How Should I Fast?

The following are some suggested guidelines for Great Lent this year.

• If you currently do not fast regularly or at all… abstain from meat on Wednesdays and Fridays
• If you currently fast from meat on Wednesdays and Fridays… abstain from meat every day during              Great Lent
• If you currently fast… increase your fasting one “level” this year following the example above       beginning with Wednesdays and Fridays.

 Suggested Fasting Levels in the Orthodox Christian Tradition

  1.       Abstain from meat                      2.       Abstain from meat and dairy products

  3.       Abstain from fish                        4.       Abstain from wine and oil

  5.       Abstain from cooked foods

Now that Great Lent is upon us and the Church offers the Presanctified Liturgy each Wednesday evening at 6pm and Friday morning at 9am, the question of fasting and Holy Communion again raises to the surface. On Sunday we know (provided we are healthy and no other prohibitions from our doctor regarding fasting) that we should refrain from all food and drink until after we receive Holy Communion on Sunday mornings. But what if we are planning on receiving Holy Communion on Wednesday night, when should we fast?

 For those adults who are physically able, we are asked to fast just as we would on Sunday morning all day from the time we awake until after we receive Holy Communion. It is acceptable to drink simple beverages such as coffee or tea or preferably water (not milk, milkshakes, beer etc) until about noon and then complete fast until Holy Communion. I must remind you that fasting is not meant to make you ill, but to be an offering to God and discipline of our bodies. If you become light headed or need some food, by all means have a small snack especially if you are in a situation where you must remain alert such as driving or other physical labor. If you must eat during the day, a light breakfast and light lunch should be sufficient followed by a complete fast following lunch until Holy Communion.

 For those children who already fast on Sunday morning, they should be asked to follow as much of the fast as they are able. As parents this will require discernment in how are children are behaving and feeling. Again it is not meant to make our children ill, however many times our children can fast more than we realize and it should be encouraged as an offering to God and spiritual discipline. For children who do not yet fast, a small snack should be offered around 4pm.

 For everyone who is receiving Holy Communion, or Holy Unction or any other Mystery (Sacrament) of the Church, the Church teaches us to fast in preparation and we should do this to the best of our abilities. Great Lent is a perfect time to exercise our free will and to offer our “bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God.” Romans 12.11) It has always been the understanding of the Church that fasting is forbidden for those who have a medical condition requiring food for medications or other requirements such as pregnant and nursing mothers. We must remember that fasting is a spiritual discipline and not meant to cause physical harm.

 Have a blessed Great Lent and I’ll see you during the week!

Dear St. Nicholas Cathedral Family, 

 Today we will discuss the Fourth Ecumenical Synod that happened in the year 451AD in Chalcedon where 630 Bishops were in attendance, which makes it the largest of all the Ecumenical Councils. This council had legitimate concerns with the Monophysitism heresy. To give some background, Between the 3^rd and 4^th Councils, another  more local council was held in which St. Cyril's successor, Dioscorus of Alexandria, insisted that there is in Christ only one nature (physis) and will. St. Cyril himself had used those words, but Dioscorus left out statements St. Cyril made which created a correct and true understanding of our theology.  One of the results of this council was the Chalcedonian Definition that proclaimed, “One and the same Son, perfect in Godhead and Humanity, Truly God and Truly Human. This definition created the first schism of our Church. Unfortunately, this schism is a disagreement in terminology, as both affirm that Christ is fully divine and human and 1 person, BUT disagree on the use of the word “Nature” or “Physis.” The Chalcedonian Definition was not accepted by Monophysites and today the schism still exists between Orthodoxy and what are called the Non-Chalcedonian Churches (Ethiopian, Coptic, and Oriental Churches).

 Another very important result of this Ecumenical Council was about the organization of the Church. In this Council, Canon 28 was established and it made Constantinople, or New Rome, as equal in honor with the 'old' Rome. This was a blow to the Alexandrians and their desire to "rule supreme" in the east as they have been. The Council also freed Jerusalem from the jurisdiction of Caesarea and gave it the fifth place in honor, thus creating what is known by the Orthodox as the 'Pentarchy'. In order they were:

1.    Rome & Constantinople

2.    Alexandria

3.    Antioch

4.    Jerusalem

The first four were the most important cities in the empire, and Jerusalem was added because it is where Christ suffered and rose from the dead. Also, it was during this council that the bishops in each city received the title "Patriarch." The Patriarchates then divided the whole of the known world into smaller jurisdictions. It is important to note that All bishops are equal, regardless of the size of their “see.” They are all divinely appointed teachers of the faith, they all share in Apostolic succession and they all have sacramental powers. If a dispute arises, it is not enough for any one bishop to express his opinion; all diocesan bishops have the right to attend a general council, express their opinion and cast a vote. The system of the Pentarchy does not impair the essential quality of each bishop nor does it strip the local community of the significance Ignatius assigned it.

With Love in the Lord,

Rev. Fr. Sampson N. Kasapakis

Memorials

8:15 AM Divine Liturgy (Greek) 

Ioannis A. Boulafentis - 3 Months

Irene Krouskos - 6 Months

Nick Smalios - 2 Years

Constantinos Haskopoulos - 7 Years

 11:00 AM Divine Liturgy (English)

Alexander Bazos - 6 Months

Anna Karpathakis - 4 Years

Emanuel Scaros -  15 years

Memorial & Artoklasia Service Planning