THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE GREAT FAST IN THE ORTHODOX CHURCH

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God, and Savior,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE GREAT FAST
IN THE ORTHODOX CHURCH.

The title "Great Fast" serves to distinguish Lent from the THREE OTHER SEASONS OF FASTING in the Orthodox calendar: THE CHRISTMAS FAST, THE FAST OF THE APOSTLES, AND THE DORMITION (KOIMISIS) FAST.

Lent, as it exists today in the Orthodox Church, is the result of a long historical development, of which no more than a brief summary cana be offered here. The portion of the Church’s Year covered by the Lenten Triodion falls into THREE PERIODS:

(1) THE PRE-LENTEN PERIOD: three preparatory Sundays (the Publican and the Pharisee; the
Prodigal Son; the Last Judgement, followed by a preliminary week of partial fasting, ending with
the Sunday of Forgiveness.

(2) THE FORTY-DAYS OF THE GREAT FAST, beginning on Monday in the first week (or, more exactly,
at Sunday Vespers on the evening before), and ending with the Ninth Hour on Friday in the sixth
week.

(3) HOLY AND GREAT WEEK, preceded by the Saturday of Lazarus and Palm Sunday.

The third of these three periods, the Paschal fast of Holy and Great Week, is the most ancient, for it was already in existence during the Second and Third Centuries. The fast of FORTY DAYS is mentioned in sources from the first half of the Fourth Century onwards. The Paschal Fast in the Second and Third Centuries. In the Second Century it was the custom for Christians in both East and West to observe, immediately before Pascha Sunday, A SHORT FAST OF ONE OR TWO DAYS, either on Saturday only or on Friday and Saturday together. By the middle of the Third Century, the Paschal fast had in many places been extended to embrace the entire week from Monday to Saturday. There was, however, NO UNIFORMITY OF PRACTICE, and some Christians fasted for less than the full six days. In some places it was the practice to eat bread and salt, with water, at the Ninth Hour (3 p.m.)

THE FAST OF FORTY DAYS. There is no evidence of A FORTY-DAY FAST in the pre-Nicene period. By the end of the Fourth Century the observance of a Forty-Day fast seems to have been the standard practice in most parts of Christendom, but in some places–possibly including rome – a shorter fast may have been kept.

The choice of the number FORTY for the days of Lent has obvious Biblical precedens. The people of Israel spent FORTY YEARS in the wilderness [Exodus 16:35]; Moses remained fasting FOR FORTY DAYS on Mount Sinai [Exodus 34:28]; Elijah abstained from all food for forty days as he journeyed to Mount Horeb [1 Kings 19:8]. Most important of all, Christ fasted FORTY DAYS and FORTY NIGHTS in the wilderness, tempted by the devil [Matthew 4:1].

THE PRE-LENTEN PERIOD. (a) The Sunday of Zacchaeus. One week before the Triodion enters into use, there is a Sunday Gospel reading which looks forward directly to the coming fast – Luke 19:1-10, describing how Zacchaeus climbed a tree beside the road where Christ was to pass. In this reading we note Zacchaeus SENSE OF EAGER EXPECTATION, THE INTENSITY OF HIS DESIRE TO SEE THE LORD, and we apply this to ourselves. If, we have an intense desire for a clearer vision of Christ, then our hopes will be fulfilled during the fast. But if there is within us NO EAGER EXPECTATION AND NO SINCERE DESIRE, WE SHALL SEE AND RECEIVE NOTHING. And so we ask ourselves: What is my state of mind and will as I prepare to embark on the Lenten journey.

THE SUNDAY OF THE PUBLICAN AND PHARISEE [Gospel reading: Luke 18:10-14]. On this and the following two Sundays, the theme is REPENTANCE. Repentance IS THE DOOR THROUGH WHICH WE ENTER LENT, the starting point of our journey to Pascha. And to repent signifies far more than self-pity or futile regret over things done in the past. The Greek word METANOIA means ‘CHANGE OF MIND’: TO REPENT IS TO BE RENEWED, TO BE TRANSFORMED IN OUR INWARD VIEWPOINT, TO ATTAIN A FRESH WAY OF LOOKING AT OUR RELATIONSHIP TO GOD AND TO OTHERS.

THE SUNDAY OF THE PRODIGAL SON [Gospel reading: Luke 15:11-32]. The Parable of the Prodigal Son forms an exact icon of repentance in its different stages. Sin IS EXILE, ENSLAVEMENT TO STRANGERS, HUNGER. Repentance IS THE RETURN FROM EXILE TO OUR TRUE HOME; IT IS TO RECEIVE BACK OUR INHERITANCE AND FREEDOM IN THE Father’s House. But repentance implies action: "I WILL RISE UP AND GO…To repent is NOT just TO FEEL DISSATISFIED, BUT TO TAKE A DECISION AND TO ACT UPON IT.

THE SATURDAY OF THE DEAD. On the day before Sunday of hte Last Judgment, and in close connection with the theme of this Sunday, there is UNIVERSAL COMMEMORATION OF THE DEAD ‘FROM ALL THE AGES.’

THE SUNDAY OF THE LAST JUDGMENT [Gospel reading: Matthew 25:31-46]. The two past Sundays spoke to us of God’s patience and limitless compassion, of His readiness to accept every sinner who returns to Him. On this Third Sunday, we are powerfully reminded of a complementary truth: NO ONE IS SO PATIENT AND SO MERCIFUL AS GOD, but even He does not forgive those who do not repent. The God of love IS ALSO A GOD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, and when Christ comes again in glory, He will come as OUR JUDGE. ‘BEHOLD THE GOODNESS AND SEVERITY OF GOD’ [Romans 11:32]. Such is the message of Holy Lent to each of us: TURN BACK WHILE THERE IS STILL TIME, REPENT BEFORE THE END COMES.

ON THE SATURDAY IN THE WEEK BEFORE LENT ['CHEESE WEEK'], there is a GENERAL COMMEMORATION OF ALL THE ASCETIC SAINTS OF THE CHURCH, both men and women. As we set out on the journey of the Lenten Fast, we are reminded that we do not travel alone BUT AS MEMBERS OF A FAMILY, SUPPORTED BY THE INTERCESSIONS OF MANY INVISIBLE HELPERS.

THE SUNDAY BEFORE LENT. The last preparatory Sunday has two themes: IT COMMEMORATES ADAM’S EXPULSION FROM PARADISE, and it is also THE SUNDAY OF FORGIVENESS. There are obvious reasons why these two things should be brought to our attention as we stand on the threshold of the Holy and Great Fast. One of the primary images in the TRIODION is that OF THE RETURN TO PARADISE. Lent is a time when we weep with Adam and Eve before the closed gate of Eden, repenting with them for the sins that have deprived us of OUR FREE COMMUNION WITH GOD. But Lent is also a time when we are preparing TO CELEBRATE THE SAVING EVENT OF CHRIST’S DEATH AND RISING, WHICH HAS REOPENED PARADISE TO US ONCE MORE [Luke 23:43]. So sorrow for our exile in sin is TEMPERED BY HOPE OFOUR RE-ENTRY INTO PARADISE.

The Second Theme, that OF FORGIVENESS, is emphasized in the Gospel reading for this Sunday [Matthew 6:14-21] and in special ceremony OF MUTUAL FORGIVENESS AT THE END OF VESPERS on Sunday evening. Before we enter the Lenten fast, we are reminded that there CAN BE NO TRUE FAST, NO GENUINE REPENTANCE, NO RECONCILIATION WITH GOD, UNLESS WE ARE AT THE SAME TIME RECONCILED WITH ONE ANOTHER. A fast without mutual love IS THE FAST OF DEMONS. Our asceticism and fasting should not separate us from our fellow men but LINK US TO THEM WITH EVER STRONGER BONDS. [Source: The Lenten Triodion]

___________
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
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With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia [Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George