One recent Church writer observed that with the four major fasts of the liturgical year, plus the Wednesday and Friday fasts and the various strict fast days, there are more fasting days than non-fasting days in the Orthodox Tradition. So important in our struggle is our common ascetical practice in the life of the Church, that we offer here a small collection of teachings from Fathers both ancient and recent, to encourage us in our efforts.



"We have many fasts: four lengthy ones, the Great Fast (Great Lent), the Apostles' Fast, the Dormition Fast and the Nativity Fast; and a number of shorter ones.

"What an amazing and un-Christian relationship so many people now have to these fasts.
The fasts are violated by people without a qualm of conscience, as if
the matter was about some nonsense which had no significance. The
Church, on the other hand, takes a very serious view of the matter...

"Fasting is absolutely indispensable for man.
From the external aspect, it is a struggle of filial obedience to God,
Who has given us the rules of fasting through His Holy Spirit. From the
inner aspect, fasting is a struggle of restraint and self-limitation. In
this lies the great value and sense of fasting, since a strict
observance of fasts tempers one's will and perfects the character of one
who is firm in his religious convictions and actions. Let us not forget
that Christ Himself fasted, and foretold that His apostles would also
fast.

"We hear people claiming that fasting is harmful to the health.
But strict fasting is not required of people who are ill, and they fast
only according to their strength. Most important, one should remember
that it is only those people who do not fast who speak about the 'harm
to health' of fasting. But those who do observe fasting will never say
this, for they know from personal experience that not only is fasting
not harmful, but it is positively beneficial to bodily health.

"Fasting is not merely a restraining from food.
During the days of the fasts, the Church sings, 'While fasting bodily,
let us also fast spiritually...' True fasting includes deeds of
Christian mercy. It is an alienation of the evil-one, a restraint of the
tongue, a laying aside of anger, a cutting off of vices and an exposure
of falsehood... Thus, for a Christian, fasting is a time of restraint
and self-education in all respects, and a real Christian fast gives
believers a great moral satisfaction. The great teacher of Christian
asceticism Bishop Theophan the Recluse says of fasting:

'Fasting
appears gloomy until one steps into its arena. But begin and you will
see what light it brings after darkness, what freedom from bonds, what
release after a burdensome life.' "

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"Whosoever rejects the fasts,
deprives himself and others of weapons against his own much-suffering
flesh and against the devil, who have power over us especially as the
result of our intemperance." 

~ St John of Kronstadt

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"Do you fast? Then
feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, visit the sick, do not
forget the imprisoned, have pity on the tortured, comfort those who
grieve and who weep, be merciful, humble, kind, calm, patient,
sympathetic, forgiving, reverent, truthful and pious, so that God might
accept your fasting and might plentifully grant you the fruits of
repentance.

"It is necessary most of all for one who is fasting to curb anger, to
accustom himself to meekness and condescension, to have a contrite
heart, to repulse impure thoughts and desires, to examine his
conscience, to put his mind to the test and to verify what good has been
done by us in this or any other week, and which deficiency we have
corrected in ourself in the present week. This is true fasting.

"Fasting of the body is food for the soul... As
bodily food fattens the body, so fasting strengthens the soul;
imparting it an easy flight, it makes it able to ascend on high, to
contemplate lofty things and to put the heavenly higher than the
pleasant and pleasurable things of life.

"Fasting is wonderful, because it tramples our sins like a dirty weed, while it cultivates and raises truth like a flower." 

~  St John Chrysostom

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"Gluttony makes a man gloomy and fearful, but fasting makes him joyful and courageous. And,
as gluttony calls forth greater and greater gluttony, so fasting
stimulates greater and greater endurance. When a man realizes the grace
that comes through fasting, he desires to fast more and more. And the
graces that come through fasting are countless...."

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