In Orthodox Christian practice, there are pious customs of keeping holy fasts. In total, there are four multi-day fasting, one of which occurs during the winter period. This post is called Christmas.
The main triumph of the Christian faith in the winter period is the Nativity of the Lord Jesus Christ. This holiday is solemnly celebrated by the holy Orthodox Church on January 7 in a new style. In order for believers to spiritually prepare for the meeting of the born Savior, the Church established the Nativity Fast.
The Nativity Fast is intransient, that is, the time of this period of abstinence is constant. The Nativity Fast always begins on November 28th according to the new style. The last day of the Holy Nativity Fast is January 6th, and on the 7th of the same month, believers break their fast (eat food of animal origin).
In 2014, the beginning of the Nativity Fast falls on Friday, and the Feast of the Nativity of Christ falls on Wednesday. Orthodox Christians need to remember that before the Nativity fast there is no continuous week (that is, the time when fasting on Wednesday and Friday is canceled). Thus, on Wednesday 26 November (new style) Orthodox Christians fast in memory of the betrayal of Christ, Thursday 27 November is the day when eating meat and other food is allowed, and Friday 28 November is the first day of the many-day winter Christmas fast. …
The Nativity Fast is also called Filippov. The fact is that on the eve of the beginning of the time of abstinence (November 27), the Orthodox Church commemorates the memory of the Apostle Philip. On this day, believers are engrossed in the whole time of the Nativity Lent.
