👉🏾👉🏾👉🏾About #Fasting: How do We #Fast
(Part 2 )
Dear friends who follow the Orthodox teachings we greet you with the peace of God. Today, according to the topic mentioned above, we present to you the following important teaching and ask each of you to read and learn from it with understanding.
✍🏾The Seven Canonical Fasts of the EOTC
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church observes seven officially decreed fasts. These are:
1. The Great Fast (Abiy tsom )
2. The Fast of the Apostles ( Tsome Hawaryat )
3. The Fast of the Assumption (St. Mary’s Fast) Tsome Felseta
4. The Fast of the Prophets (Tsome Nebiyat)
5. The Fast of Gehad or gad )
6. The Fast of Nineveh( Tsome Nenewe)
7. Tsome Dihnet :-The Weekly Fast (Wednesdays and Fridays)
These fasts have been practiced from ancient times, and each carries a spiritual purpose for the growth and salvation of the believer.
✍🏾Teachings on Fasting from the Holy Books
The Holy Scriptures, along with ancient Church books such as Haymanote Abew and Fetha Negest, give instructions on how the faithful should fast.
a. Haymanote Abew (Three Centuries), Chapter 20:18–29
Do not break the fast commanded by the Lord, especially Wednesday and Friday, unless due to sickness.
Even on major feast days such as Pentecost, Epiphany, or baptisms, Wednesday and Friday fasting is kept, except for the ill.
Those who observe Abiy Tsom must keep the fast with great care, especially during the seven days before Easter (Semune Hammamat).
If a brother visits you to eat during your voluntary fast (such as Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday), eat with him in love and good conscience, but do not neglect the mandatory fasts of Wednesday, Friday, and the Forty Days.
Fasting on Saturday until sunset is not encouraged. There are times when fasting on Saturday is appropriate, but never until the sixth or seventh hour (sunset).
On Sunday morning, go to church early, avoiding distraction, and stand with reverence throughout the Divine Liturgy, reflecting on the suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ.
The fasts of Wednesday and Friday should be kept at least until the ninth hour of the day. Fasting beyond this benefits the soul.
Do not leave church before the Liturgy concludes unless due to illness or urgent necessity.
If you are able to fast two consecutive days, do so humbly, without pride, for pride is the weapon of Satan by which he fell from glory and leads many into destruction.
Let no one compel you to fast, to prostrate on holy Sunday, for prostrating on Sunday is not accepted by the Church.Likewise, do not prostrate on the Eve of Sunday (Saturday) or on the Holy Days of Easter (Pentecost).Do not prostrate after receiving the Holy Body and Blood, whenever the Divine Liturgy is celebrated.
These practices are not derived from the apostolic tradition of the Church.
Do not fast on Sunday and Saturday as you do on other fasting days, except for one specific Saturday:
the Saturday before Easter, the day our Lord Jesus Christ was buried.
This day alone is observed with fasting because it is the day Christ rested in the tomb for our salvation.
Do not be deceived by the error of the Marqosites, who teach fasting on Sundays and Saturdays.Do not neglect the time of the Divine Liturgy.Prepare your body and soul to be worthy of receiving the precious Body and Blood of Christ.Receiving Holy Communion unworthily brings severe judgment upon a person.
When brothers visit you, do not neglect to wash their feet.The Holy Trinity will judge those who ignore this command, for the Lord Himself instructed even the bishops to wash the feet of the disciples.
This act is a sign of humility, love, and obedience to Christ’s command.
Continues 👇🏾