FEAST AND FASTING

CALENDAR

for August 2009

		1 Sa  Feast of the Procession of the Holy Cross; the Maccabean Martyrs -- Fried Shrimp Day  2 Su  Translation of the Relics of St. Stephen the Proto-Martyr -- Fried Shrimp Day  3 Mo  Boiled Shrimp Day  4 Tu  Fried Shrimp Day  5 We  Forefeast of the Transfiguration -- Boiled Shrimp Day  6 Th  Feast of the Transfiguration -- Fish Day  7 Fr  Boiled Shrimp Day  8 Sa  Fried Shrimp Day  9 Su  St. Herman - Fish Day 10 Mo  Boiled Shrimp Day 11 Tu  Fried Shrimp Day 12 We  Boiled Shrimp Day 13 Th  St. Tikhon of Voronezh -- Fish Day 14 Fr  Forefeast of the Dormition of the Theotokos -- Boiled Shrimp Day 15 Sa  Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos -- No Fasting 16 Su  No Fasting 17 Mo  No Fasting 18 Tu  Ordinary Day 19 We  Fried Shrimp Day 20 Th  No Fasting 21 Fr  Fried Shrimp Day 22 Sa  No Fasting 23 Su  No Fasting 24 Mo  No Fasting 25 Tu  Ordinary Day 26 We  Boiled Shrimp Day 27 Th  No Fasting 28 Fr  Boiled Shrimp Day
		Nick gets absolution at his chrismation.
		29 Sa  Feast of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist -- Modified Strict Fast Day 30 Su  No Fasting 31 Mo  No Fasting
		Calendar Key Ordinary Days - We may eat anything that we want. Cheese Days - We may have dairy products, eggs, fish, fish eggs, shellfish, wine, oil, vegetables, fruit, nuts, and grains. Fish Days - We may eat fish, fish eggs, shellfish, wine, oil, vegetables, fruit, nuts, and grains. Roe Days - We may eat fish eggs, shellfish, wine, oil, vegetables, fruit, nuts, and grains. Fried Shrimp Days - We may have wine, oil, shellfish, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and grains. Boiled Shrimp Days - We may have shellfish, vegetables, fruit, nuts, and grains. Modified Strict Fast Days -- We may eat wine, oil, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains. Strict Fast Days - We may eat dried fruits and vegetables, nuts, and grains.    Before we take communion, we keep a total fast. The rule in our diocese is nothing after midnight.   There are, of course, some common sense exceptions to the fasting rules. People who must take medications are allowed to take them before receiving communion. Women who are pregnant are not required to fast. Babies are not required to fast. The sick and elderly also are not required to fast. Small children are not expected to fast like adults.   Unlike the days on our liturgical calendar which run from sunset to sunset, the days on our fasting calendar go from midnight to midnight.   The Church Canons prohibit fasting on Saturdays and Sundays except during Lent or if one is preparing to receive Communion. In the Didache it says that we should fast on Wednesdays and Fridays, but not on Mondays and Thursdays. The Didache is a short compendium of Apostolic tradition and is held in high esteem by the Church.
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