We Orthodox Christians, in obedience to the words of our Divine Savior, and in imitation of the saints, set aside a period of intense fasting and prayer in order to purify our spiritual senses so we may see the Holy Resurrection. Following the traditions handed to us by the saints, we abstain from all meat products, all dairy products, eggs, fish and olive oil the entire period of lent. Those who believe that we fast strictly only for the first and last week err and are not in accord with the teaching of the saints. We may have olive oil on Saturdays and Sundays and any day there is a Polyeleos. We may partake of fish only on the feast of the Annunciation and Palm Sunday.
Only those who are ill or for medical reasons are unable to fast are excused form this God-pleasing struggle. And those people may discuss the matter in confession. Children also fast to their ability, again, discussed privately with the spiritual father. Married couples may not have physical relations the entire of Great Lent. Televisions should be either unplugged or severely limited with no worldly music allowed. Families should gather in prayer more frequently and attend as many church services during the week as they possibly can. Holy Communion and Confession should be observed weekly.
To break the fast is a matter for repentance and confession. To do so by accident is understandable. To knowingly break the fast with no regard or as though fasting were unimportant is definitely a sin which must be confessed.
We can always develop elaborate defenses against fasting, but in the end, if fasting were not vital for our spiritual development, the Lord and His saints would not have commanded it. Some will say that fasting is a matter for monastics. They do not speak the truth. History shows a long practice of strict fasting for all Christians. We may say that fasting is a tool, and not the goal of the spiritual life. But, what physician would perform surgery without the beneficial use of an antiseptic or without washing his hands? What carpenter would build a house with no hammer? What gardener would tend his crops without implements? What Christian would advance to the heavenly kingdom without prayer and fasting?
Taken from a post to the internet ORTHODOX mailing list. lightly edited., 21 Feb 1995, from Fr. Alexis Duncan
I see intense abstaining clearly delineated (no meat/dairy /eggs/fish/olive oil. However the description of what intense fasting is, how much volume of food, is not detailed, like the Catholic one. What are the details?
Such an absolute statement is inappropriate, though not uncommon in some quarters. I will not speculate on the background of the priest who wrote this but I will point out this instruction by +Paul
"Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence [the affection due her]: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other [Do not deprive one another], except it be with consent for a time, that ye give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency [because of your lack of self-control]" I Corinthians 7:3-5
+John Chrysostomos comments on these verses preaching against continence for too long a time "Because great evils spring from this sort of continence. For adulteries and fornications and the ruin of families have often arisen from this." Homily XIX on 1 Corinthians.
Like all spiritual disciplines, we should "ease into them". You don't run a marathon when all you do for exercise is walk to your car each day. Serious, complete fasting should never be done without the guidance of a spiritual father lest one become discouraged and open to the destructive temptations of the Evil One and his minions.
Thank you Salvation. Your daily postings are a real help to me.
Regards