Plus if he had engaged even semi seriously in Orthodox Lenten Fasting general body weakness from protein deprivation begins to set in around the fifth week or so.
And after eight weeks of no meat and fish and seven weeks of no dairy...
Yes,
Orthodox Church is pretty demanding on membership.
Unlike some Evangelicals, with no fasting and sitting though all service in pews. I have been in Church where even the communion was passed along, sitting in the pew.