Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center Preparing - Fasting, Praying, and Performing Charity Time Periods

**Strict Fasting Days**
Name	When
The Paramony of the Great Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord, Jesus Christ	December 24
The Paramony of the Great Feast of the Theophany of Our Lord, Jesus Christ	January 5
Clean Monday	Clean Monday is between the Triodion Sunday of Cheese fare / Forgiveness and the First Sunday of Great Lent. Great Lent begins at the beginning of the Vespers of Clean Monday on the evening of the Sunday of Cheese fare / Forgiveness.
The Liturgical Day of Great and Holy Thursday	On the calendar Great and Holy Wednesday
The Liturgical Day of Great and Holy Saturday	On the calendar Great and Holy Friday
The Liturgical Day of Great and Holy Saturday	On the calendar Great and Holy Friday
Great Feast of the Exaltation of the Precious and Lifegiving Holy Cross	14 September

**Fasting Periods**
Name	Time
Pre-Nativity Fast for Great Feast of the Nativity According to the Flesh of Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ	40 days Traditional Begins at the beginning of the Vespers of 15 November on 14 November evening Ends just before Vespers of Great Feast of the Nativity According to the Flesh of Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ (25 December) on 24 December evening Shorter number of days Modern Begins at the beginning of the Vespers of 10 December on 9 December evening Ends just before Vespers of Great Feast of the Nativity According to the Flesh of Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ (25 December) on 24 December evening
Prophonisimon for Feasts of Feasts Holy and Glorious Pascha	8 days Begins at the beginning of the Vespers of Meat fare Sunday traditionally no flesh (skin and meat) from a vertebrate, which is an animal with a spine / backbone (mammals, birds, fish, etc.), and shellfish Ends just before the Vespers of Clean Monday on the Sunday of Cheesefare / Forgiveness evening.
Great Lent for Feasts of Feasts Holy and Glorious Pascha	40 days Begins at the beginning of the Vespers of Clean Monday on the Sunday of Cheesefare / Forgiveness evening Ends just before the Vespers of Lazarus Saturday on the last Friday in Great Lent evening.
Great and Holy Week for Feasts of Feasts Holy and Glorious Pascha	The Vespers and Orthos of the Liturgical Day are on the previous calendar day. 6 days Begins just before the Vespers of Great and Holy Monday on Palm Sunday afternoon Ends just before Vespers of Holy and Glorious Pascha on Great and Holy Saturday evening.
Apostle's Fast forthe Feast of the Holy, Glorious and Illustrious Princes of the Apostles Peter and Paul	Begins just before the Vespers of the Monday after First Sunday after Pentecost on Sunday evening Ends just before the Vespers of the Feast of the Holy, Glorious and Illustrious Princes of the Apostles Peter and Paul (29 June) on 28 June evening.
Dormition Fast Theotokos Fast Our Lady's Fast for the Great Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos	Begins just before the Vespers of the Feast of the Procession of the Holy Cross (1 August) on 31 July evening evening Ends just before Vespers of the Great Feast of the Dormition of The Theotokos (15 August) on 14 August evening.

**Fasting Week Days in non-feasting Periods**
Name	Why
Wednesdays	In memory of the betrayal of Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ by Judas
Fridays	In memory of the Crucifixion

**Days which are NOT Fasting Days**
Name	Why
Sunday	In memory of Feasts of Feasts Holy and Glorious Pascha.
Saturday (Except Great and Holy Saturday)	Preparation for Sunday

Feast Days

Feast of Feasts Holy and Glorious Pascha - Fesakh - Hajmeh - (Date Occurs)
Eleven of the Great Feast Days
- Great Feast of the Holy Hypapanty of Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ and the Purification of The Theotokos - 2 February
- Great Feast of the Holy Theophany of Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ - 6 January
- Great Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ - 6 August
- Great Feast of Holy and Glorious Palm Sunday - Shaneeneh - Sunday before Pascha
- Great Feast of the Ascension into Heaven of Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ - 40th day of Pascha
- Great Feast of Pentecost - 50th day of Pascha
- Great Feast of the Nativity of The Theotokos - 8 September
- Great Feast of the Entrance of The Theotokos into the Temple - 21 November
- Great Feast of the Annunciation (Al Bisharah) of The Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary - 25 March
- Great Feast of the Dormition of The Theotokos - 15 August

Great Feast of the The Annunciation (Al Bisharah) of The Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary

Because this feast is so important, the regulations for feasting on the Great Feast of the Annunciation (Al Bisharah) of The Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, 25 March, always supersedes the regulations for fasting during the Preparation for the Feast of Feasts Holy and Glorious Pascha - Fesakh - Hajmeh. This Great Feast Day is always a day of feasting.

Transition Period between Great Lent and Great and Holy Week

The Transition Period between Great Lent and Great and Holy Week is Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday --Shaneeneh is a Celebrating Time Period.

Great Feast of the Exaltation of the Precious and Lifegiving Holy Cross

Because this feast is so important, The Great Feast of the Exaltation of the Precious and Lifegiving Holy Cross, 14 September, is always a day of fasting (fast and abstience).

More Information

CyberTypicon Reverend Father Peter Boutros
CyberTypicon lists Feast days.

Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center
Martha Liles
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Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center is dedicated to my cousins: Bucky (Richard C. Liles), Shirley (Shirley Jean Liles Buck), and Donna (Donna Bertha Liles Campbell). Bucky fell asleep in the Lord on Dec. 12, 2000, Shirley fell asleep in the Lord on Nov. 8, 2001, and Donna fell asleep in the Lord on March 9, 2020.
O God of all spirits and of all flesh, who have destroyed death, overcome the devil, and given life to the world: grant, O Lord, to the souls of your servants Bucky and Shirley, who has departed from this life, that it may rest in a place of light, in a place of happiness, in a place of peace, where there is no pain, no grief, no sighing. And since You are a gracious God and the Lover of Mankind, forgive him/her every sin he/she has committed by thought, or word, or deed, for there is not a man who lives and does not sin : You alone are without sin, your righteousness is everlasting, and your word is true. You are the Resurrection and the Life, and the repose of your departed servants Bucky and Shirley. O Christ our God, and we send up glory to You, together with your eternal Father and your all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and always and for ages upon ages. Amen.

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Last Updated: Wednesday, June 03, 2020, 16:40:31, CDT
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