200 g salted herring (fillet), 1-2 heads onions, 1 tbsp. a spoonful of vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon of tomato puree, 1 teaspoon of sugar.

Cut the onion into slices and fry until soft on vegetable oil, then add the tomato puree and continue frying until the oil turns orange, then add sugar, salt, ground pepper and cool. Put onion fried with tomato on the herring fillet.

Porridge

Tender buckwheat

2 glasses of water, 1 glass of buckwheat, 1 teaspoon of salt, 2 tbsp. tablespoons of sunflower oil.

Pour a glass of buckwheat into a saucepan with two glasses of boiling water. Bring to a boil and cook, tightly covered with a lid, over low heat until the water boils completely. Buckwheat is tasty on its own, dry, crumbly. Season with salt during cooking. If the day is not strictly fast, add a few teaspoons of vegetable oil before turning off the heat. If, after removing from the heat, wrap a pan with buckwheat, then after 20-30 minutes it will become especially tender. Lovers can add spices along with salt.

Tikhvin gruel

1/2 cup peas, 1 1/2 l water, 1 cup buckwheat, 2 onions, 4 tbsp. tablespoons of sunflower oil.

Rinse the peas, boil in water (without adding salt) and, when the water evaporates by 1/3 and the peas are almost ready, pour it over and cook until tender. Then season with finely chopped onions, fried in butter, and salt.

Millet porridge with prunes

1 cup millet, 1/2 cup prunes, 2 1/2 - 3 cups water.

Boil millet porridge (in 2 glasses of water). Sort out prunes, rinse, pour hot water and cook. Drain the broth. Add prunes to the millet.

Millet with onions

2 glasses of water, 4/5 glasses of millet, 2 onions, dill, 3 teaspoons of sunflower oil.

Put a saucepan with two glasses of water on the fire. While the water is boiling, rinse with about 4/5 cup millet. Dry millet is added in a volume of 3/5. Put millet in boiling water. After boiling, reduce the heat to low. The pot should be tightly closed, as it will foam when boiling. Let the porridge boil, then put two chopped onions in it: this must be done very quickly, literally within a few seconds, so that no steam comes out. Season with salt in the middle of cooking. 5 minutes before cooking, fennel or dill are laid. After the end of cooking, if desired, you can add a few teaspoons of vegetable oil. After boiling water and removing from the heat, the porridge remains covered for 15-20 minutes.

Millet with pumpkin

1 glass of millet, 200 g of pumpkin, 1 liter of water.

Cut the sweet table pumpkin into wedges, place in a saucepan with two glasses of water and cook. After 10-15 minutes, add a glass of washed millet. When the porridge comes to a boil, turn the heat on low and close the pan tightly with a lid. You can add a little salt. Cook until the water boils away. Porridge will be tastier if you hold it for an hour "under a woman."

Herculean porridge

1/2 l water, about 1 1/2 cups oatmeal, 1/3 cup walnuts, salt, sugar to taste.

Pour into boiling water oat flakes, sugar, salt to taste, peeled nuts. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Lean peas with vegetables

1 cup peas, 2 cups water, 1 carrot, 1/2 onion, 2 tbsp. tablespoons of sunflower oil.

Soak ordinary dried split peas in water for 4-8 hours, rinse, put on fire, add water about 1: 2. While the peas are boiling on low heat under tight closed lid, grated carrots and put in boiling peas. The fire can be increased for a few seconds until boiling, then reduced again to low. Season with salt in the middle of cooking. If desired, you can add chopped onions. The approximate cooking time is 50-60 minutes. Before removing from heat, for 1-2 minutes, you can add coriander, dill, then vegetable oil, if the fast is not strict. These peas can be made dry and crumbly, like porridge, or runny, like soup, depending on the amount of water.

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Is the Nativity Fast an exception, what to do if a person cannot fast for health reasons, why is fasting needed at all, answers Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich).

- Vladyka, in the year of fasting days there are more than half. Why so much? Why is fasting necessary at all?

- Fasting is the most ancient Divine institution. The Book of Genesis tells us that immediately after the Lord created man, He forbade him to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This was the first post in the history of mankind. And, alas, Adam and Eve broke this fast. We can say that the earthly history of mankind began with breaking the fast. Therefore, self-restraint is an integral part of the spiritual life of a person striving to return to the fullness of communion with God. This is the main purpose of fasting. A person must learn to curb his desires, to give priority to the spiritual over the bodily. This can only be achieved through years of exercise. Fasting is just such a spiritual exercise. That is why the Church encourages its members to constantly practice fasting. In addition to fasting for many days, Orthodox Christians observe fasting on Wednesday and Friday almost throughout the year. This shows how important it is for our spiritual life.

- Each post is associated with mournful events. Uspensky - Happy Death Day Mother of God, Peter and Paul - with the martyrdom of the apostles Peter and Paul, the Great - with the death of the Savior himself. And only the Nativity Fast is an exception to the rule. The Nativity of Christ is a joyful holiday, and we are fasting again, and for 40 whole days, like on the eve of Easter. Why?

- Fasting is not associated with mournful events. Fasting for many days is a preparation for especially joyous events. Great post- this is a time of special preparation for the feast of Easter, the Assumption - for the feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God, and Rozhdestvensky - for the feast of the Nativity of Christ. Easter and Christmas are the two main Christian holidays, therefore preparation for them is associated with many days of fasting.

The idea that fasting is some kind of mournful pastime is alien to the Church. Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Sermon on the Mount clearly says: “When you fast, do not be despondent like hypocrites, for they take on gloomy faces in order to appear to people fasting ... And you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face in order to appear fasting not before men, but before your Father ”(Matthew 6: 16-18). In the first week of Great Lent, when the Church Rule prescribes abstinence with special severity, a vivid chant is heard during the service: "We fast with a pleasant fast." The time of fasting is a time of spiritual achievement, associated with deepening into one's heart, concentrated prayer and studying the Holy Scriptures. For a person who loves God, this is not a time of sorrow, but a time of spiritual joy.

- What if a person cannot fast for health reasons?

- In such cases, indulgence in observance of the fast is allowed. A person who cannot observe the fast in full rigor, before starting the fast, must go to the priest, explain the situation to him and receive a blessing to deviate from the rigor of the fast. Usually, based on the person's condition and the circumstances of his life, the priest helps to establish a rule of fasting that will be within the power of the person. We must not forget that fasting is not a diet, but a time of spiritual achievement. Even if we cannot strictly abstain from food, we can read the Word of God and offer fervent prayer to the Creator.

- At work, on a visit, on the road, in a non-church environment, fasting is not always possible. How much should this be resisted?

- Per last years our society is already accustomed to the fact that a significant part of it strives to comply with church precepts in their lives. Therefore, today, during many days of fasting, as a rule, a lenten menu is offered in canteens, cafes and restaurants. Co-workers at work, too, usually calmly and even respectfully treat those of their colleagues who observe the fasts. Today there are no such difficulties that persecuted believers in Soviet society. Then the society actively opposed religion. And to openly declare that you are fasting was almost confession in Soviet times. Nevertheless, even today our society is still far from true religiosity, therefore the life of a church person in a unchurched world bears in itself many temptations.

We must remember that fasting is not just abstaining from certain types of food, but also a time when we must teach ourselves to treat our neighbor with true Christian love. Loss of love, quarrels, strife and conflicts cannot be justified by the desire to abide by the letter of the Church Rite. For most of us, giving up anger is a much more serious exercise than avoiding certain foods.

- Today, many lean foods do not differ from meatless ones: soy sausage, vegetable sandwich butter, powdered artificial milk and other substitutes. Formally, we fast, but in reality we do not deny ourselves anything. How do you feel about this trend?

- Fasting is a multidimensional concept. It involves not only abstaining from certain types of food, but also limiting its quantity. For example, in monasteries during periods of fasting, the number of meals a day is reduced. If at the usual time in the monastery there are two or three meals a day, then during the fast there can be only one. Fasting also involves giving up treats.

Usually artificial milk and butter substitutes are not very good for our body, so it is better not to overuse them.

But the main thing is that the so-called gastronomic component of fasting does not overshadow the spiritual. There is no benefit to strict dietary restrictions unless they are coupled with prayer and spiritual concentration. This is what you need to pay Special attention during the fast.

- Where to begin correction for a person who has decided to fast not only gastronomically, but also internally?

- We all know our heart very well: what are its main weaknesses, what are its main vices and addictions. Therefore, starting to fast, everyone can make a special promise to himself that during the days of fasting he will refrain, for example, from jokes or idle talk, from anger or indignation. And when these unkind aspirations arise in our hearts, we must remember the promise we made to ourselves and try to immediately suppress them. If we feel in ourselves a special addiction to money or, in general, to material goods, we can take on a special obligation during this period to perform deeds of mercy. So fasting will become for us not only bodily, but also spiritual, inner.

Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich)
Interviewed by Natalia Goroshkova
Orthodox Life

Viewed (502) times

So we have entered a period that is special for every believer - the Nativity Fast. We received the blessing for the exercises in fasting, congratulated the brothers and sisters in Christ on the beginning of this secret time, and proceeded to the feat. What will it be? What will we be like during the fast? Can we learn to be at least a bit more self-control, more patient? Depends on ... us.

Christmas post (also called Filippov's fast) each year invariably begins and ends at the same time. It originates on November 28 after the memorable day of the Apostle Philip (November 27). The Nativity Fast ends on January 6 before the Nativity of Christ.

All this time we fast in order to come cleansed, renewed, and contrite at the moment of the Birth of Jesus Christ. The days of the Nativity Fast are special days of exercise in the struggle with passions. With the help and blessing of God, we drive away all the stench from our hearts and cultivate healing virtues in it - repentance, abstinence, prayer, mercy ... And we begin "cleaning up" with bodily abstinence.

In the fight against gluttony, we learn to refrain from evil deeds, words, and even thoughts. Since through gluttony, as if in a chain, the rest of the passions gain strength, a decisive struggle with it helps in victory over all others (fornication, avarice, anger, sadness, despondency, vanity, pride).

The outer side of fasting is abstaining from certain types of food.

Eating at the Nativity Fast

Nativity Fast is not as strict in food abstinence as, for example, the Great. In terms of severity, it is similar to Peter's fast. According to the Church Charter, products of animal origin are prohibited: meat, milk and dairy products, eggs. On certain days, the Rule prohibits monastics from eating fish and oil (vegetable oil). For acquaintance to readers, we will give an example. These norms were adopted in the 17th century and are reflected in the Charter, the Typikon, which is now adopted in the Russian Church.

There are other norms for laymen. So, for example, we, worldly people, adhere to the Nativity Fast only on Christmas Eve. The laity negotiate the rate of fasting with their confessor or with the priest, to whom they most often confess. For relaxation, or, conversely, a stricter fast, a blessing is asked from the priest, otherwise you can excessively exhaust your strength or fall into poisonous pride.

Now let's move on to the most interesting part - the practical part of the Nativity Fast.

Going from light to lean food

With the beginning of the fast, the quality of our food changes dramatically. It becomes less high-calorie, digested faster. Therefore, the transition from light food to a simpler, leaner one is often not easy. It is especially difficult when a Christian beginner tries to fast for the first time. This is where the phenomenon often occurs, which is called "jealousy not in the Spirit." A person takes upon himself a very large measure of fasting, for example, he undertakes to observe it according to monastic standards and ... his body declares a "strike", which manifests itself in:

• Exhaustion, weakness;
• Headaches, dizziness;
• Indigestion (usually diarrhea);
• Suddenly developed gastritis, due to which severe pain in the stomach.

Such an unsuccessful fasting experience can not only turn away from fasting, but even from faith. So first advice: if you are just starting to fast, do not take on an unbearable burden, do not hesitate to discuss the measure of abstinence with a priest, otherwise the consequences are dire for both body and soul.

Let us recall Abba Dorotheos and his disciple Dositheus. How did he teach Dositheus to abstain? Smoothly, gradually, on a small piece, the mentor reduced the student's portion of bread. In the end, Dosifei began to be content with very little, and this was enough for him to maintain his strength.

You and I must adhere to this gradualness, otherwise by the end of the Nativity Fast, when abstinence is especially strict, we will simply exhaust our physical and emotional strength, “break down”.

The next point in the transition to lean food is number of servings... As the quality of food changes, it is less high in calories, then we need more of it. Lean food is absorbed faster, and, accordingly, we feel hunger faster. Many believers are oppressed by this "zhor" at the beginning of the fast. But let's not be embarrassed, from the point of view of physiological processes, this is normal. With a repentant sigh about your weakness at this time, you should increase the number of portions. This is especially true for those who have problems with the digestive system (for example, cholecystitis). Eat small meals every 2.5-3 hours. A little later, the body will get used to it, the most important thing is not to upset it in the first 3 days.

The secret to fasting food faster

Nativity Fast, like any fast, is a great time to learn how to chew food thoroughly. An important secret lies in the careful mechanical processing of the food lump: we fill up faster when we chew food 32 times. While the jaws are chewing, and the brain is counting the number of chewing movements, the signal of saturation has time to reach the center in the brain. And here's a miracle: instead of two bowls of porridge, we eat one! Thus, we bring the size of the stomach back to normal, and its elongation disappears.

We drink more

Drink more between meals. pure water... Our body very often gives out strange signals about thirst. It seems to us that we want to eat, but in fact, this is how the desire to drink is masked. Thus, you need to experience hunger: if you really want to eat, then after drinking a glass of water, the desire to eat does not disappear. Hunger abated after some water? Great, you declassified thirst. And they put off eating later, isn't it really important, especially during fasting?

Dangerous "lean" foods

More and more people want to fast. We will not speculate here for what purpose someone is fasting. But about new wonderful products that are ready to support during the fasting period, it is necessary to mention. We are talking about products that are formally lean. In reality, however, they can hardly be called such. Do you think the Lord would like you to eat a packet of chips instead of a quality piece of meat, for example? Unlikely. The physical shell given to us must be treated with love, which manifests itself not in gluttony, but in taking care of health. It seems that healthy eating should be the basis of fasting.

So, what do we attribute to foods that are harmful to the Nativity Fast?

1. Chips and French fries

If you want to get an abundance of carcinogens in your body - eat chips! The vegetable oil used in the manufacture of chips and fries is not sunflower at all, but rapeseed and palm oil, known for their carcinogenic properties, and their heat treatment converts these fats into transgenic ones. The harm of transgenic fats has been proven absolutely for sure - they contribute to the development of cancer cells.

The chemicals with which these products are endowed - flavors, colorants, stabilizers, flavor enhancers, etc. - are detrimental to health. They deceive our gustatory nerve endings, and we imagine the uniqueness of taste, smell ...

2 lean mayonnaise

To make regular mayonnaise, you need eggs, vegetable oil, salt and sugar, mustard powder, vinegar or lemon acid... If the mayonnaise is factory-made, then there are also chemical components to avoid spoilage (this mayonnaise can be stored in the refrigerator for years and not spoil). With lean mayonnaise, everything is the same, only so-called vegetable protein is added instead of egg powder (of which origin is unknown). No salads with lean mayonnaise in holidays we probably won't be able to do it already. But on the rest of the days of the Nativity Fast, you need to take care of your health and refrain from this product.

3.Spread vegetable-fat

This butter substitute is often marketed as lean. The composition should be free of animal fat (as in butter), dangerous hydrogenated fats (as in margarine). In reality, as in margarine, only in smaller quantities, this spread contains trans fats obtained by hydrogenation (conversion of liquid fat into solid). Hydrogenated fats in food are a factor in the development of cancerous tumors, arterial wall disorders, cardiovascular diseases, etc.

4 fasting cookies

Lean cookies, like simple cookies, contain a lot of palm oil, about which we know many bad things (from fecal stones to the ability to stimulate the development of cancer).

5. Soy products: milk, yoghurts, meat, cottage cheese.

These substitutes for the products we are accustomed to very successfully amuse our
taste buds, but their health is unpredictable. Most soy products are genetically modified. The harmful effect of GMOs is debatable, but still there is no need to risk it. In addition, soy is one of the largest consumers of pesticides and chemical fertilizers... In this regard, it is very harmful to get carried away with soy food during the Christmas fast.

Here is the spiritual side of the issue. We are trying to cultivate abstinence. Meat and milk substitutes are very similar to the "original" in taste. Eating plentifully of soy products is unlikely to defeat the addiction to taste sensations.

So, it would be extremely dishonest, for example, to think that you are fasting and eating soy meat every day. Probably, we all do not like it when our children eat junk food. It seems that we also need to be afraid of upsetting the Heavenly Father by intentionally inflicting wounds on our body - by using harmful products - especially during the period of time devoted to preparing for a meeting with Him during the Nativity Fast.

It would be more honest to take a blessing for indulgence in fasting, at first, than to use harmful substitutes.

The choice of useful, well, or less harmful, foods during the fast is quite large:

Christmas fast and personal holidays

It often happens that our personal holidays, such as birthdays, fall on Christmas fast. If possible, it would be good to postpone the celebration until the end of the fast. If Christmas time is still very long, then you can celebrate a personal holiday, carefully preserving your soul from unnecessary noise, dancing and amusement, on one of the Sundays. Naturally, there should be lean foods on the table.

If the holiday falls on a time from 2 to 6 January, then air
Keep out of celebration. Very soon there will be an opportunity to celebrate your holiday together with the Born Christ!

• Idea! Festive lean sandwich: spread a piece of bread with honey, cut slices of bananas on top. It turns out to be a real cake!

Let us fast by fasting that is pleasant and useful for both soul and body!

The winter season is full of holidays, special and basic for many believers - Christmas. Before the beginning of the holiday, the church established a fast, 40 days long, what you can eat during Christmas fast and why this rule is established, what benefits fasting brings for the soul, when to start and how to fast, every person should know.

When does the Nativity Fast start?

Every year, there is a stable, unchanged date for the beginning of the Christmas fast on November 28. It ends on the morning of January 7th. On the night from 6 to 7 in the church to serve All-night vigil- a special service of God, the Savior came to the world - he was born in Bethlehem. Poor shepherds and rich wise men brought him gifts, who was rich in what and hurried to the newborn baby. The Nativity Fast for a layman is a sacrifice for the glory of God, a gift for a newborn that he can give.

Fasting lasts 40 days - this is the way, at the end of which, a person finds joy from the coming to earth of Christ. The most severe day of this fast is January 6 - Christmas Eve, popularly Christmas Eve. On this day, a strict fast is laid, for those who can withstand it for health reasons, it is forbidden to eat even lean foods throughout the day, in the evening after the appearance of the first star, it is customary to eat kutya or sochivo - lean porridge with honey and raisins. Fasting has the goal of strengthening the spiritual state, reminding that the main need of the human soul is communication with God, one must forget about the essentials, that is, about food.

Why is the Nativity Fast called Filippov?

The story of the Nativity Fast - stories about the times recorded on the pages of the Bible. The very concept of the beginning of the New Era is the time of the Birth of Jesus Christ, the countdown of time for a specific event. The beginning of the Nativity Fast falls on the next day, after the feast day of St. the apostle Philip, the name of the Philip fast was invented by the people. In the old days, it was easier and more convenient for believers to navigate church holidays, the calendar was not in every home, but everyone went to church and on Sunday the priest announced the upcoming holidays according to the charter for a whole week in advance and talked about the beginning of fasting.

How to prepare for the Nativity Fast?

Rozhdestvensky or Filippov's post, any post is work on oneself and on established rules. Food abstained from on such days is not the main source of human life. Often in the pursuit of "saturating the flesh" people do not find time for the main thing, to strengthen their spiritual strength, there is not enough time for prayer, alms. Just giving up the usual food is not enough, you have to try to change yourself for the better.

How to Observe the Nativity Fast?

The first day and all the other days are a report before the festive event, in fasting one should spend more time than usual according to the schedule of the day to spend in prayer, to do good deeds, to help others. One day you should load yourself with rules - go headlong into fasting, if you can do it. God strengthens those who strive for him by walking the road of fasting.

Nativity Fast Rules for Laymen

The invitation to this post is the last day on which they eat animal products and drink wine. There are four fasts in the year, before each of them there is a day of incantation, if this day falls on Wednesday or Friday according to the number, but it is forbidden to use the above products. Example - November 27 can fall on Tuesday, which means you can eat meat and milk, drink wine, but if 27 falls on Friday, then you need to eat only lean food before Christmas.

How to eat during the Nativity Fast?

It is difficult to call food during the Nativity Lent meager; meatless dishes are very tasty, nutritious and healthy. On weekends and special days of memory of the most revered saints, for example, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (celebrated on December 19. On this day it is allowed to eat fish and drink wine. On odd days of the week (except Sunday) - it is forbidden to eat with vegetable oil, if health allows you to cook food without it.

What can you eat during the Nativity Fast?

The list of what is allowed to eat during the Nativity Fast is long. At the very beginning, the question may arise what kind of food to cook, but in a few days the usual menu is easily reconstructed to lean. It is especially useful to steam, bake in the sleeve - on days when it is not customary to eat dishes with vegetable oil. Basic products for cooking:

• porridge;
• fresh and pickled vegetables;
• fruits, dried fruits;
• nuts and bee products;
• vegetable oils;
• fish and seafood.
• mushrooms.

What shouldn't be eaten in Lent before Christmas?

You should study the composition of the products purchased in the store, if the manufacturer honestly indicates on the label the presence of soy or palm milk in the composition, then such a product can be consumed, it contains vegetable fats. If you pay attention, you can get a lot of lean foods. A list of what you can't eat during the Nativity Fast - all light foods:

• meat of any animals;
• absolutely all dairy products;
• eggs.

Recipes for Christmas Fast every day

The rules of the Nativity Fast allow for indulgences for sick people, pregnant and lactating women, and children. If a person wants to fast, but his health does not allow adhering to all the rules, you can cut the food intake in half, or exclude some of the foods from it, without harming the body. Make it a rule not to eat a specific product for 40 days, or not to eat dairy and meat products on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Cabbage soup with mushrooms and fresh cabbage - lean option

Ingredients:

• a small head of cabbage;
• carrots, onions;
• 1 tomato;
• 50 g dry mushrooms;
• 3-4 potatoes;
• a bunch of greens.

Preparation:

1. Pre-soak the mushrooms for 2 hours, and boil for 15-20 minutes.
2. Fry finely chopped onions and grated carrots, stew and add mushrooms and diced tomatoes to them.
3. Add water to the mushroom broth and boil chopped potatoes and cabbage in it.
4. Mix vegetables stewed with mushrooms and boil for a couple of minutes.
5. Before serving, decorate the ready-made cabbage soup with fresh herbs.

Potatoes in post - recipes

It is not difficult to cook mouth-watering hearty meals during Lent - pies and pies, cutlets with vegetable and fish fillings, casseroles with mushrooms, vegetable stews, homemade sauces and adjikas, and dried herbs will diversify any menu. In Lent before Christmas, many dishes are prepared based on potatoes, which can be baked, fried, boiled, steamed, served alone or as a side dish.

Rustic potatoes

Ingredients:

• small potatoes 15-20 pieces;
• 3-4 cloves of garlic;
• vegetable oil;
• dry herbs, salt, pepper.

Preparation:

1. Wash the potatoes thoroughly, dry on a towel.
2. Cut into small wedges, fold into a large saucepan.
3. Drizzle with oil and squeeze the garlic, add dry herbs, salt and pepper.
4. Cover the pan with a lid and shake to stir.
5. Bake in the oven on a baking sheet. Potatoes can be cooked in a sleeve.

"Potato dumplings"

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. flour;
• 0.5 tbsp. water;
• a pinch of salt;
• vegetable oil;
• a pound of potatoes;
• 200 g of mushrooms;
• bulb;
• salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation:

1. Knead the dough.
2. Fry chopped onions and mushrooms.
3. Add the frying to the mashed boiled potatoes.
4. Blind dumplings.
5. Boil.

Salads in post - recipes

The food on Christmas fast is very tasty, light, it brings benefits to the body - it helps to relieve the digestive system, to establish work internal organs... Salads are prepared based on fresh and boiled vegetables, seasoned with lean mayonnaise or vegetable oil, and decorated with herbs. Simple recipes available take a minimum of cooking time.

Fruit couple salad

Ingredients:

• 1 avocado
• 1 orange;
• Crimean onion;
• jar of olives w / c;
• 5-6 cherry tomatoes;
• a bunch of lettuce leaves.

Preparation:

1. Cut the peeled orange into cubes.
2. Chop the avocado and drizzle with lemon juice.
3. Finely chop the olives, divide the tomatoes into four parts, chop the lettuce, chop the onion into half rings.
4. Mix all ingredients and pour over the dressing.
5. The dressing consists of 2 tablespoons. olive oil, 2 tsp. apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp. sugar, 0.5 tsp. mustard, a pinch of salt and pepper - mix.

Baking in post - recipes

Delicious pastries and ease of preparation, original dishes during the Christmas fast, you can prepare, spending not too much money. It is clear that in lean recipe there are no usual eggs, dairy products, butter, but lean baked goods are no less tasty without these ingredients. Finished pies are garnished with ground nuts or sprinkled with powder.

Pineapple muffin with dried apricots and prunes

Ingredients:

• 100 g pineapple and 250 ml canned syrup;
• 10 prunes;
• 10 pieces of dried apricots;
• 1 tbsp. flour;
• 2 tbsp Sahara;
• 50 g of honey;
• half a teaspoon of salt, soda and ground cinnamon;
• 5 g baking powder.

Preparation:

1. Cut prunes dried apricots and pineapples into small cubes.
2. Boil in pineapple syrup in a saucepan for 5 minutes.
3. Add cinnamon, honey, sugar to the fruit and cool.
4. Pour baking soda and baking powder into the fruit mixture, stir.
5. Put in tins, greased with vegetable oil.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 180.

Orange pie

Ingredients for the dough:

• a pound of flour;
• half a glass of sugar;
• 0.5 tsp soda;
• 70 ml cold water;
• 60 ml sunflower oil;
• salt.

Nativity Fast lasts 40 days - from November 28 to January 6. During this time, believers prepare themselves for bright holiday Nativity of Christ, celebrated on January 7th.

Why is the Nativity Fast established?

The Nativity Fast is also popularly called Phillip, because it begins right after the feast day of the Apostle Philip. The Nativity Fast was established so that believers by the day of the Nativity of Christ cleansed themselves both spiritually and physically, and with a pure soul could meet the birth of the Son of God.

“The main meaning of fasting is worthy preparation for the feast of the Nativity of Christ. You need to cleanse your heart from sins so that it is ready to receive Christ the Savior, ”says father Pimen, abbot of the Kizichesky monastery of Kazan.

Father Piman, abbot of the Kizichesky monastery of Kazan. Photo: AiF

Preparing for fasting

The Nativity Fast is not as strict as the Great Fast, but it also lasts 40 days, and therefore requires strength and patience from a person.

“It is not always possible for secular people with work, study, family to attend church services. Therefore, you need to pre-allocate time and soberly assess the ability. Many people warn the leadership in advance that they are going to fast and attend churches every day, ”says the governor of the Kizichesky monastery in Kazan.

People with illnesses, as well as children, the elderly, and pregnant women, should seek the advice of their spiritual mentor or nutritionist before fasting so that abstinence does not harm their health.

“If a person feels that he is unable to fast, then it is better to refuse. The main thing to remember is that the Lord does not demand the impossible from anyone, ”says Father Pimen.

How to fast

Any post implies work on yourself. Many people assume that refusal to eat is its meaning. However, fasting bodily without spiritual will not cleanse the soul. True fasting is associated with prayer, repentance, abstinence from passions and vices, the eradication of evil deeds, the forgiveness of offenses. Fasting is not a goal, but a means to pacify desires and an opportunity to be cleansed from sins. Without prayer and repentance, fasting becomes just a diet.

“Fasts are designed to give people the opportunity to stop at the fast pace of life and think more about spiritual things. Fasting implies repentance, since all people have transgressions. During fasting, one should ask for forgiveness from God, from people and, of course, often visit church. Prayer has power, it helps a person in the days of abstinence, ”says Father Pimen.

The schedule of services during Nativity Lent does not change.

Photo: Tatarstan Metropolia

What can you eat?

Along with spiritual abstinence, fasting presupposes the physical. So, for 40 days, believers should refuse food of animal origin - meat, eggs, cheese, milk, cottage cheese. As for fish, you can eat it every day, except Wednesday and Friday.

It is worth noting that the Nativity Fast abounds church holidays: introduction to the Church of the Mother of God, days of memory of Nicholas the Wonderworker, Great Martyr Barbara, St. Spyridon of Trimyphuntsky. On these days, it is allowed to eat fish and add vegetable oil to food.

The hostess of the table on fast days is porridge. The most favorite cereals in Russia have always been buckwheat, millet, oatmeal, barley. Also, the diet should contain products from the legume family (lentils, beans, peas, chickpeas, etc.), vegetables, fruits, nuts and bread.

Note that leaving the post should be correct. The body, after giving up animal fats, will not be ready to digest them into a large number... It will be necessary to gradually introduce into the diet one product at a time, prohibited during the fast.

Photo: AiF / Antonina Erofeeva

What can you eat for the New Year?

New Year is one of the most beloved holidays in Russia. All kinds of salads, snacks, hot dishes - all this is a real temptation for fasting people. Therefore, many are interested in the question: are there any indulgences on the days of secular holidays?

The church charter allows those who are fasting on New Year's Eve to eat fish and cook food in vegetable oil. In addition, seafood is not prohibited. Of course, you cannot eat dishes with animal products. As for alcohol, you can drink wine or champagne, but in moderation.

Photo: Shutterstock.com

The last days before Christmas

Five days before the birth of Christ, the Forefeast period begins. From January 2 to January 6, the fast is tightened: you cannot eat fish, and food with butter is allowed only on Saturdays and Sundays.

January 6 - Christmas Eve. On this day, it is prescribed to refrain from eating until the first star. After its appearance, you can satisfy your hunger with soothing: wheat grains boiled in honey or boiled rice with dried fruits.

Photo: From personal archive / Marina Mazhaeva