Christmas post in 2011

This post has other names: The fourth month (because it lasts forty days), Philippov post, Filippovki. Christmas post in 2011 (as, indeedin any other) begins on November 28 and ends on January 6, on the eve of Christ's birth. The eve of fasting falls on November 27, the feast day of the holy Apostle Philip, hence one of the post's titles - Philippov's Post.

As already mentioned, food restrictions are just one aspect of preparing for Christmas. The true fast is to curb anger,getting rid of evil intentions. It is necessary to watch your speech, refrain from lying and slander - preferably, of course, not only during the post, but all the rest of the time. The purpose of the fast is to pacify and lighten the body, to curb passions and desires.

It is forbidden to eat meat, eggs and dairy products on Christmas Eve. Other restrictions vary depending on the day of the week. Conditionally, the post can be divided into three periods. From November 28 to December 19 Including the strictest days of fasting - Wednesday andFriday. These days you can only eat non-food (so-called dry eating). Usually the table serves bread, salt, raw fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, nuts, honey. You can drink water, hot drinks are not allowed. According to some sources baked food and tea are allowed. Wine and vegetable oil are forbidden.

On Mondays, you can eat hot vegetablefood (but without lean oil), and Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays allowed hot vegetable food, vegetable oil, fish and wine. December 4 (holiday Introduction to the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary) The post is also not strict, no matter what day this holiday falls.

From December 20 to January 1 inclusively, the post becomes tougher. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, fish are banned during this period, otherwise everything remains the same as it was before. Nevertheless, from the very beginning of fasting and till January 1 inclusive, you can eat fish and wine on Tuesday and Thursday, when a saint with a praise or a memorial sign happens, and also on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, coinciding with temple holidays or vigils.

The strictest fast is observed from January 2 to January 6 - during the pre-Christmas celebration of Christ. The cure applies on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. On Tuesday and Thursday you can eat hot vegetable food without vegetable oil, on Saturdays and Sundays, oil is allowed. Fish and wine are banned. The strictest fast is observed on Christmas Eve - Christmas Eve. Before the first star it is accepted to refuse food, and in the evening they break up with ointment (kolivom, kutya) - porridge from cooked cereal (usually wheat) with various additives.

In those days when you can drink wine, it is implied that you will do this moderately. In general, strictly the Christmas fast is observed only by monks and Old Believers, and for the majority of the laity allow for various kinds of relief. In fact, fasting only at first glance seems terrible: lean food is no better and no worse than usual, it's just different.

By the way, from a strict post, those who are postponed are released. Children under 14 years old, elderly and sick people,Pregnant women and nursing mothers may not fast or fast less severely. This applies to people who have undergone surgery, severe trauma (physical or mental): their body requires a lot of energy for recovery.

On the Internet, you can find a lot of articles on the topic of how fasting is healthy and helps to lose weight. But do not forget that the goal of fasting is still spiritual cleansing, rejection of whims and excesses. Therefore, if you decided to keep the Christmas post in 2011 just for the sake of a diet, you should not do this: you can lose weight in other ways, you do not need to cover it with religious aspirations.

But if you decide fasting consciously to purify not only the body but also the soul, Christmas post in 2011 will do you good, and a bright Christmas holiday you will meet renewed.