Lent and Clean Monday

[Eastern Mind]

I was wondering, even though I am not a catacheumen yet, could I still participate in Great Lent to some degree? I know how a Catholic would celebrate, but have almost no idea as to how it works in the Orthodox Church. There are so many calanders...but I think it starts, for some, on "Clean Monday" right? Or must I be a member of the Church?

Hope that made sense 

[LizaSymonenko]

You don't have to be a "member" to fast.

Since this is all new to you, you should start slowly.  Do what you can, knowing it's not yet required of you.

Also, most importantly keep in mind that more important than fasting from various foods, is being introspective, and trying to live as the best Christian one can - at least for the duration of Great Lent.  You never know, one might get in the habit and keep it up longer.  My grandfather gave up smoking (pipe) during Lent, and never picked it up again.

Try to volunteer your time, give to charity, help anyone you can...pray more...be kinder...more patient, etc.

...and as always, talk with your priest.  He can help you out.

[Benjamin the Red]

I was wondering, even though I am not a catacheumen yet, could I still participate in Great Lent to some degree? I know how a Catholic would celebrate, but have almost no idea as to how it works in the Orthodox Church. There are so many calanders...but I think it starts, for some, on "Clean Monday" right? Or must I be a member of the Church?

Hope that made sense 

the Lenten calendar works pretty much the same for all Orthodox. This week is currently "Meatfare Week", meaning this is the last week we get to enjoy meat. The Sunday of the Last Judgment (this coming Sunday) is also known as "Meatfare Sunday" and is the last day for meat-eating. This coming week is known as "Cheesefare Week" in which all manner of dairy (including eggs...fish is also still permitted) may be consumed, even on Wednesday and Friday. Cheesefare Sunday (not this coming, but the one after) is also known as "Forgiveness Sunday", because that evening we will serve Forgiveness Vespers, which marks the beginning of Clean Week, which is the Lenten fast in earnest. Clean Week is more strict than the rest of Great Lent (and Lent does not include Holy Week itself, they are considered separate).

Traditionally, no food would be eaten at all in Clean Week until after the Pre-Sanctified Liturgy on Wednesday evening, when you're allowed a small Lenten meal. The fast is resumed until the end of the Pre-Sanctified Liturgy on Friday. Today, however, this is usually relaxed to "xerophagy" or "dry-eating." This means no cooked food would be eaten during Clean Week, only raw fruits and veggies, nuts and other similar fasting foods.

I think it is meet and right for you to participate in the Great Fast, but it's not easy. You should do so only with the blessing and direction of your priest.

[Timon]

I was wondering, even though I am not a catacheumen yet, could I still participate in Great Lent to some degree? I know how a Catholic would celebrate, but have almost no idea as to how it works in the Orthodox Church. There are so many calanders...but I think it starts, for some, on "Clean Monday" right? Or must I be a member of the Church?

Hope that made sense 

Of course you can participate.  Maybe Im wrong, but I dont think the practice itself differs that much from denomination to denomination.  I guess some denoms dont take it as seriously, but I guess the point of it is the same throughout.

[Benjamin the Red]

I was wondering, even though I am not a catacheumen yet, could I still participate in Great Lent to some degree? I know how a Catholic would celebrate, but have almost no idea as to how it works in the Orthodox Church. There are so many calanders...but I think it starts, for some, on "Clean Monday" right? Or must I be a member of the Church?

Hope that made sense 

Of course you can participate.  Maybe Im wrong, but I dont think the practice itself differs that much from denomination jurisdiction to denomination jurisdiction.  I guess some denoms dont take it as seriously, but I guess the point of it is the same throughout.

Fixed that for you.

It seems like a small difference, but the use of "denomination" amongst Protestants makes it too broad, and often describes groups that vary widely in doctrine and practice. While our jurisdictions do have some different practices, we are all equally Orthodox and hold the same Faith.

[HabteSelassie]

Greetings in that Divine and Most Precious Name of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

I was wondering, even though I am not a catacheumen yet, could I still participate in Great Lent to some degree? I know how a Catholic would celebrate, but have almost no idea as to how it works in the Orthodox Church. There are so many calanders...but I think it starts, for some, on "Clean Monday" right? Or must I be a member of the Church?

Hope that made sense 

You should, its a wonderful spiritual introduction to Orthodox.  First things first, is there an Orthodox parish you attend?  If so, continue to do such during Lent.  Further, if you do not have a relationship with a priest, Lent is wonderful time to establish one.  

When I first started out fasting, my priest advised me to take it slow, small steps, like starting with just Wednesday and Friday and working my way into it.  Remember that fasting culture is for life in Orthodox, and it takes a lifetime to adjust to the rhythms, which is partly why God in His Grace gives us an eternity

stay blessed,
habte selassie

[Timon]

I was wondering, even though I am not a catacheumen yet, could I still participate in Great Lent to some degree? I know how a Catholic would celebrate, but have almost no idea as to how it works in the Orthodox Church. There are so many calanders...but I think it starts, for some, on "Clean Monday" right? Or must I be a member of the Church?

Hope that made sense 

Of course you can participate.  Maybe Im wrong, but I dont think the practice itself differs that much from denomination jurisdiction to denomination jurisdiction.  I guess some denoms dont take it as seriously, but I guess the point of it is the same throughout.

Fixed that for you.

It seems like a small difference, but the use of "denomination" amongst Protestants makes it too broad, and often describes groups that vary widely in doctrine and practice. While our jurisdictions do have some different practices, we are all equally Orthodox and hold the same Faith.

I meant to use the word "denominations."  My point was that you dont have to be Orthodox to participate in Lent as Catholics and Protestants (baptists, methodists, Lutherans, etc.) participate as well.  Some dont take it as seriously as others (baptists, etc) but the meaning of it is pretty much the same throughout different denominations.

[Benjamin the Red]

I was wondering, even though I am not a catacheumen yet, could I still participate in Great Lent to some degree? I know how a Catholic would celebrate, but have almost no idea as to how it works in the Orthodox Church. There are so many calanders...but I think it starts, for some, on "Clean Monday" right? Or must I be a member of the Church?

Hope that made sense 

Of course you can participate.  Maybe Im wrong, but I dont think the practice itself differs that much from denomination jurisdiction to denomination jurisdiction.  I guess some denoms dont take it as seriously, but I guess the point of it is the same throughout.

Fixed that for you.

It seems like a small difference, but the use of "denomination" amongst Protestants makes it too broad, and often describes groups that vary widely in doctrine and practice. While our jurisdictions do have some different practices, we are all equally Orthodox and hold the same Faith.

I meant to use the word "denominations."  My point was that you dont have to be Orthodox to participate in Lent as Catholics and Protestants (baptists, methodists, Lutherans, etc.) participate as well.  Some dont take it as seriously as others (baptists, etc) but the meaning of it is pretty much the same throughout different denominations.

Ah! Please forgive me for misunderstanding.

Just to share personal experience, I knew nothing of Lent until I started reading on my own about religion as a teenager, having been raised "Baptocostal" (i.e., my family vacillated between Baptist and Pentecostal, and ultimately ended up as non-practitioners). We even went Methodist for a bit, and I can't recall them holding to the liturgical calendar all that well, though they were quite liberal UMCers (we didn't stay there long).

[Timon]

I was wondering, even though I am not a catacheumen yet, could I still participate in Great Lent to some degree? I know how a Catholic would celebrate, but have almost no idea as to how it works in the Orthodox Church. There are so many calanders...but I think it starts, for some, on "Clean Monday" right? Or must I be a member of the Church?

Hope that made sense 

Of course you can participate.  Maybe Im wrong, but I dont think the practice itself differs that much from denomination jurisdiction to denomination jurisdiction.  I guess some denoms dont take it as seriously, but I guess the point of it is the same throughout.

Fixed that for you.

It seems like a small difference, but the use of "denomination" amongst Protestants makes it too broad, and often describes groups that vary widely in doctrine and practice. While our jurisdictions do have some different practices, we are all equally Orthodox and hold the same Faith.

I meant to use the word "denominations."  My point was that you dont have to be Orthodox to participate in Lent as Catholics and Protestants (baptists, methodists, Lutherans, etc.) participate as well.  Some dont take it as seriously as others (baptists, etc) but the meaning of it is pretty much the same throughout different denominations.

Ah! Please forgive me for misunderstanding.

Just to share personal experience, I knew nothing of Lent until I started reading on my own about religion as a teenager, having been raised "Baptocostal" (i.e., my family vacillated between Baptist and Pentecostal, and ultimately ended up as non-practitioners). We even went Methodist for a bit, and I can't recall them holding to the liturgical calendar all that well, though they were quite liberal UMCers (we didn't stay there long).

Im with you.  I didnt know anything of it until I went to college. (protestant with Anglo-Catholic leanings. Read every NT Wright book there...) Thats when I began to practice it and found out how beneficial it is. Most protestants definitely dont make as big a deal of it.  I guess because Lent isnt in the Bible?

[mabsoota]

 
i had no idea about lent fasting as a protestant, although some kids in my school used to give up chocolate for a day or two (they did not go to church as far as i know). they did not give up fighting, swearing and bullying, so what i saw put me off public fasting! private fasting (in some of the protestant churches i attended) was encouraged, and also very useful for spiritual life.
i didn't know there was a great church tradition of lent.

fasting should be about yr spiritual life most of all, so abstain from 1 or 2 foods only, and pray a lot and study the Bible and attend church. i first fasted lent before i was orthodox, and found it the most difficult fast ever! i had to eat loads of black chocolate to prevent too much weight loss! i was probably too unused to fasting.
i have also used it to give up using bad words. hmm, think i need to do that again this year, bad habits coming back...
 

[biro]

Giving up chocolate was hard when I was little. Boy, did those first chocolate bunnies taste good on Easter Sunday!   

[HabteSelassie]

Greetings in that Divine and Most Precious Name of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Giving up chocolate was hard when I was little. Boy, did those first chocolate bunnies taste good on Easter Sunday!   

What do you mean by did, I don't know about y'all, but a feast of chocolates and donuts are on my calendar for April 15 yo

stay blessed,
habte selassie

[mabsoota]

i bet u didn't hit people in lent like in my school, though!
i'm still working on going vegan AND giving up all chocolate (inc. vegan ones).

i don't know how i would manage clean week though. in our church people fast the most at the end, not in the beginning.
doing both would be difficult!

on a less serious note, i may be moving house before the end of lent, so am trying not to have too much in the cupboard to pack.
how many tins of rice pudding (we are off dairy products already by monday, not like EO churches) would be considered extravagant to eat in one day?
i have this bad habit of buying too much dairy in the 2 weeks before lent and then either eating it all in the last days, or torturing myself by cutting off the mould from the cheese and repacking it every week so that it doesn't all spoil...
any advice?

[scamandrius]

You don't have to be a "member" to fast.


...and as always, talk with your priest.  He can help you out.

I think it is meet and right for you to participate in the Great Fast, but it's not easy. You should do so only with the blessing and direction of your priest.

+2

[augustin717]

i'll have mushrooms for Lent

[JamesRottnek]

i'll have mushrooms for Lent

Be careful, sometimes if you fast too hard the demons might try to attack you.

[mabsoota]

he was referring to another thread about magic mushrooms.
NO they are not allowed during lent!
 

as for my question regarding the tins of rice pudding, our bishop answered this today in church, saying that the day before lent isn't the day to keep eating!
oops...
 

[JamesRottnek]

he was referring to another thread about magic mushrooms.
NO they are not allowed during lent!
 

I knew what he was referring to.

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