What prayers to read during the Nativity Fast. What is possible and not possible during the Nativity Fast? What to read during Lent

In 2018, the Nativity Fast will begin on November 28. During this period, Orthodox believers prepare to celebrate the Nativity of Christ, abstaining from entertainment and favorite foods. However, without spiritual cleansing, fasting is equivalent to a regular diet, so experts at dailyhoro.ru offer you the most powerful prayers for the beginning of the Nativity Fast.

The most powerful prayer on November 28

To prevent abstinence from being difficult, it is necessary to begin the first day of the Nativity Fast with prayer. You need to turn to the Lord and the saints on the morning of November 28th.

“Oh, Lord and Saints! Protect me from gluttony, cleanse my soul from sins. I wish to accept your gifts and partake of them in order to achieve unity with the forces of Heaven. Amen".

Before saying a prayer, you must read the prayer text “Our Father”. In this case, your appeal will definitely be heard.

Prayer to the Mother of God

With the help of prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos, you can refrain from temptations and cleanse your soul of sins. You can turn to the Mother of God both in church and at home, and effective prayer will help you with this.

“Oh, Most Holy Theotokos, our Lady. Become our defender before the Lord God, ask him to forgive us our sins and evil thoughts. I call upon You for help and pray for Your support. Send me patience and protect me from temptations. Amen".

Pray to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and then abstinence will not be so difficult. It is advisable to say a prayer before and after meals.

Evening prayer on the first day of the Nativity Fast

To make the next day of fasting easier, you need to turn to the saints on the evening of November 28:

“I thank you, Jesus Christ, for giving us earthly blessings. Deliver us from temptations, purify our thoughts, help us cope with difficulties. Send us your blessing and forgive us for our sins. Amen".

There are just over two weeks left before the start of the Nativity Fast. We are gradually beginning to prepare for this important period of the church year. People who are just starting their life in the Church, as a rule, have many questions about the rules and traditions of fasting. We tried to collect the most typical questions and asked them to Archpriest Alexey Mityushin, rector of the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity in Kosino.

We need the Nativity Fast in order to prepare our souls for the celebration of the great holiday - the Nativity of Christ. In the Orthodox Church, two events are celebrated in a special way: the Resurrection of Christ and the Nativity of Christ.

People waited for the Nativity of Christ for many centuries, so that with the birth of the Lord they could get rid of the power of the devil over themselves. We continue to celebrate the joy of this birth of the Savior into the world to this day. Therefore, Christians prepare themselves for this event in advance, by fasting.

Before the Nativity Fast, Christians do not fast for more than three months. (after the Assumption Fast). We relax spiritually and physically, and before Christmas it is time to gather ourselves internally. When fasting disappears from our lives, we become weak both spiritually and physically.

The Nativity Fast is needed to celebrate the great holiday of Christmas in a dignified, Christian manner. To bring gratitude to God for the fact that He did not disdain our human nature and became, like us, a perfect Man, taking upon Himself all the hardships of our earthly existence, illnesses of the flesh and spirit.

How to observe the Nativity fast?

The Nativity fast is not so strict and complex; it is called the fish fast. The worldly tradition of fasting is easier than the monastic one. During this fast, lay people can eat fish on all days except Wednesday and Friday.

And according to church regulations, monks eat fish only on Saturdays and Sundays; on Tuesdays and Thursdays - only if holidays fall on these days. For example, the Day of Remembrance of St. Spyridon of Trimifunt (December 25), the Celebration of the Icon of the Mother of God “of the Sign” (December 10) or the patronal feast. After the first of January, monks no longer eat fish.

How to keep the Nativity fast for the laity?

It must be said that in the tradition of the Russian Orthodox Church, laity should imitate monks in their abstinence. Whoever has the strength can fast according to church regulations. Those who do not have such an opportunity, let them not despair, do not be discouraged, but during this Lent should better practice humility, love for others, reading spiritual literature, and reading the Gospel.

What should you not do during the Nativity Fast?

First of all, during the Nativity Fast you cannot commit everyday sins. If during Lent we do not eat fasting, but continue to remain crafty, angry, irritable, quarrel with our neighbors, judge others, chat in vain - this will be a violation of fasting. Fasting is an opportunity to abstain not only from food, but also from such moral daily sins that we are accustomed to not noticing in everyday life.

Is it possible to have a wedding (get married) during the Nativity Fast?

Orthodox Christians, of course, are not allowed to get married during the Nativity Fast. The wedding does not take place at this time. For those who decide to get married at the registry office, the Nativity Fast is also not the most suitable moment. It is important to remember that there is a time for everything: a time for joy and a time for abstinence. If a person considers himself an Orthodox Christian, then he must listen to the voice of the Church.

Is marital communication appropriate during Advent?

This is a very subtle, personal question. The Apostle Paul responds in his first letter to the Corinthians: « Wife Not has power over her body, but her husband; likewise, the husband has no power over his own body, but the wife does” (1 Cor. 4:7). If a husband and wife fast in bodily abstinence, it is by mutual consent.

If Orthodox Christians have a spiritual father, then this issue needs to be resolved with him. This kind of question is much more personal than, for example, abstaining from meat. Perhaps a Christian wife has an unbelieving husband; he does not understand such abstinence at all; this can lead to a quarrel in the family. Therefore, it is better to solve this problem with your confessor.

What can you eat during the Nativity fast?

During the Nativity Fast you can eat fish, seafood, vegetables, fruits, and bread. You should not eat meat, poultry, dairy products or eggs.

Is it possible to eat fish during the Nativity fast?

In worldly tradition, in condescension to our infirmities, fish can be eaten on all days except Wednesday and Friday. For the laity, this is more likely not a rule, but a relaxation. A modern person spends several hours a day on the road, gets tired at work, and is at home with constant household worries, which is why we, as residents of megacities, are given such lenient indulgences.

Is it possible to drink wine during the Nativity Fast?

Wine is allowed to be drunk during the Nativity Fast on Sundays and major holidays that fall during Lent. For example, the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos (December 4), the Day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (December 19), the Memorial Day of St. Spyridon of Trimifunt (December 25), patronal feasts.

As King David said in the Psalter: “...Wine gladdens a man’s heart, and bread strengthens him” (Ps. 103:15). Wine is allowed to be drunk on holidays and on days of fasting, but in moderation.

Is it possible to baptize during the Nativity Fast?

Yes, sure. Baptism can take place on any day of the Nativity Fast.

Is it possible to receive communion during the Nativity Fast?

It is possible and, moreover, it is advisable to take communion during the Nativity Fast more often than usual. Since fasting is a time that contributes to preparation for communion. We are in abstinence and prayer. Therefore, observing the rules of fasting, we can approach communion with the fear of God.

How to prepare for communion during the Nativity Fast?

Fasting, if observed, is in itself a preparation for communion. It is necessary to read the sequence to Holy Communion, read the penitential canon to the Savior, the prayer canon to the Most Holy Theotokos and the canon to the Guardian Angel.

What prayers are read during the Nativity Fast?

Since not all of us have time to read the daily morning and evening rules outside of Lent, it would be best to start with them during the Nativity Fast and try to read them regularly. This will be the best prayer work for us, which it is advisable to leave in our ordinary life after the Nativity Fast.

In addition, in the Christian tradition, during Lent one should read the Gospel more often: either in a row, or the one that is read that day in church (this can be seen in the church calendar, where the reading for each day is indicated). And those who follow both the daily rules and regularly read the Gospel should read the Psalter.

• MITYUSHIN Alexey, priest
• IVANCHINA Elizaveta

Priest Mikhail Dudko

Eat everything, just don't eat people. What you need to remember during the Nativity Fast.

What should believers pay attention to first? We asked this question to the head of the secretariat for relations between the Church and society of the Department for External Church Relations, priest Mikhail Dudko.

— The first week of the Nativity Fast is coming to an end. Obviously, food restrictions are just part of the soul effort required these days?

- The Nativity Fast is one of the multi-day fasts: it lasts forty days - from November 28 to January 7. The duration is comparable to Lent, but not as strict.

However, during fasting of any severity, meat, poultry, eggs, milk, cheese, cottage cheese are prohibited foods. The situation is somewhat easier with fish: you can eat it, although not always. But fasting is not a diet. Without joining the church traditions that have developed over centuries, without prayer, abstinence is difficult, and, perhaps, pointless. After all, it happens that, depriving himself of modest food, a person becomes irritable and begins to hate his neighbor - so great is the power of the habit of earthly food over him if he does not receive spiritual food in return. One ascetic advised such “fasters”: “Eat everything, just don’t eat people.”

Church prayer is especially important. Although Russia is large - in some places you can’t even get to a church in 24 hours - but if you have even the slightest opportunity, go to church services on Sundays, this will greatly facilitate the work of your soul. Pray at home, lighting a lamp or candle in front of the face of the Savior or the Mother of God, and on Sundays - in church. And your soul will not be filled with fatigue and irritation, but with love - for your neighbor, for all people and for God.

- I heard that during the Nativity Fast you can only eat fish on Saturdays, Sundays and great holidays, and vegetable oil - on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays?

— The charter adopted today in the church is monastic in origin. For the laity, especially those who work a lot and hard, confessors usually make concessions. Living conditions today have changed a lot.

Wine, for example, is considered by the charter to be a leaner product than vegetable oil. I would advise not to drink wine at all, but to use vegetable oil. Fish, especially for those who are not yet accustomed to fasting, can be eaten except on Wednesday and Friday. Eat vegetables, fruits, mushrooms, a variety of cereals - the forest, garden, and vegetable garden give us so many tasty and healthy things.

Nowadays, however, some are trying to drown out the longing for a quick meal with soy products: cutlets, minced meat, meatballs with the taste of meat or poultry. But this clearly shows deceit: the flesh asks for a meaty taste - we indulge it. Cook beans or lentils - no worse.

And don't forget about prayer.

— Father Mikhail, all people are very different – ​​both in health and in lifestyle. Perhaps there is some measure of fasting? Signs by which anyone can feel whether they are going through this ordeal correctly?

- makes significant concessions to the sick, the elderly, infants traveling, nursing mothers and others for whom strict fasting may be inappropriate. The ability to pray and the ability to go to services can be taken as a measure of fasting. A sick or old person will become so weak from immoderate fasting that he will not even make it to the temple. This means that he is not fasting according to reason, he has exceeded his capabilities. Well, if a young healthy person has lost a few kilograms, what’s wrong with that? The universal recipe is this: go to the priest and ask how to fast for you. In case of serious health problems, please consult a doctor. Let His word be your measure.

- What about the New Year? Such a temptation! Perhaps there are at least some relaxations for this holiday?

— Yes, the New Year is difficult. According to the old style, Christmas came before this joyful holiday. And now - after, which, of course, greatly disrupts the Lenten mood.

How to combine fasting with New Year celebrations? Almost all confessors allow you to drink a little wine and eat fish when celebrating the New Year. But at the same time they remind us: we must visit the temple, ask the Lord for peace and prosperity in the coming year, and defend the New Year’s prayer service, which has now become a tradition. Some deviation from Lenten strictness should not cross the boundaries that distinguish moderation from excess.

I grew up in a priest's family. And every time there were five minutes left before the New Year, my father and I got up to pray. It was with her, and not with a glass of champagne, that the New Year found us.

— I think many will follow your example. But the majority would still prefer to eat fish and drink wine. It turns out that after this “zigzag” they will have to tighten their belts even tighter?

- It turns out that way. And according to the rules, the last days of fasting are the strictest. It ends on Christmas Eve, when the food should be juicy - grains of wheat or rice boiled in honey with dried fruits. Do you feel the consonance between “sochivo” and “Christmas Eve”?

Many, perhaps, remember - if not according to the Law of God, then from the famous advertising video - that on this day they do not eat anything until the first star. “Star” is traditionally perceived by the people, although not as in the mentioned video, but also not as in church, but literally – as a star in the sky. In fact, the star is a sign of rebirth. In church, it is symbolized by a large candle, which after the morning service on Christmas Eve is taken to the middle of the church. Then you can taste sochi. And breaking the fast is only the next day, on Christmas Day.

CHRISTMAS POST

(FILIPPOV POST)

Lasts from November 28 to January 6 (until Christmas on January 7)

PRAYERS BEFORE AND AFTER EATING FOOD

BEFORE EATING

Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as it is in heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. The eyes of all trust in You, Lord, and You give them food in good season, You open Your generous hand and fulfill every animal’s good will.

AFTER EATING

We thank Thee, Christ our God, for Thou hast filled us with Thy earthly blessings; Do not deprive us of Your Heavenly Kingdom, but as You came among Your disciples, Savior, give them peace, come to us and save us.

SECRET PRAYER BEFORE EATING FOOD FOR IMMEDIATE DIET

(prayer for weight loss)

I also pray to You, Lord, deliver me from satiety and lust and grant me in peace of mind to reverently accept Your generous gifts, so that by tasting them, I will receive strengthening of my mental and physical strength to serve You, Lord, in the short remainder of my life on Earth.

CHRISTMAS POST

Filippovka calendar

November 27 (November 14, O.S.) - Filippovo plot

From November 28 (November 15, O.S.) to January 6 (December 24, O.S.) - Nativity Fast (Filippovka)

December 4 (November 21, O.S.) - Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary

January 6 (December 24, O.S.) - Christmas Eve

Troparion for the Entry into the Temple of the Holy Mother of God

Troparion, tone 4

On the day of God's favor, the transfiguration and the preaching of salvation to people, the Virgin clearly appears in the temple of God and announces Christ to everyone. To that we too will loudly cry out: Rejoice, fulfillment of the Creator’s vision.

Kontakion, tone 4

The most pure temple of the Savior, the valuable palace and the Virgin, the sacred treasure of the glory of God, is today introduced into the house of the Lord, co-leading grace, even in the Divine Spirit, which the angels of God sing; This is the village of heaven.

Greatness

We magnify You, Most Holy Virgin, God-chosen Youth, and honor Your entry into the Temple of the Lord.

************************************************************

The celebration of the Nativity of Christ, modeled after the celebration of Easter, is preceded by a forty-day fast, called the Nativity Fast. Sometimes it is called the Fast of Philip, since the fast of the Nativity falls on November 14 (November 27, new style), on the day of remembrance of the Apostle Philip.

The Nativity Fast ends with Christmas Eve on December 24 (January 6, new style).

The Nativity fast becomes strict in the last week before the Christmas holiday, reaching its highest severity on Christmas Eve. During the Nativity Fast, fish and fir are not eaten on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

The Nativity Fast occurs at a time when agricultural work is completed, food supplies are processed and stored in pantries and cellars.

“Domostroy” - a set of rules that regulated the life of our ancestors - urgently required family heads to stockpile food for the whole year, to have a supply of frozen and dried fish, salted fish, vegetables, mushrooms, pickles, pickles, fruits in the icebox and dryer fresh, dried, various drinks and syrups, honey, nuts, cereals, flour, etc.

Such a reserve made it possible for the family to live without unnecessary fuss, to correctly plan the daily, weekly, and seasonal schedule in order to set aside time for both home prayer and attending church services. Products that were always at hand allowed our ancestors to be hospitable and hospitable hosts, to help those in need, to give shelter to wanderers pilgrimaging to holy places, and to supply them with food for their further journey.

The day before the holiday of the Nativity of Christ - Christmas Eve is arranged on the day of Holy Saturday. Meal time on this day is in the evening. Since ancient times, there has been a custom of not eating food until the first star appears in the sky. The Church prescribes the use of kutya with honey at the evening meal, which is reminiscent of an ancient custom: those baptized on this day ate honey - a symbol of the sweetness of spiritual gifts.

In Russia, this supper, according to the Charter of the Holy Church, is usually of a modest nature. But in Ukraine, it was customary to treat yourself at the evening meal on Christmas Eve. A necessary accessory for this treat is kutia (rice or other grains boiled in honey or sugar) and uzvar, i.e. dried plums, pears, cherries, apples and other fruits boiled together in water.

Before the meal begins, lamps and wax candles are lit in the house, prayers are read, the table is covered with hay or straw, and then the family begins the meal. The hay reminds us of the birthplace of the Savior. After the supper, the godchildren go to their godfathers and mothers to wish them a Merry Christmas, bring kutya and pies, and receive gifts in return.

Late in the evening, caroling began, which has its roots in the pagan past of the Slavs, but in recent times, Christmas carols and schedrivki were replaced by new ones, composed in the Christian spirit. In Ukraine, especially in its southwestern part, defenders of Orthodoxy attached special importance to Christmas spiritual songs, and the order of caroling was determined by church communities. The proceeds from this singing went to the maintenance of the temple.

Often at Christmas we went from house to house with a star and a nativity scene. In some places this custom has survived to this day. The star, as a rule, is made of yellow paper, and Christmas icons are attached to it. A nativity scene is something like a puppet theater, with the help of which the story of the Nativity of Christ, the worship of shepherds and wise men, and the beating of the Bethlehem infants was conveyed.

Sometimes inappropriate elements were included, especially in recent times, when people began to forget the custom of caroling. But it’s never too late to refine a wonderful Christmas custom so that it takes on the worthy appearance of a song of congratulations on the Christian holiday and serves the cause of glorifying Christ.

About the Christmas Eve meal, the Charter says: “We eat stew with oil, but we don’t eat fish; We drink wine, giving thanks to God.” If Christmas Eve happens on Saturday or Sunday, then “we go into the meal and eat completely (to our fill); We don’t eat fish, but with wood oil and boiled juice, or kutia with honey; let us drink wine to the glory of God; in poor countries we drink beer.”

DISHES FOR FILIPOV'S TABLE

The Nativity (Filippov) fast lasts 40 days before Christmas (from November 15/28 to December 24/January 6). During this fast, you should not eat fish or vegetable oil on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. And after the feast of St. Nicholas of Myra (December 6/19), fish is allowed only on Saturday and Sunday. The last days of fasting - from December 20/January 2 - must be observed in the same way as Lent.

Below are recipes for preparing dishes for Philip's table.

VEGETABLE SALAD WITH RADISH

Ingredients:

40 g carrots, 400 g white cabbage, 40 g apples, 40 g radishes, 30 g vegetable oil, salt.

Preparation

Peel and grate carrots and radishes. Peel and chop the sour apple.

Combine all ingredients, add finely shredded cabbage, salt, season with vegetable oil and mix.

THE VINAIGRETTE

Ingredients:

100 g red cabbage, 2 tbsp. spoons of beans, 2 potatoes, 1 beet, 3 pickled cucumbers, 6 pickled mushrooms, salt, vinegar.

For the sauce: 1 teaspoon mustard, vegetable oil, vinegar, parsley, sugar and salt to taste.

Preparation

Finely chop the red cabbage, add salt, stir and pour vinegar over it. In a salad bowl, place layers of boiled and cooled beans, sliced ​​potatoes, diced baked beets, peeled and similarly chopped pickles.

Place chopped pickled mushrooms on top in the middle.

Along the edges of the salad bowl - prepared red cabbage.

Drizzle vinaigrette with sauce.

Preparing the sauce. Add a little salt and grind the mustard, adding vegetable oil and vinegar drop by drop until the desired amount of sauce is obtained. Then add chopped parsley, sugar and salt to taste and mix.

CUBBED CABBAGE

Peel the head of cabbage, cut into four parts, place in a non-oxidizing container (clay pot, enamel pan, etc.), add anise, cumin or mint, pour boiling brine (25-30 g of salt per 1 liter of water) and let cool in him.

To prevent the cabbage from floating, press it with a slight pressure.

When the brine has cooled, add a crust of black bread to it and leave it to ferment for 3-4 days in a warm place.

Remove the fermented cabbage from the brine, place in a salad bowl and pour over vegetable oil. You can place cranberries or soaked lingonberries on the side.

BEAN PUREE

Ingredients:

100 g legumes (peas, beans, lentils), 50 g onions, 10 g vegetable oil, herbs, salt.

Preparation

Boil peas, beans or lentils, adding salt to taste at the end, drain the broth, and immediately rub the legumes through a sieve.

Mix the resulting puree well, add onion fried in vegetable oil, sprinkle with chopped herbs.

MARINATED NAVAGA

Ingredients:

1-1.2 kg of navaga, 50 g of flour, vegetable oil.

For the marinade: 600 g water, 300 g vinegar, 200 g wine, 1-2 bay leaves, 1 tbsp. spoon of salt, 0.5 tbsp. spoons of peppercorns, 3 shallots, 1 carrot, 1 parsley and celery root, cumin, nutmeg, cloves, sugar.

Preparation

Peel the navaga, wash it, dry it, roll it in flour and fry it whole in sunflower or mustard oil.

Place in a porcelain or enamel bowl, cool, pour in cold marinade, leave for several hours, turning the fish periodically.

Preparing the marinade. Mix water with vinegar and white or red wine, add bay leaf, salt, pepper, a little cumin, nutmeg, a few sticks of cloves, sugar to taste, boil, add shallots, carrots, chopped and lightly fried in sunflower or mustard oil. parsley and celery roots, boil for another 2-3 minutes, remove from heat and cool.

FRINGED PIECES

Ingredients:

1.5 cups barley, 2 liters of water, 1/4 cup split peas, 1 onion, 2 tbsp. spoons of thyme or savory, 3 tbsp. spoons of sunflower oil, 1 teaspoon of salt.

Preparation

Rinse the barley in several waters and boil in salted water for 15-20 minutes (from the moment of boiling) over moderate heat, be sure to remove the foam that forms on top, then drain the excess freely separating water, add peas pre-soaked and boiled in water and finely chopped onion and continue to cook over low heat until the pulp is completely softened.

Fill the knitting needle with oil, thyme, stir and boil for another 5 minutes.

Onions can be added at the end along with spices, after frying them in vegetable oil.

MUSHROODS WITH HORSERADISH

Ingredients:

100 g dried mushrooms, 1 parsley root, 1 carrot, 2 onions, 2 bay leaves, lemon, horseradish, salt.

Preparation

Soak dried mushrooms in water, put in a saucepan, add parsley root, carrots, chopped onions, a little water and boil. Put bay leaf, lemon, salt there and cook until tender.

Then place the mushrooms in a deep dish, cool, add grated horseradish to taste and serve.

Christmas post - mushroom soup with rice.

OAT SOUP

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. spoons of oatmeal, 1.5 cups of water, lemon juice, sugar, raisins, salt to taste.

Preparation

Rinse oatmeal thoroughly in cold water several times. Put a pan of water on the fire and, when the water boils, salt it, add oatmeal, adding a little lemon peel, and cook, adding boiling water as needed.

When the cereal is cooked, rub it through a sieve, add lemon juice, sugar, raisins and cook over low heat until the raisins have steamed.

SHIPPING WITH FISH

Ingredients:

800 g river fish (sturgeon, pike perch, catfish, etc.), 600 g cabbage, 100 g carrots, 25 g parsley root, 100 g onions, 50 g vegetable oil, herbs, bay leaf, pepper, salt.

Preparation

Scald large fish, peel, cut into slices (3-4 pieces per serving), add hot water and boil until tender. Scald the heads separately, remove the eyes, gills and cut in half. Also scald the tails and fins. Make broth from these wastes.

Remove the pulp from the heads, combine with pieces of boiled fish, and cook the sturgeon cartilage in the broth for another 1.5-2 hours.

Cut the cabbage into squares and add the strained broth, first bringing it to a boil. After 20-30 minutes, add the roots, cut into cubes and lightly fried with onions.

When the broth boils again, add the potatoes, cut into slices or cubes, and then the bay leaf and pepper.

Place pieces of fish and cartilage (if sturgeon) in a clay pot, pour in cabbage soup, bring to a boil and serve with herbs and lemon slices.

BORSCH

Ingredients:

1 head of white cabbage, 1 beet, 1 carrot. 4 potatoes. 1 onion. 80 g dried mushrooms, 4 tbsp. spoons of beans, salt, lemon juice or kvass to taste.

Preparation

Rinse the mushrooms and beans in cold water, put them in different dishes, fill them with cold water and put them in a cold place in the evening. In the morning, put the mushrooms in a bowl, and leave the water in which they were. Finely chop the mushrooms, put them in a saucepan, add the water in which they were soaked; and set to cook.

When the mushrooms boil well, add the beans and, when they are almost ready, add finely chopped beets, cabbage, carrots, potatoes and onions.

After the vegetables are cooked and soft, add salt to the borscht to taste and let it boil two or three times, adding lemon juice or kvass.

SOUR CABBAGE AND BEET SHIPS

Ingredients:

1 cup of sauerkraut, 3-4 potatoes, 1-2 boiled beets, 1/2 cup of boiled beans. 3-4 tbsp. spoons of vegetable oil, 1 carrot, 2-3 onions, 2-3 dried mushrooms, 1 celery and parsley root, spices, salt.

Preparation

Boil broth from roots, onions and mushrooms, add potatoes, let it boil and simmer a little. Then add beans, beets and cabbage, carrots and onions sautéed in vegetable oil, and add salt.

5 minutes before the end of cooking, add herbs and spices.

VEGETABLE LENT SOUP

Ingredients:

2 liters of water, 650 g of potatoes, 250 g of white cabbage, 125 g of carrots, 75 g of parsley root, 125 g of onions, 250 g of fresh tomatoes, 120 g of canned green peas, 60 g of sunflower oil, ground black pepper, salt to taste , 20 g of greens, bay leaf.

Preparation

Boil the chopped potatoes until tender, throw in the shredded white cabbage. Then add vegetables sauteed in sunflower oil to the potatoes and cabbage - diced carrots, parsley, onions and fresh tomatoes, cut into pieces.

Boil for another 3-5 minutes, then add canned green peas and season with salt, bay leaf, and ground black pepper.

Let it brew for 30-40 minutes.

When serving, sprinkle the soup with finely chopped dill or parsley.

EAR WITH FISH DUMPLINGS

Ingredients:

For the fish soup: 500 g of small fish, 125 g of onions, spices.

For dumplings: 200 g flour, 65 g water, 370 g fish pulp, 25 g onions, pepper, salt.

Preparation

Wash and gut small fish. Cook broth from this fish, skimming off the foam. Then put peppercorns, bay leaves, and onions into the cast iron, pour in the strained broth, add salt and cook for some more time.

Meanwhile, prepare the dumplings. Sift the flour, pour it into a heap on the table, make a funnel in it, pour water mixed with salt into it, and quickly knead the dough. After 30 minutes, roll it out into a layer 2-3 mm thick.

Pass the fish pulp through a meat grinder along with the onion, add salt and pepper.

Form dumplings from the dough and minced meat, boil them in salted water, remove with a slotted spoon, place in plates and pour hot fish soup over them.

KULESH WITH MUSHROOMS

Ingredients:

600 g dried mushrooms, cups millet, 600 g potatoes, 3 onions, 3 tbsp. spoons of sunflower oil, 2 liters of water, salt, parsley.

Preparation

Rinse the mushrooms, add cold water and cook until tender. Drain the broth, wash the mushrooms and chop finely. Place the washed millet in mushroom broth, cook for 10-15 minutes, add potatoes and continue cooking until tender.

Fry finely chopped onions fried in sunflower oil with prepared mushrooms, then put them in a kulesh, mix and cook until done.

When serving, sprinkle the kulesh with finely chopped parsley.

The most detailed description: prayer during the Nativity Fast - for our readers and subscribers.

Prayers for the beginning of Lent

We should not forget the main prayer of all Christians - “Our Father”. Read it every evening after your last meal and ask the Lord for mercy to endure the hardships of fasting.

Daily prayers lead every person along the righteous path and do not allow them to stumble. The Nativity Fast calls believers to solitude and praise of the works of the Lord. The meaning of our life lies in faith and piety. Don’t give up your prayers, and the Higher powers will not leave you without support and help. We wish you happiness and prosperity. Love your neighbors, pray for them and don’t forget to push the buttons and

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Start date of the Nativity Fast in 2017

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Advent Calendar 2017

The Nativity Fast is one of the most important in Orthodoxy, because it precedes the brightest twelve holiday - Christmas.

What date does the Nativity Fast begin in 2017?

Christmas is a great holiday for which it is important to prepare in advance. It is necessary for the next year to be successful for you.

Prayers on the day of the beginning of the Nativity Fast

The Nativity Fast is a time of spiritual growth and cleansing from sins. Prayers for the beginning of Lent will help every believer to properly prepare for Christmas.

Human life is short, so it is necessary to make efforts for moral development and adhere to a righteous life. Lent serves as an occasion for a person to stand guard over his virtue and not allow negative influences to touch his soul. You can clear your thoughts and open your heart to the Lord with the help of prayers on the day the Nativity Fast begins.

Prayers for the beginning of Lent

The first day of the Nativity Fast should be spent in humility and offering prayer to the Lord. It will help you overcome the difficulties of fasting and take the path of renewal.

“Merciful Lord, accept prayer from Your servant (name) and do not leave me on the path to enlightenment. Forgive my sins, voluntary and involuntary, help with your instructions and grant me the strength to withstand all the tests given for my enlightenment and the fight against evil forces.”

The first one to whom you should offer prayer is the Mother of God. She is preparing to give birth to God's baby and experiences dual feelings of pride and fear before the upcoming sacrament. Orthodox Christians need to support her by praying for her health and the health of the baby.

“Mother of God, heed the words of your servant (name) and accept help from all those praying in your torment. May your birth be easy, may you grant us sinners our Lord. Protect him and protect him until the last day, so that we too may not be afraid of terrible torment. All-forgiving and all-understanding, protect us with your hand, do not leave us in your care and guide us on the true path. Amen".

We should not forget the main prayer of all Christians - “Our Father”. Read it every evening after your last meal and ask the Lord for mercy to endure the hardships of fasting.

The morning before breakfast should also begin with praising the Lord.

“Our merciful Father. Bless me for the meal given by you, and protect me from unfaithful thoughts and cleanse my soul from unclean things.”

Daily prayers lead every person along the righteous path and do not allow them to stumble. The Nativity Fast calls believers to solitude and praise of the works of the Lord. The meaning of our life lies in faith and piety. Don’t give up your prayers, and the Higher powers will not leave you without support and help.

Nativity Fast November 28 – January 6

The fast on the eve of the main holiday of all Christians, the Birth of Christ, is called the Nativity Fast (November 28 – January 6).

It dates back to ancient times. One of the most important fasts has been mentioned in church scriptures since the fourth century AD. Initially, there were several versions of fasting: from 6 to 10 days. Since the 12th century, all Christians have observed this fast for six weeks - 40 days, namely from November 28 to January 6 according to the new style. Before the start of Lent, on its eve on November 27, the day of remembrance of the Apostle Philip is celebrated, which is why Lent is also called Filippov.

The Nativity fast is one of the strictest. There is a certain list of foods that are prohibited to be consumed during this period: meat, dairy products, eggs. You should give preference to vegetables in any form, cereals, fruits and bread. There are not so categorical rules for eating fish and seafood: they can be eaten on almost all days, but except Wednesday and Friday. The consumption of wine is also limited; it is allowed to be drunk occasionally on Sundays and major holidays that fall during Lent. These are the Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is celebrated on December 4, or the Day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, which falls on December 19.

The last day on the eve of the Nativity of Christ is called Christmas Eve. It is a tribute to the memory of the prophet Daniel and the three youths. On this day, a special dish is prepared from grains of wheat, lentils or rice - sochivo, which is eaten on the evening of January 6th. It is sweetened with honey, and raisins, nuts or poppy seeds are also added. Before this, you must abstain from any food throughout the day.

The Nativity Fast is a time of repentance, changing your soul for noble purposes. Fasting is an hour of strict attention to spirituality. It is needed not only to combat the sins of the body: gluttony, drunkenness, carnal impurity, but also to help Christians achieve the main task of their earthly life - acquiring the Holy Spirit. During fasting, a person’s soul becomes open: all sins can be seen there. And a person is obliged not only to expel all these sins, but also to stand guard over his soul, trying to prevent enemy thoughts from entering it: hatred, anger, sadness, gloating, pride, and so on. The result of cleansing should be a feeling of repentance. And if a person is directed towards the Lord with all his thoughts and actions, then he himself will begin to guard his heart and soul.

Abstinence during fasting, both spiritual and physical, is similar to reading prayers. After all, without prayers and repentance, fasting turns into a regular diet. The Bible reveals many prayers, most of which are suitable for the pre-Christmas season. During the Nativity Fast, one should focus on morning and evening prayers. An important part of morning prayers is remembrance and thanksgiving. You should definitely pray for peace and health, a spiritual mentor, family and friends, or just acquaintances who are connected to you in one way or another. It is recommended to read the Gospel, for example, the one that is read on this day in church, which can be found out from the church calendar. Christians who regularly perform morning and evening prayers and often read the Gospel should read the Psalter. Prayer is a kind of conversation with the Lord. And whatever prayer you choose, the main thing is to say it from the bottom of your heart, which is the main rule during the Nativity Fast.

The main purpose of the Nativity Fast is to worthily meet the birth of the Son of God, to set up the believing soul for honest communication, first of all, with itself, to cleanse itself both spiritually and physically.

Prayers for the Nativity Fast

Prayers before meals

Our Father who art in heaven! May your name shine, may your kingdom come, may your will be done, both in heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread; and deliver us from our debts, just as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thy power and will endure forever. Amen.

Prayers after meals

We thank You, Christ God, for feeding us with Your earthly blessings; Do not deliver us from the Kingdom of God, but as You, Savior, appeared among the disciples, come to us and save us.

Evening prayer

Eternal and merciful God, forgive me the sins I have committed in deed, speech or thought. Grant, Lord, to my humble soul cleansing from all filth. Grant me, O Lord, a restful sleep at night, so that in the morning I may again serve Your Most Holy Name. Deliver me, Lord, from vanity and dashing thoughts. For this is Thy power and Thy kingdom, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer of St. Macarius of Optina (During carnal warfare)

Prayers to the Holy Great Martyr Catherine

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The Nativity Fast began on November 28: traditions, customs and prayers

Traditions are an integral part of the Nativity Fast, and they must be followed.

Every year, believers prepare in advance for the great holiday of the Nativity of Christ, cleansing their soul and body. In order not to anger the Saints and avoid serious difficulties in life, it is necessary not only to observe the Nativity Fast, but also to honor its traditions and customs.

People begin to prepare in advance for the wonderful New Year holiday. Everyone knows that it will be followed by a great religious event - the Nativity of Christ. This day is one of the most important for Christian believers. People remember the birth of the miraculous Baby Jesus Christ. Now his personality is causing a lot of controversy, but for parishioners of the Orthodox Church he has always been considered the Savior who died for the sins of mankind.

The main rule of the most important Orthodox holidays is fasting. Christmas is no exception, and 40 days before the holiday, believers begin to actively prepare for it. During this period, people cleanse not only the body, but also the soul, and strong prayer helps with this. Traditions are an integral part of the Nativity Fast, and they must be followed.

Traditions and customs of the Nativity Fast

The purpose of the Nativity Fast is spiritual and physical cleansing before Christmas. Therefore, during this period it is necessary to completely exclude food of animal origin from the diet, as well as engage in charitable deeds and say prayers daily.

The menu for the Nativity Fast is quite strict. In addition to meat products, it is necessary to completely eliminate alcohol and fish. However, the Orthodox Church allows the consumption of small amounts of red wine and fish dishes on holidays.

Despite the restrictions on food, on the first day of fasting, believers set the table, but before starting the meal, they said a prayer and thanked God for his generosity and kindness.

On the first day of the Nativity Fast and on Christmas itself, Christians prepared kutya. In ancient times, it was believed that this was a traditional Christmas dish that must be present on the table. However, during Lent it was allowed to serve only “poor” kutya, which was cooked in water.

In addition to kutya, on the last day of fasting, compote and pancakes, which were also cooked in water, were always served on the table. It was customary to give treats to carolers in order to attract wealth to the house.

On weekends it is allowed to cook food with vegetable oil, but it is advisable to do this as rarely as possible.

To attract wealth, during the Nativity Fast, women and girls went to visit each other, where they did handicrafts and spun yarn, while saying:

“A lazy housewife doesn’t have a shirt and won’t have any money. The more I work, the more wealth I will receive.”

It was believed that the woman who made the most yarn products would be the richest.

During the fast it was forbidden to get married, so couples tried to do it before it began.

The eve of the Nativity Fast coincides with the commemoration date of the Apostle Philip, which is why the Fast is also called Filippov. It was believed that from this day on, wolves got close to the huts, so people began to build and repair fences from November 27 to protect themselves and their loved ones from predators.

On the first day of Lent, it is customary to do charity work and give food to the homeless. If you follow this tradition, then next year will be successful.

According to church custom, on Christmas Eve you cannot eat all day until the first star appears. This custom is associated with the story of the appearance of the Star of Bethlehem, which announced the birth of a miraculous Baby.

Daily prayer for the Nativity Fast

The Nativity Fast without prayer is just a diet. If you want to achieve unity with God and cleanse your soul of sins, you need to say a prayer every day.

“Heavenly Lord, hear my prayer. Cleanse my sinful soul, deliver me from unforgivable evil. I ask You to become my helper and protector, and I will remain Your eternal servant. Help me, God, bless me. Amen!".

The prayer must be said daily during the Nativity Fast, preferably before going to bed.

Prayer on the first day of the Nativity Fast

The first day of the Nativity Fast is considered one of the most important. On the morning of November 28, immediately after waking up, say:

“The Nativity Fast begins, my soul and body are cleansed. I pray to You, Almighty, and ask you to deliver me from evil and unkind thoughts. Give me strength to withstand difficult trials. May you send me your blessing. Amen".