Great Fast in Eastern Christianity
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The Great Fast in Eastern Christianity is the principal Lenten season of prayer, fasting, and repentance leading up to Pascha (Easter), marked by strict ascetic practices and a rich cycle of liturgical services.
All labels observed (1)
| Label | Occurrences |
|---|---|
| Great Fast in Eastern Christianity canonical | 1 |
Statements (64)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
Lenten fast
ⓘ
liturgical season ⓘ period of fasting ⓘ |
| alsoKnownAs |
Great Lent
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Holy Forty Days NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| associatedFeast |
Easter
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Pascha NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| beginsWith |
Forgiveness Vespers
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Sunday of Forgiveness NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| canonicalBasis | ancient canons of the Church ⓘ |
| duration |
approximately forty days before Holy Week in Byzantine usage
ⓘ
forty days of fasting symbolically recalling Christ’s forty days in the desert ⓘ |
| emphasis |
confession of sins
ⓘ
interior conversion ⓘ meditation on Scripture ⓘ participation in liturgical services ⓘ reconciliation with others ⓘ |
| endsBefore | Lazarus Saturday in Byzantine tradition NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| fastingRule |
abstinence from dairy
ⓘ
abstinence from eggs ⓘ abstinence from meat ⓘ abstinence from oil ⓘ abstinence from wine ⓘ increased almsgiving ⓘ reduced number of daily meals ⓘ |
| hasComponent |
Akathists and canons of repentance
ⓘ
Cheesefare Week NERFINISHED ⓘ Commemoration of the departed ⓘ First Week of Great Lent ⓘ Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete NERFINISHED ⓘ Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday as immediate pre-Paschal feasts ⓘ Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts NERFINISHED ⓘ Sundays of Great Lent NERFINISHED ⓘ Weekdays of Great Lent NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| historicalDevelopment | rooted in early Christian pre-Paschal fasts ⓘ |
| liturgicalCharacter |
ascetical
ⓘ
penitential ⓘ |
| liturgicalColor | dark vestments ⓘ |
| liturgicalService |
Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts on certain weekdays
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
expanded use of prostrations ⓘ frequent reading of the Psalter ⓘ prayer of St. Ephrem the Syrian ⓘ |
| observedBy |
clergy
ⓘ
laity ⓘ monastics ⓘ |
| preparatoryPeriod |
Cheesefare Sunday
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Meatfare Sunday NERFINISHED ⓘ Sunday of the Prodigal Son NERFINISHED ⓘ Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee NERFINISHED ⓘ Sundays before Lent ⓘ |
| primaryPurpose |
ascetic discipline
ⓘ
intensified prayer ⓘ preparation for Pascha ⓘ repentance ⓘ |
| religiousTradition |
Eastern Catholic Churches
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Eastern Christianity NERFINISHED ⓘ Eastern Orthodox Church NERFINISHED ⓘ Oriental Orthodox Churches NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| symbolism |
imitation of Christ’s fasting
ⓘ
renewal of baptismal grace ⓘ spiritual journey to Pascha ⓘ |
| theologicalTheme |
participation in Christ’s suffering and resurrection
ⓘ
restoration of the image of God in humanity ⓘ struggle against the passions ⓘ |
Referenced by (1)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.