The Nativity Fast is the last of the outgoing year, and one of the strictest, with a large number of dietary restrictions, differs only in the Great Fast, observed before Easter. The severity of the requirements for the laity today is a little softer than it was previously. The church determined the need only for dietary restrictions, but attendance at all services, which were previously obligatory, has now been eliminated.
Not all lay people who want to fast are aware of the permitted foods, and a common question asked before fasting is whether it is possible to eat fish, and if so, on what days. There is a special nutrition calendar, observed for centuries, and it contains the answer to all questions about the canons and rules.
Posting calendar 2021
Attention!
Below are the nutritional rules for lay people - ordinary people. They are milder than for monks and contain three degrees of fasting: food without meat, fasting and strict fasting. To determine the severity of your fast, consult your priest.
- Strict fasting
Meat, eggs, dairy products, fish are prohibited
- Food without meat
meat is prohibited
- Fast
Meat, eggs, dairy products are prohibited, fish is allowed
- 19
Orthodox holiday
- Easter
- 7
Today
| January | 31 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 1 | 2 |
| 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 1 | 2 | |
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
| 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 1 |
| 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 1 | |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
| 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
| 30 | 31 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| April | 31 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 28 | 29 | 30 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
| 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
| 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | |
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| 29 | 30 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| July | 30 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 1 | 2 |
| 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 1 | 2 | |
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
| 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| 31 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 |
| 28 | 29 | 30 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| October | 29 | 30 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 1 |
| 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 1 | |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
| 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
| 30 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 |
| 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
- Strict fasting
Meat, eggs, dairy products, fish are prohibited
- Food without meat
meat is prohibited
- Fast
Meat, eggs, dairy products are prohibited, fish is allowed
- 19
Orthodox holiday
- Easter
- 7
Today
Multi-day posts
Lent
⚅ March 2 – April 18, 2020
The total duration of fasting is 48 days. It begins on the Monday, seven weeks before Easter, and ends on the Saturday before Easter.
The first week of fasting is carried out with particular strictness. On the first day, complete abstinence from food is accepted. Then, from Tuesday to Friday, dry eating is allowed (eat bread, salt, raw fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, nuts, honey, drink water), and on Saturday and Sunday - hot food with butter.
In the second to sixth weeks of Lent, dry eating is established on Monday, Wednesday and Friday; hot food without oil is allowed on Tuesday and Thursday, and hot food with butter is allowed on Saturday and Sunday.
During Holy Week (the last week of Lent), dry eating is prescribed, and on Friday you cannot eat until the shroud is taken out.
On the feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (April 7) (if it does not fall during Holy Week) and on Palm Sunday (a week before Easter), it is allowed to eat fish. On Lazarus Saturday (before Palm Sunday) you can eat fish caviar.
Petrov post
⚅ June 15 – July 11, 2020
It begins on Monday, the 57th day after Easter (a week after Trinity), and always ends on July 11 (inclusive). In 2020 it lasts 27 days.
During Petrov's Fast, fish is allowed on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, hot food without oil on Monday, and dry eating on Wednesday and Friday.
On the Feast of the Nativity of John the Baptist (July 7), you can eat fish (regardless of what day it falls on).
Dormition post
⚅ August 14 – 27, 2020
Starts on August 14th and ends on August 27th. Its duration is 14 days.
During the Dormition Fast, dry eating is allowed on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, hot food without butter is allowed on Tuesday and Thursday, and hot food with butter is allowed on Saturday and Sunday.
On the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord (August 19), you can eat fish (regardless of what day it falls on).
Christmas post
⚅ November 28, 2021 – January 6, 2021
Starts on November 28th and ends on January 6th. Its duration is 40 days.
In the period from November 28 to the feast of St. Nicholas (December 19 inclusive), hot food without oil is allowed on Monday, fish is allowed on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, and dry eating is allowed on Wednesday and Friday.
From December 20 to January 1, on Tuesday and Thursday it is already prohibited to eat fish; instead, hot food with butter is allowed. The remaining days remain unchanged.
From January 2 to 6, dry eating is prescribed on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, hot food without oil on Tuesday and Thursday, hot food with butter on Saturday and Sunday.
On Christmas Eve (January 6), you cannot eat until the first star appears in the sky, after which it is customary to eat sochi - wheat grains boiled in honey or boiled rice with raisins.
On the holidays of the Entry of the Virgin Mary into the Temple (December 4) and St. Nicholas (December 19), you can eat fish on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Norms, rules and traditions
The Nativity Fast means strict demands not only on clergy, but also on the laity. The start date does not depend on other church holidays, as it does on Easter. The stability of the calendar date is determined by Christmas Eve.
For reference! Exactly 40 days in advance (and the countdown begins from the Holy Nativity of Christ in the opposite direction), Christian believers begin to prepare for the celebration of one of the most important holidays in the Christian world, and begin to fast.
You can safely begin spiritual and carnal cleansing every year, on November 28, this is an unchangeable date, firmly established for the beginning of the last cleansing of the spirit and flesh in the outgoing year.
One-day posts
Epiphany Christmas Eve
⚅ January 18, 2020
Set for January 18 - the eve of the feast of the Epiphany.
During this fast you are allowed to eat only hot food with butter (regardless of what day of the week it falls on).
Beheading of John the Baptist
⚅ September 11, 2020
Set for September 11 - the day of the martyrdom of John the Baptist (baptizer of Jesus Christ).
Meat, eggs, dairy products and fish should not be taken during this fast. It is allowed to eat hot food with butter on all days of the week, except Wednesday and Friday, when only dry eating is allowed.
Exaltation of the Holy Cross
⚅ September 27, 2020
Set for September 27 - the day of the discovery of the Life-Giving Cross.
During this fast you cannot eat eggs, meat and dairy products, as well as fish. Hot food with butter is allowed (except Wednesday and Friday - only dry eating is allowed on these days of the week).
The sequence of preparing jellied pike perch during the Nativity Fast for the laity
The fish is gutted and the gills are removed. Next, the head of the fish and the tail are cut off, and the fillet is separated from the ridge.
Place everything except the fillet in a pan, add a liter of water and bring to a boil. Peeled onions and carrots are added to the broth, spices and salt are also sent there. Cook everything over low heat and with the pan open for about 40 minutes.
At this time, the fillet is cut into pieces. Remove the boiled fish bones and carrots from the pan, which will be needed for decoration. The fillet is placed in the broth and cooked for up to 10 minutes.
The finished fillet is removed from the broth, which is then filtered through several layers of gauze. Gelatin, which has been previously soaked, is added to the warm broth and stirred until completely dissolved.
Pour a little broth into the portion forms and wait until it cools. You can put greens and slices of carrots on it. The fish fillet is placed on top and filled with broth.
The finished aspic must be placed in the refrigerator for the time required for complete hardening.
Comments
Fasting on Wednesday and Friday
Wednesday and Friday are days of strict fasting.
On these days of the week, during the winter meat-eating period (between Christmas and Great Lent) and spring (between Great and Peter's Lents), it is forbidden to eat meat and dairy products. During the summer meat-eating period (between Petrov and Assumption fasts) and autumn (between the Assumption and Nativity fasts), dry eating is prescribed.
On Cheese Week, food without meat is allowed, and on the remaining continuous weeks (Christmastide, Publican and Pharisee, Easter, Trinity) there is no fasting on Wednesday and Friday.
On Wednesday and Friday of the first week after the Week of the Publican and the Pharisee, they eat hot food without oil.
On holidays:
- Presentation of the Lord
(February 15) - Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
(April 7)– if it does not fall during Holy Week
- Apostle John the Theologian
(May 21 and October 9) - Nativity of John the Baptist
(July 7) - Apostles Peter and Paul
(July 12) - Transfiguration of the Lord
(August 19) - Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary
(August 28) - Nativity of the Virgin Mary
(September 21) - Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary
(October 14) - Presentation of the Virgin Mary into the Temple
(December 4) - St. Nicholas
(December 19)
Falling on Wednesday or Friday, it is allowed to eat fish.
On Christmas Day (January 7) and Epiphany (January 19), fasting on Wednesday and Friday is canceled.
Dishes with jellied fish are popular during the Nativity Fast
Jellied fish, which is served on the table on regular holidays, can also be prepared on the permitted days of the Nativity Fast.
River fish, as well as sturgeon and other types of red fish, may be suitable for this dish.
In Rus', jellied pike perch is very popular. To prepare the aspic you will need:
- pike perch – 1000 -1200 g;
- carrots – 150 gr;
- onion – 1 piece;
- peppercorns – 3-5 pcs;
- gelatin – 10 g;
- bay leaf – 1-2 pcs;
- salt to taste.
Preparing pike perch aspic can take up to 40 minutes to prepare and complete readiness for consumption – up to 4 hours.
Solid weeks
Christmastide
⚅ January 7 – 17, 2020
The period from Christmas to Epiphany. Starts on January 7, ends on January 17 (inclusive). The duration of this week is 11 days. During Christmas time there is no fasting on Wednesday and Friday; you can eat meat every day.
Publican and Pharisee
⚅ February 10 – 15, 2020
Starts 21 days before Lent (Monday) and ends on Saturday. Lasts 6 days. During this week there is no fasting on Wednesday and Friday; you can eat meat every day.
Cheese (Maslenitsa)
⚅ February 24 – March 1, 2020
The week before Great Lent. Lasts 7 days, from Monday to Sunday. On all these days, food without meat (eggs, fish, dairy products) is allowed.
Easter (Light)
⚅ April 20 – 25, 2020
The week after Easter. Lasts 6 days, from Monday to Saturday. During this week there is no fasting on Wednesday and Friday; you can eat meat every day.
Trinity
⚅ June 8 – 14, 2020
The week after the Holy Trinity Day. Lasts 7 days, from Monday to Sunday. During this continuous week there is no fasting on Wednesday and Friday; it is allowed to eat meat every day.
Meat eaters
Winter meat eater
⚅ January 7 – March 1, 2020
The period between Christmas and Great Lent. In 2021, it begins on January 7 and ends on March 1 (Forgiveness Sunday). During the winter meat-eating period, there is no fasting on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. These days you can eat meat food. Fish is allowed on Wednesday and Friday.
Spring meat eater
⚅ April 19 – June 14, 2020
The period between Lent and Lent of Peter the Great. In 2021, it starts on April 19 and ends on June 14. During the spring meat-eating period, there is no fasting on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. On these days you are allowed to eat meat. On Wednesday and Friday you can eat fish.
Summer meat eater
⚅ July 12 – August 13, 2020
The period between Petrov and Assumption fasts. In 2021, it starts on July 12 and ends on August 13. During the summer meat-eating period there is no fasting on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. You can eat meat these days. Dry eating is prescribed for Wednesday and Friday.
Autumn meat eater
⚅ August 28 – November 27, 2020
The period between the Assumption and Nativity fasts. In 2021, it starts on August 28 and ends on November 27. During the autumn meat-eating period, there is no fasting on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. On these days it is allowed to eat meat. On Wednesday and Friday it is prescribed to eat dry food.
When does Lent 2021 end?
46 days - this is how long you will have to fast in 2021. The end of Lent is the last day before Great Easter. We are talking about Holy Saturday, which falls on May 1st . This is the last day of abstinence.
Fasting doesn't have to be grueling. True believers understand perfectly well that they are doing the will of God, so they do not complain about hardships. Remember that you are not required to observe strict fasting if you have health problems. The main thing is prayers and humility. Diet is always secondary.
