Power of Lent

This most important of the multi-day Christian posts prepares believers for a worthy meeting of the Resurrection of Christ - a bright Easter holiday. Lent is considered to be a priority for observance among multi-day church posts. Many believers are interested in the food of the great fast. What else must be observed these days?

According to the Orthodox tradition, the first week is the time of a particularly concentrated and zealous prayer and strict fasting (taunts). Tovet means to completely or partially refrain from food, cleanse the soul and body, approaching God.

The Origin of Lent

We are interested not only in the food of the great post, but also in the very essence of this word. According to the Bible, fasting is the total or partial abstinence from food and water. The Prophet Moses was in God's Presence for 40 days, without eating food or water, until he recorded on the tablets the words of the Covenant. So much time to live without water an ordinary person can not.

Christ was also in the wilderness for forty days, and it is not written that He did not drink water, but He completely refrained from eating. Then the Lord Jesus Christ stood before all temptations and returned in the Power of the Holy Spirit. You see? Fasting is much more than just abstaining from food.

But the food during the post of the prophet Daniel. In the Holy Scripture it is said that he did not eat meat and tasty bread, did not drink wine, and did not masquerade himself for three weeks. It was thanks to the post that Daniel was honored to meet the Angel from God. Such a post is called - Daniilov and imply a restriction in the fast food, which, perhaps, most fully corresponds to the diet during the Lent of believing Christians.

Lent has its origin on Mount Sinai, where Moses prayed, and he was installed by the Apostles in memory of Christ's fasting in the desert.

It is characteristic that it is difficult to overestimate the use of fasting from the point of view of improving the whole organism. It is practically proved that proper nutrition during Lent strengthens immunity. Believers who keep this post are not subject to stress, they get sick less and live longer.

Spiritual purification and sanctification at this time implies regular prayer, and it is also extremely necessary to forgive all people with whom conflicts or misunderstandings have occurred. In the book of Isaiah in chapter 58 it is written that, with the right observance of fasting, God promises physical healing and His protection.

Eating Lent is abstinence from fast (inconsistent) food. In addition, these days are:

• Regular prayer, spiritual hymns;
• Rejection of bad habits and everything that distracts from the knowledge of God;
• Repentance, forgiveness.

The Orthodox Church recommends that believing Christians, who faithfully observe the proper diet of the great fast, should not eat animal food:

• Meat, including fish,
• milk,
• Eggs.

Implied and abstention from the fast food, which is contained in certain foods.

At the same time on the day of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin, eating fish dishes is allowed. Also fish dishes are allowed on the day of Palm Sunday (Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem).

Great post in Russia

In ancient times, Great Lent was observed. These were the days of the termination of the fun, the theaters closed, the games stopped. Also, the trade in meat stopped, and pious people did not even leave the houses without special need.

Today, few believers, choosing the food of the great fast, adhere strictly to monastic rules. But some Christians, on the contrary, in all these days completely refuse food, and in the first two days they do not drink water either. At least, do not eat meat during the fast, probably any Orthodox Christian can.

May the Lord God strengthen you and fill all your needs!