Petrov fast: nutrition calendar. Petrov fast: nutrition calendar What fast from June 12

Since ancient times, many people have been unable to adhere to Lent. However, this is not the end. After all, there is always Peter's fast. During such a period, you don’t have to keep yourself within strict limits when it comes to food. This fast prepares all Orthodox Christians for the feast of the apostles Paul and Peter. Immediately after Trinity, Peter's fast begins, and to be precise, a week later.

The duration of fasting always depended on what Holy Easter was. If it is early, then the fast is delayed. And if it is long, then the fast may be less than two weeks. In 2017, Peter's Fast can begin to be celebrated from June 12 to July 11. As you can see, Petrov's fast will last 4 weeks. If we compare Lent with Great Lent or Dormition Lent, then this period is less strict. Usually, it comes in the summer, when fruits, berries and vegetables ripen. It brings pleasure and joy to all people.

In honor of whom was the post established?

The name speaks for itself. Petrov fast was created in honor of two apostles: Paul and Peter. It must be said that this period also has a second name - the fast of Pentecost. And all because immediately after fasting there is another holiday of Pentecost or, in other words, the day of the Holy Trinity.

If we talk about the apostles themselves, they were distinguished by their firmness and wisdom. Churchmen still never cease to be amazed by these qualities. The saints could show the believing people a rather important lesson that they wanted to do after the Spiritual Day. When Paul and Peter read the worldwide sermon, they went to wander around the world. They wanted to bring the word of God to people and into their homes. Despite the fact that Paul and Peter served the church differently, they ended their lives in the same way - in terrible agony. There is an assumption that in those days Niron occupied the throne of the emperor. He decided to crucify Peter upside down. But Pavel's head was cut off.

Nutrition calendar 2017

This post has always been the easiest of all the others. Almost the church does not make strict rules regarding food.

On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, fasting does not allow the consumption of oils, fish dishes, wine and dry food after Vespers. But on Saturday and Sunday you can eat fish, because these are the days of remembrance of saints. As for the remaining days of Peter's Fast, you can eat any food you want. Including mushrooms, fish and seafood. During such fasting, the most popular product is still considered to be greens and dishes made from them. You can prepare lean okroshka, green cabbage soup, and so on. It is worth noting that any dish to which greens are added is considered more appetizing. The Orthodox also loved to bake fish pies in those days when fish could be eaten.

Signs of fasting

Many people still believe in omens and trust them. It is worth noting that most of them come true. And all because for many years people could see the slightest features that were associated with one or another event. And these events influence human destiny.

Signs for Petrov's fast:

If you get married during such a period, it will not last long: there will be no understanding and agreement in the family.
Throughout the entire post, it is better not to cut your curls, otherwise they will take a long time to grow.
During Petrov Fast it is not allowed to lend money. And if you do give it a loan, then three years of debt will not add up.
Embroidery and other handicrafts should be put aside during fasting, otherwise the hands will become weak.
If there is a funeral commemoration during Lent, then the dishes must be prepared and chosen to be lenten. If there is modest food on the tables, then it’s okay.
When there is a table meal, it is not allowed to make fun of the post or any person. Then the speaker will have a difficult life, and on his deathbed he will be torn apart by unbearable and excruciating pain.

Traditions

All Orthodox people celebrate July 11, 2017, a fast in honor of the apostles Paul and Peter. This day marks the end of Peter's fast. There are also many traditions that you will now get acquainted with.

Songs for the sun. When Peter's Fast comes, the green Christmastide and Kupala festivities end with it. Young people take to the streets and sing songs, turning to the celestial body - the Sun.

Baking pies. Before Peter's Lent, according to tradition, all housewives tried to bake a large mountain of pies in order to put them on the ceremonial table along with other treats.

Fish dishes on the table. Many fishermen associate the beginning of the fishing season with just such a holiday. They revered this day in every possible way and sang fish-themed songs. Fishermen also liked to make ceremonial crusades, or set new prices for their catch.

Preparation for plowing. Peter's Day was considered a kind of milestone, which divided summer work into two halves. Afterwards, the peasants began to prepare for haymaking and harvest.

7 days after the feast of Trinity (Pentecost), the Apostolic or Petrine Fast begins, in memory of the two most revered apostles Peter and Paul.

The establishment of Peter's fast - previously called the fast of Pentecost - dates back to the very first times of the Orthodox Church. It became especially established when in Constantinople and Rome St. equal to Constantine the Great (d. 337; commemorated May 21) erected churches in honor of Sts. the supreme apostles Peter and Paul. The consecration of the Constantinople temple took place on the day of remembrance of the apostles, June 29 (old style; i.e. July 12, new), and since then this day has become especially solemn in both the East and the West. This is the day the fast ends. Its initial border is mobile: it depends on the day of Easter celebration; therefore, the length of fasting varies from 6 weeks to a week and one day.

People called Petrov's fast simply "Petrovka" or "Petrovka-hunger strike": at the beginning of summer there was little left of the last harvest, and the new one was still far away. But why is the post still Petrovsky? Why the Apostles is clear: the apostles always prepared themselves for service by fasting and prayer (remember how, when the disciples asked why they could not cast out demons, the Lord explained to them that this kind comes only through prayer and fasting (see Mark 9:29)), and therefore the Church calls us to this summer fast, following the example of those who, having received the Holy Spirit on the day of the Holy Trinity (Pentecost), “in labor and in exhaustion, in watching often, in hunger and thirst, in fasting often” (2 Cor. 11:27) prepared for the worldwide preaching of the Gospel. And calling the post “Peter and Paul” is simply inconvenient - it’s too cumbersome; It just so happens that when we call the names of the apostles, we pronounce the name of Peter first.

The holy apostles were so different: Peter, the elder brother of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called, was a simple, uneducated, poor fisherman; Paul is the son of rich and noble parents, a Roman citizen, a student of the famous Jewish teacher of the law Gamaliel, “a scribe and a Pharisee.” Peter is a faithful disciple of Christ from the very beginning, a witness to all the events of his life from the moment he went out to preach.

Paul is the worst enemy of Christ, who incited hatred of Christians in himself and asked the Sanhedrin for permission to persecute Christians everywhere and bring them to Jerusalem bound. Peter, of little faith, denied Christ three times, but contritely repented and became the beginning of Orthodoxy, the foundation of the Church. And Paul, who fiercely resisted the truth of the Lord, and then just as fervently believed.

An inspirational simpleton and a fierce speaker, Peter and Paul epitomized spiritual toughness and intelligence, two much-needed missionary qualities. After all, no matter how the call to missionary work should resonate in us with Petrovsky’s parish, i.e. Apostolic Fast? The Lord sent apostles into the world to teach all nations: “Go therefore, teach all nations... teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19; 20). “If you do not want to teach and admonish yourself in Christianity, then you are not a disciple and not a follower of Christ, - the apostles were not sent for you, - you are not what all Christians were from the very beginning of Christianity...” (Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow. Words and speeches: in 5 vols. T. 4. – M., 1882. pp. 151-152).

Questions and answers about Peter's Fast

What date is Petrov's fast in 2017?

When was Peter's Fast established?

The establishment of Peter's Fast dates back to the first times of the Orthodox Church.

The church establishment of this fast is mentioned in the apostolic decrees: “After Pentecost, celebrate one week, and then fast; justice requires both rejoicing after receiving gifts from God, and fasting after relieving the flesh.”

But this post was especially established when churches were built in Constantinople and Rome, which had not yet fallen away from Orthodoxy, in the name of the supreme apostles Peter and Paul. The consecration of the Constantinople temple took place on the day of remembrance of the apostles on June 29 (according to the new style - July 12), and since then this day has become especially solemn in both the East and the West. The Orthodox Church has established the preparation of pious Christians for this holiday by fasting and prayer.

Since the 4th century, the testimonies of the Church Fathers about apostolic fasting have become more and more frequent; St. Athanasius the Great, Ambrose of Milan, and in the 5th century - Leo the Great and Theodoret of Cyrus.

St. Athanasius the Great, describing in his defensive speech to Emperor Constantius the disasters caused to Orthodox Christians by the Arians, says: “The people who fasted in the week following Pentecost went to the cemetery to pray.”

Why does Peter's Fast follow the Day of Pentecost?

The Day of Pentecost, when on the fiftieth day after His descent from the tomb and on the tenth day after His Ascension, the Lord, seated at the right hand of the Father, sent down the Holy Spirit on all His disciples and apostles, is one of the greatest holidays. This is the making of a new everlasting covenant with people, which was foretold by the prophet Jeremiah: “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not such a covenant as I made with their fathers in the day when took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; they broke My covenant, although I remained in covenant with them, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law into them. I will write it in their inward parts and on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they will be My people. And they will no longer teach one another, brother to brother, and say, “Know the Lord,” for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest. “, says the Lord, because I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sins no more” (Jer. 31:31-34).

The Holy Spirit who descended on the apostles, the Spirit of truth, the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, instead of Sinai, inscribed the new Law of Zion, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of flesh of the heart (2 Cor. 3:3). The place of the Sinai law was taken by the grace of the Holy Spirit, law-giving, giving strength to fulfill the Law of God, pronouncing justification not by works, but by grace.

We do not fast on Pentecost because on these days the Lord was with us. We do not fast because He Himself said: Can you force the sons of the bridal chamber to fast when the bridegroom is with them? (Luke 5:34). Communication with the Lord is like food for a Christian. So, during Pentecost we feed on the Lord who deals with us.

“After the long feast of Pentecost, fasting is especially necessary in order to purify our thoughts through it and become worthy of the gifts of the Holy Spirit,” writes St. Leo the Great. “This feast, which the Holy Spirit sanctified with His descent, is usually followed by a nationwide fast, beneficially established for healing soul and body, and therefore demanding that we accompany him with due favor. For we do not doubt that after the apostles were filled with the power promised from above, and the Spirit of truth dwelt in their hearts, among other secrets of heavenly teaching, at the inspiration of the Comforter, the teaching was also taught about spiritual abstinence, so that hearts, cleansed by fasting, become more capable of accepting grace-filled gifts... it is impossible to fight the upcoming efforts of persecutors and the furious threats of the wicked in a pampered body and fattened flesh, since what delights our outer man destroys the inner , and on the contrary, the rational soul is purified the more the more the flesh is mortified.

That is why the teachers, who enlightened all the children of the Church with example and instruction, marked the beginning of the battle for Christ with a holy fast, so that, going out to battle against spiritual corruption, we would have a weapon for this in abstinence, with which we could kill sinful lusts, for our invisible opponents and bodiless enemies will not overcome us if we do not indulge in carnal lusts. Although the tempter has a constant and unchanging desire to harm us, it remains powerless and ineffective when he does not find in us a side from which he can attack...
For this reason, an unchangeable and saving custom has been established - after the holy and joyful days that we celebrate in honor of the Lord, who rose from the dead and then ascended into heaven, and after receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, to go through the field of fasting.

This custom must be diligently observed in order for those gifts that are now given to the Church from God to remain in us. Having become temples of the Holy Spirit and, more than ever, having been watered with Divine waters, we must not submit to any lusts, must not serve any vices, so that the home of virtue is not defiled by anything ungodly.

With the help and assistance of God, we can all achieve this, if only, by cleansing ourselves with fasting and almsgiving, we try to free ourselves from the defilements of sin and bear the abundant fruits of love.” Further St. Leo of Rome writes: “Of the apostolic rules that God Himself inspired, the church leaders, at the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, were the first to establish that all deeds of virtue should begin with fasting.

They did this because the commandments of God can be fulfilled well only when the army of Christ is protected from all temptations of sin by holy abstinence.

So, beloved, we must practice fasting primarily at the present time, in which we are commanded to fast, after the end of the fifty days that have elapsed from the resurrection of Christ until the descent of the Holy Spirit and which we have spent in a special celebration.

This fast is commanded to protect us from carelessness, which is very easy to fall into due to the long-term food permit that we have enjoyed. If the field of our flesh is not constantly cultivated, thorns and thistles easily grow on it, and such fruit is brought forth that they are not gathered into the granary, but are doomed to be burned.

Therefore, we are now obliged to carefully preserve those seeds that we have received into our hearts from the heavenly Sower, and to beware lest an envious enemy somehow spoil what was given by God, and thorns of vices do not grow in the paradise of virtues. This evil can only be warded off by mercy and fasting.

Bl. Simeon of Thessaloniki writes that fasting was established in honor of the apostles, “because through them we were granted many blessings and they appeared for us as leaders and teachers of fasting, obedience... and abstinence. The Latins also testify to this against their will, honoring the apostles with fasting in their memory. But We, in accordance with the apostolic decrees drawn up by Clement, after the descent of the Holy Spirit, celebrate for one week, and then, the next week, we honor the apostles who gave us over to fast.”

Why are the apostles Peter and Paul called supreme?

According to the testimony of the word of God, the apostles occupy a special place in the Church - everyone should understand us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God (1 Cor. 4:1).

Endowed with equal power from above and the same power to forgive sins, all the apostles will sit on twelve thrones next to the Son of Man (Matthew 19:28).

Although some of the apostles were distinguished in Scripture and tradition, for example Peter, Paul, John, James and others, not one of them was the main or even superior in honor to the rest.

But since the Acts of the Apostles mainly narrates the works of the apostles Peter and Paul, the Church and the holy fathers, reverent at the name of each of the apostles, call these two supreme.

The Church glorifies the Apostle Peter as the one who began from among the apostles to confess Jesus Christ as the Son of the living God; Paul, as if he labored more than others and was numbered among the highest of the apostles by the Holy Spirit (2 Cor. II, 5); one - for firmness, the other - for bright wisdom.

By calling the two apostles supreme in terms of the primacy of order and work, the Church suggests that its head is Jesus Christ alone, and all the apostles are His servants (Col. 1:18).

The Holy Apostle Peter, who before his calling bore the name Simon, the elder brother of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called, was a fisherman. He was married and had children. In the words of St. John Chrysostom, he was a fiery man, unbookish, simple, poor and God-fearing. He was brought to the Lord by his brother Andrei, and at the first glance at a simple fisherman, the Lord predicted for him the name Cephas, in Syriac, or in Greek - Peter, that is, stone. After the election of Peter to the number of the apostles, the Lord visited his poor home and healed his mother-in-law from a fever (Mark 1:29-31).

Among His three disciples, the Lord deigned Peter to be a witness of His Divine glory on Tabor, His Divine power at the resurrection of Jairus’s daughter (Mark 5:37) and His humiliation according to humanity in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Peter washed away his renunciation of Christ with bitter tears of repentance, and was the first of the apostles to enter the tomb of the Savior after His resurrection, and the first of the apostles was honored to see the Risen One.
The Apostle Peter was an outstanding preacher. The power of his word was so great that he converted three or five thousand people to Christ. According to the word of the Apostle Peter, those convicted of a crime fell dead (Acts 5:5.10), the dead were resurrected (Acts 9:40), the sick were healed (Acts 9:3-34) even from the touch of one shadow of a passing apostle ( Acts 5:15).

But he did not have primacy of power. All church matters were decided by the common voice of the apostles and elders with the entire Church.

The Apostle Paul, speaking about the apostles, revered as pillars, puts James in first place, and then Peter and John (Gal. 2:9), but he ranks himself among them (2 Cor. 11:5) and compares him with Peter. The Council sends Peter to the work of ministry in the same way as other disciples of Christ.

The Apostle Peter made five journeys, preaching the Gospel and converting many to the Lord. He ended his last journey in Rome, where he preached the faith of Christ with great zeal, increasing the number of disciples. In Rome, the Apostle Peter exposed the deception of Simon the Magus, who pretended to be Christ, and converted two wives loved by Nero to Christ.

By order of Nero, on June 29, 67, the Apostle Peter was crucified. He asked his tormentors to crucify himself head down, wanting to show the difference between his suffering and the suffering of his Divine Teacher.

The story of the conversion of the holy Apostle Paul, who previously bore the Hebrew name Saul, is wonderful.

Saul, brought up in the Jewish law, hated and tormented the Church of Christ, and even asked the Sanhedrin for the power to find and persecute Christians everywhere. Saul tormented the church, entering houses and dragging out men and women, putting them in prison (Acts 8:3). One day, “Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, came to the high priest and asked him for letters to Damascus to the synagogues, so that whoever he found who followed this teaching, both men and women, would be tied up and brought to Jerusalem. When he went and he was approaching Damascus, suddenly a light shone upon him from heaven, and he heard a voice saying to him: Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is difficult for you to go against the road. He said in trepidation and horror: “Lord, what will you command me to do?” And the Lord said to him: “Get up and go into the city; in a daze, hearing the voice, and not seeing anyone, Saul rose from the ground, and with his eyes open, he saw no one. And they led him by the hands and brought him to Damascus. And for three days he did not see, nor did he eat or drink.” (Acts 9:1-9).

A persistent persecutor of Christianity becomes a tireless preacher of the Gospel. Paul's life, actions, words, epistles - everything testifies to him as a chosen vessel of God's grace. Neither sorrow, nor distress, nor persecution, nor famine, nor nakedness, nor danger, nor sword, nor death could weaken the love for God in Paul’s heart.

He made constant travels to different countries to preach the Gospel to the Jews and especially to the pagans. These travels were accompanied by extraordinary power of preaching, miracles, tireless work, inexhaustible patience and high holiness of life. The labors of Paul's apostolic ministry were unparalleled. He said about himself: he labored more than all of them (1 Cor. 15:10). For his labors, the apostle endured innumerable sorrows. In the year 67, on June 29, at the same time as the Apostle Peter, he suffered martyrdom in Rome. As a Roman citizen he was beheaded by the sword.

The Orthodox Church venerates the apostles Peter and Paul as those who enlightened the darkness, glorifies Peter’s firmness and Paul’s mind and contemplates in them the image of the conversion of those who sin and those who are corrected in the Apostle Peter - the image of one who rejected the Lord and repented, in the Apostle Paul - the image of one who resisted the preaching of the Lord and then believed.

How long does Peter's fast last?

Peter's Fast depends on whether Easter occurs sooner or later, and therefore its duration varies. It always begins with the end of the Triodion, or after the week of Pentecost, and ends on July 12th.

The longest fast is six weeks, and the shortest is a week and one day.

Antioch Patriarch Theodore Balsamon (12th century) says: “Seven days or more before the feast of Peter and Paul, all the faithful, that is, laymen and monks, are obliged to fast, and those who do not fast will be excommunicated from the communion of Orthodox Christians.”

Petrov fast: what can you eat?

The feat of Petrov's Fast is less strict than Pentecost (Lent): during Petrov's Fast, the Church Charter prescribes weekly - on Wednesdays and Fridays - to abstain from fish. On Saturdays and Sundays of this fast, as well as on the days of remembrance of some great saint or the days of a temple holiday, fish is also allowed.

How to spend Petrov's fast?

Archpriest Igor Pchelintsev:

The Orthodox Petrov fast begins, otherwise it is also called the apostolic fast. We know that it ends with the feast of the holy supreme apostles Peter and Paul. We know that this is a summer fast, not as strict as the Great Fast or the Assumption Fast, that at this time the first fresh vegetables already appear, so this fast is generally easy. But, unfortunately, for many Orthodox Christians this is where the meaning of Peter’s Fast ends.

To fast - we've celebrated Pentecost, we've eaten a hearty meal, and now we can fast. You need to take communion, confess, well, as it should be during fasting. And for some, just as there is no such fast, well, they say, “it’s not Lent, we don’t have time (we don’t have the strength, time, etc.) to fast “all the time.”

It seems that it would be much more logical to devote the time of this post to understanding the apostleship in the Church. Even so, to devote it to active comprehension.

Please understand me correctly. It would be too bold to take upon oneself the title of apostle without blessing; there are not many saints equal to the apostles in the Monthly Book. But, nevertheless, every Christian should still be a minister of the Word of God. The Word of Christ spoken to the Apostles at the Ascension: Go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen” (Matthew 28:19,20) – determined the main apostolic task.

God sent the Holy Spirit to the apostles so that they would carry the news of the resurrection to all corners of the world. Through the apostles, this obedience was established in the church hierarchy - among bishops and priests. A bishop and priest living in Christ, trying to do this, can sincerely repeat after the Apostle: “For if I preach the gospel, then I have nothing to boast about, because this is my necessary duty, and woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! "(1 Cor. 9:16); But this does not remove the responsibility of the laity to be obedient to the gospel. Especially among Orthodox Christians. And it’s very good if we can test our strength during Lent, which in the Church is called Apostolic Lent.

I would highlight two main directions in this task - internal apostolate and external apostolate (please do not judge categorically for the terminology - there may be other words if someone sees some kind of “Protestant touch” here).

The internal - for the majority of church people and those still looking for their path and place in the Church - is probably the most important. Bring the Good News about the Resurrection of Christ, about repentance and the transformation of man by the Holy Spirit, first of all, to your heart and mind. Inwardly, with humility, accept what the Church gives to a person seeking God. Learn simple things (simple at first glance, but not complicated at the same time) - just believe, trust God and His Word, trust the Church as a mother, just pray, as I tell my students: “Without wringing your hands and rolling your eyes” (figuratively, of course - simple means - reasonable and without mental breakdown).

Archpriest Igor Pchelintsev

There is a beautiful expression: “Fasting and prayer are two wings that lift a Christian into the Kingdom of Heaven.” Well, if this is so, and if prayer should be simple and reasonable, then fasting should be simple and reasonable. We already discussed this during Lent. Fasting should be possible even without the molecular-ingredient approach. For Christ’s sake. For the sake of the transformation by the Spirit of God of our decayed or decaying nature.

Our inner conviction in the correctness of the Word of God, together with repentance and life in the Church, should give us the most creative basis for our apostleship - peace of heart, a different attitude towards God, the Church, man and ourselves, compared to the vain world. Peace, love, forgiveness, compassion, empathy, heartache about untruth and injustice are the opposite qualities of hatred and indifference of a Christian soul.

We must let God graft these good things into the branches of our personality. To grow us to Himself, He is the vine, we are the branches. And without Him we cannot create anything. Everything is in God and finds its value, including the gospel. The most decent thing to do during Lent.

And external apostleship is very important, because, as Christians, we are responsible for others, for those near and far, for the whole world. Even if it seems that there is no way our soul can have enough strength for itself, much less the whole world!

One person will never have the strength to save the world - he can only cooperate with God, contribute to the fulfillment of His will in the world - so that everyone knows the Truth and is saved ...But instruct one another every day... lest any of you become hardened by being deceived by sin"(Heb. 3:12-13).

In times of “wild markets” and intrusive marketing, we have learned to fear those who promise us something good. In such a context, the gospel word “evangelize” can frighten a person. Out of spiritual timidity, we are afraid to offer our faith to others, as if we were talking about a product. We have a sense of respect for others and do not want to be thought of as us imposing our point of view or trying to convince one hundred percent of something “the truest and most correct.” Especially when it comes to such a personal topic of conversation as trusting God.

For Christians, proclaiming the Good News of the resurrection does not mean talking about a doctrine, a set of paragraphs and points that must be memorized. To evangelize means, first of all, to testify to the internal transformation of a human being. The Lord Jesus Christ restored each person's value and dignity with infinite respect. To evangelize does not only mean to talk to someone about Jesus or about Orthodoxy as such, but, much more deeply, to draw a person’s attention to how valuable he is to God. This is how the holy fathers and many ascetics spoke about this, knowing about the action of the grace of the Holy Spirit in man.

But our external witness to Christ and the Church can only stem from the consequences of internal apostleship, assimilation through legal church means - fasting, prayer, almsgiving, the Sacraments (how much has already been said about this!) of life in Christ. Otherwise, our words will not have spiritual power. They won't tell us anything either.

I recently found a very bright Christian discussion; it seemed to me that it is very suitable for our conversation about the internal and external apostleship of every Christian. Therefore, instead of a traditional parable, I would like to conclude my note about Peter’s Fast with these words, filled with the love of Christ:

1. People can be unreasonable, illogical and selfish - forgive them anyway.
2. If you show kindness, and people accuse you of secret personal motives, show kindness anyway.
3. If you achieve success, then you may have many imaginary friends and real enemies - still achieve success.
4. If you are honest and frank, then people can deceive you - still be honest and frank.
5. What you have been building for years can be destroyed overnight - keep building anyway.
6. If you have found happiness, then people may envy you - still be happy.
7. The good that you did today, people will forget tomorrow - do good anyway.
8. Share the best of what you have with people, and they will never have enough of it - still continue to share the best with them. In the end you will be convinced that it was all between God and you and never between you and them.
9. It doesn’t matter who says what about you – accept everything with a smile and continue doing your job.
10. Pray together and remain in unity.

During Peter's Fast, one should abstain from animal products, and on Wednesdays and Fridays also from fish. The very strict monastic charter involves stricter restrictions on fish and the refusal of vegetable oil on some days. But this is a strict monastic charter. Laymen (not monks), as a rule, fast more softly during Peter's Lent. Traditionally, the rule was established to exclude animal food on all days of fasting and fish on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Moreover, if on Wednesday or Friday the memory of a holy temple or a saint who is required to have an “all-night vigil” is celebrated, then on these days the consumption of fish is also allowed.

We must also understand that everyone may have their own personal circumstances that affect the amount of fasting. It is best to discuss such situations with your confessor.

This calendar is not presented in full accordance with the strict monastery regulations: traditionally, Peter's fast is less strict. Based on this calendar, you can understand which days of fasting are more strict and which days are less strict. But exactly what limitation will be used to measure your measure of the severity of fasting should be determined from personal experience, circumstances and after consulting with your confessor or a priest you know.

Commentary by Archpriest Maxim Kozlov:

Archpriest Maxim Kozlov, photo online edition "Tatiana's Day"

In response to the question “How to conduct Peter’s Fast correctly?”, first of all, I would advise readers of the Thomas website not to miss this post at all. Let us not pretend that during this time of summer Lent we will also be ready to focus on personal repentance, as in the sad days of Lent. But this does not mean that you need to give up on him. Here it is worth approaching from a slightly different angle. Find some purpose, in addition to food restrictions, which must also be consistent with your strengths.

Let us remember that Peter's Fast is dedicated to the memory of the apostles. The apostles are the first preachers of Christianity, the first missionaries. So, if in these weeks we focused a little more on not giving temptation to people with our lives, not pushing them away from the church - this is something that everyone can definitely do. We would try to make our faith more conscious. We have somewhat expanded our knowledge of church traditions, so that the answers to those around us would not come from the wind of our heads, but from some knowledge of church tradition. If we read at least 2-3 books that will deepen our understanding of Orthodoxy, if we work a little instead of sitting on social networks or in front of the TV, then the meaning of fasting will be fulfilled.

When you resist the Will of God for mercy and compassion, it seems that if you buy someone (who doesn’t eat for days and doesn’t even have a home, etc.) something in accordance with your modest budget, you’ll die of hunger... it’s too much yourself and leaving yourself somewhere even more modest food, you suddenly understand that this does not burden you and does not take away the joy from your heart. Than when you live only for yourself and cannot satisfy your need for exquisite food, including food, which weighs down with the weight of sin and there is more and more greed in your heart... So it is with fasting... It doesn’t always work out right away and not always being among people who do not fast, we can decisively resist stupid and deceitful temptations, a place in hell is prepared for them (and in this life, they suffer, what is even the smallest envy worth... how it mercilessly exhausts from within the one who sheltered it in his heart...) do not look at them, do not listen to their lying speeches... The Lord always sends everything for the good and only the real it is permissible not to fast if there is no food or a body exhausted and worn out by diseases. The Lord sees everything and everyone... do not despair. There are people who live without medicine and eat almost no meat, not out of poverty at all, and none of them have yet been hospitalized.. .. Because no medicines and vitamins can cure a sinner without the Will of God. Trust in the Lord and accept everything humbly, He thinks about you, do not fuss so as not to be left alone with your multiplying troubles and illnesses. Fasting should be taken as time devoted to spiritual work, fasting there is a division of not the most joyful events in the life of mankind, since it is people who suffer from their sins and misdeeds, therefore, there is no need to arrange a “feast on the mountain” even if the means allow, because even from lean products a person can make a more luxurious table than others from meat. .Fasting is abstinence, and not a celebration of the belly, because you can overeat with fruits, etc. which will also give languor and the time allotted to us by the Lord to gain the Power and Knowledge of the soul will be lost...to human enemies for joy, although this does not make it any easier for them..

Petrov's Fast is otherwise called the Apostolic Fast, in honor of Peter and Paul - one of the most revered saints of the Orthodox Church. A week after the day of the Holy Trinity, Peter's Fast begins in the Christian world - after the ninth Sunday of Easter, with which it is directly connected.

The beginning of Petrov's fast in 2017

It is precisely because of this that the holiday is counted date of the beginning of Peter's fast, but it always ends on the Day of the Saints, all-validated and glorious supreme apostles Peter and Paul, or as people say Peter’s Day, July 12th. On this day, the Christian church glorifies Paul's mind and Peter's firmness. Based on this, the Apostolic Fast has a different duration every year: the shortest lasted 8 days, while the longest lasted 42 days.

In 2017, Petrov's fast will last a month: from June 12 to July 11 . You should know that the holiday itself in honor of Peter and Paul is not part of the Apostolic Fast. However, if it falls on Wednesday or Friday, then it is also fasting. During the observance of Peter's Fast, it is also prohibited to baptize children.

The history of the fast of Peter and Paul

The holy apostles Peter and Paul fasted, thus preparing for the Gospel sermon. Peter's Fast was discussed back in the days of the apostolic decrees; it received its name in honor of the saints, but previously it was considered dedicated not to the feat of Peter and Paul, but to compensation for the fast. The Church understood that not everyone was healthy enough to fully endure this long period of fasting. In addition, a considerable number of people received relaxations (and even permission not to fast): pregnant women, nursing women, travelers, the elderly, sick people with mental or physical ailments. And not all of the healthy part of the population could last the entire Lent without once feasting on forbidden foods.

To compensate for those days that were not observed during Lent, the Apostolic Fast or Petrov Fast was introduced. It is not so strict, but it is also not easy to comply with. And all because of some dietary features that every fasting person should know.

Meals during Peter's Fast 2017

It should be noted that nutrition during Peter's Fast is determined by the typikon - the church charter, which describes all the nuances of observing this or that action.

Meal calendar for the laity

1. Monday, Wednesday and Friday – dry eating. When preparing food for a meal, foods can be baked, stewed, boiled or eaten raw. You can only eat once a day after 15:00. Food should be prepared without meat, milk, or vegetable oil.
2. Tuesday, Thursday – boiled food is allowed, without vegetable oil, twice a day.
3. Saturday and Sunday - food can be eaten hot with vegetable oil and fish twice a day.

Also see: Orthodox, in table form.

The apostles Peter and Paul were called to serve Jesus Christ and the Church in different ways, but according to legend, both ended their lives as martyrs - the apostle Peter was crucified upside down on the cross, and Paul was beheaded with a sword. Therefore, Peter's Fast is also called Apostolic Fast.

The beginning of Peter's Lent does not have a fixed date - it always begins on Monday a week after the feast of the Holy Trinity (Pentecost) - in 2017 it falls on June 12, notes Sputnik Georgia.

And the date of Trinity depends on the day of Easter, so the beginning of Peter's Lent falls on different dates and lasts from 8 to 42 days.

The essence and meaning of the post

Peter's Fast was established in apostolic times and dates back to the very first times of the Orthodox Church. It used to be called the fast of Pentecost. The Petrine or Apostolic fast became after the construction of churches to the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Constantinople and Rome.

Peter's Fast, like any of the four multi-day fasts a year, calls for self-improvement, victory over sins and passions and prepares Christians with fasting and prayer for the celebration of the day of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul.

The clergy believe that spiritual life without fasting is impossible - this is an ascetic truth, for which it is paid with blood. But Peter's Fast is not only a memory of past persecutions from external enemies.

According to the Gospel, the main enemy is not the one who kills the body, but the one who is rooted inside the soul. History remembers cases when baptized people forgot about love for God and neighbor and returned to previous sins, and fasting reminds of such danger, church ministers note.

For a Christian, hunger and refusal of food in themselves are not good, since the need for food is natural for humans. Fasting serves to educate the will, which is important for morality, since by fasting a person learns to subordinate his bodily needs to the spirit.

During the days of fasting, the church encourages people to think about humility and martyrdom, as well as to evaluate the spiritual feat of each of the apostles. Martyrdom in Orthodoxy is one of the key phenomena. It is to go to torment and humbly accept it that is the highest spiritual feat.

Petrov's Fast is also given in order to make up for lost time in Lent. This is a way out for those who, due to illness, travel, or other reasons, were unable to observe Lent before Easter.

What you can and cannot eat during Peter's Fast

Peter's Fast, unlike the Great Fast, is not so strict. It begins on Monday, the 57th day after Easter (a week after Trinity). In 2017, it falls on June 12, and the last day of fasting is July 11. Accordingly, in 2017 it lasts 30 days.

During this period, you also cannot eat meat, dairy products, eggs, but fish is allowed on some days of the week. The basis of the Lenten table is vegetables, herbs and dishes prepared from them, as well as cereals, fruits, berries and dried fruits.

During this fast, the consumption of hot food without oil is prescribed on Monday, fish is allowed on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, and dry eating (bread, water, salt, raw fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, nuts, honey) is allowed on Wednesdays and Fridays. And on weekends, a little wine is allowed.

The exception is the last Friday of Peter's Lent, which falls on July 7. On this day, the Orthodox Church celebrates the Nativity of John the Baptist - the Baptist Savior, so eating fish is allowed.

The Day of Remembrance of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, which is celebrated on July 12, is not included in fasting. However, if it falls on Wednesday or Friday, then it is fast, but of a low degree of severity - food with oil, fish and wine are allowed.

Saint Seraphim of Sarov said that “true fasting does not consist in exhaustion of the flesh alone, but also in giving that part of the bread that you yourself would like to eat to the hungry (hungry, thirsty)… Fasting does not consist only in eating rarely, but in eating little; and not in eating once, but in not eating much.”

How to fast

Petrov's fast is considered the easiest fast for the entire calendar year. But even when starting this, not the most strict, fast, you need to consult with your confessor and your doctor if you have any chronic diseases.

In general, laymen are not required to fast as strictly as monks, for whom the Charter provides for more stringent rules. During fasting, you should also exclude fast food products from the menu, that is, fast food, confectionery and baked goods.

At the same time, it should be remembered that fasting is a spiritual cleansing and only in second place is abstinence from food. It should not contribute to weight loss, but to strengthening a person’s spirituality. Therefore, it is very important to pray, confess and receive communion during Lent.

But, if for some reason a layman cannot follow all the rules of fasting, he can limit himself to other, non-gastronomic things. For example, do not watch TV or use social networks on the Internet.

Traditions and customs

According to church canons, the sacrament of marriage - weddings - is not performed during church holidays, fasting and individual church holidays. Accordingly, weddings during Peter's Fast and on Peter's Day are not permitted.

To live a long and happy family life, it is recommended to wait out Peter's fast. You should also postpone conceiving children until after the fast. According to folk customs, weddings were not held on Peter's Fast for other reasons.

Peter's Fast is held in the summer, during the peak season of field work, so there has been a centuries-old tradition of not holding weddings at this time. Modern rural youth also adhere to this tradition.

An even more ancient tradition claims that the souls of the dead visit the Earth at this time, and cheerful celebrations are disrespectful to their memory.

Signs for Petrov's fast

During fasting, you should not cut your hair - your hair will be sparse. During Lent they do not sew or do handicrafts - their hands will be weak. Whoever lends money during Peter's Fast will not get out of debt for three years.

A marriage entered into during Lent is short-lived, there will be no harmony in the family, and it will soon fall apart. If during Peter's Fast, at the end of the moon, you touch a dry branch with a wart, saying: just as during Lent the meat on the platter is empty, so that the wart is thin, then the wart will dry up and fall off. If the commemoration coincides with fasting, then according to the rules the commemoration must also be fasting. But there is nothing terrible in the fact that there was quick food on the table on such a day. If during fasting, during a feast, someone persuades a fasting person to eat meat, ridiculing him or the fast, then he will die hard and for a long time.

Peter's Fast is not a time for fortune telling, rituals, or performing magical rituals. This way you can bring disaster on yourself and your loved ones, left without the support of higher powers. It is better to devote time to prayers and sincerely ask Heaven for what you want.

If it rains on the first day of fasting, the harvest will be excellent. Three rains in one day - the year promises to be rich in joyful events.

The material was prepared based on open sources

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