In the Orthodox Church, fasting before the greatest holiday of the Resurrection of Christ is one of the most severe abstinences. Refusal of food of animal origin, alcohol and smoking during this period is not given to everyone. Particularly difficult for those who first decided to cleanse the soul and body, not knowing all the subtleties how to hold fast before Easter .
In fact, dietary restrictions only seem so terrible at first glance. Having shown a little imagination and patience, with the help of conventional products you can make yourself quite a normal, healthy and healthy diet. In addition, having refused for a while from sweets, eggs, fatty, meat and dairy products, you can very well improve your health and general condition. How to keep fasting before Easter, in order not to harm your body and gain inner harmony, we will tell in our article.
The rules of fasting before Easter
If you are a beginner and first decided on such a serious step as compliance with fasting, you should thoroughly prepare, both morally and physically. To begin with, at least one week is enough to "absorb" or become a full vegetarian. Then a couple of days can be taken to restore the body. The main rule of fasting before Easter is good health. Therefore, before embarking on a prolonged abstinence from food, it is better to conduct a survey and consult a therapist.
First of all, you need to take into account how much the post is before Easter. The main period is called the Pentecost and lasts 40 days. Also there is the Holy Week - the week before the Sunday of Christ, it is also included in Lent, and the 47 days of abstinence. According to the rules of fasting before Easter, the most "strict" weeks are considered the first and last. In these periods you can eat only once a day (in the evening). On weekends, it is allowed to eat food two times (in the evening and in the afternoon,) to chew food with vegetable oil and drink down a meal with wine.
The diet on all other days of the post looks quite simple:
- Monday, Wednesday and Friday are welcome rawness. Raw food without oil is allowed: bread, vegetables, fruit, plenty of water or compote;
- Tuesday, Thursday - days of hot food, without the use of vegetable oil.
There are some indulgences in terms of nutrition. So let's say that you can afford to eat a little caviar on Lazarev's Saturday, and you can eat fish on the Annunciation and Palm Sunday.
Since keeping a fast before Easter is very difficult and for any organism - this is a great stress, it is not necessary to observe it for pregnant women, patients, children and the elderly. Also, the military, those who are engaged in heavy physical or mental labor, are released from abstinence.
Eating in fast before Easter
Since the time of Lent begins in the spring, the choice of food is not pleasing with its diversity. Therefore, for the most part, the diet contains: canned vegetables; fruit; pickles; jam; dried fruits; cereals; beans; nuts; crackers; black and gray bread. As well as mushrooms, fresh vegetables and fruits that can
The list of food preparations for fasting before Easter may seem too limited, but if desired, many nutritious dishes and delicious desserts can be prepared from this. Baked mushrooms, stewed vegetables in their own juice or pepper stuffed with a mixture of vegetables and cereals will be an excellent option for a hearty dinner.
Also in the Orthodox fast before Easter, you can treat yourself to fruit pies, kissel, vegetarian "sweets" of dried fruits and honey, various kinds of jelly and many other vegetarian delicacies.