Paschal Cycle:

1. Meatfast the week before the beginning of Great Lent
2. Great Lent and Holy Week

Yearly Cycle:

1. Nativity (St. Philip’s) Fast Nov. 15 through Dec. 24
2. Apostles’ (Peter and Paul) Fast from the Monday after All Saints Sunday through June 28
3. Dormition (Theotokos) Fast Aug. 1 through Aug. 14

Fast Days:

1. The Wednesdays and Fridays of the Year, except for Fast-free Weeks
2. The Eve of Theophany Jan. 5
3. The Beheading of St. John the Baptist Aug. 29
4. The Elevation of the Cross Sept. 14

Fast-free Weeks:

1. Afterfeast of the Nativity of Christ to Theophany Eve Dec. 25 through Jan. 4
2. The week following the Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee
3. Bright Week the week after Pascha
4. Trinity Week the week after Pentecost, concluding with All Saints Sunday

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Excerpt taken from “These Truths We Hold – The Holy Orthodox Church: Her Life and Teachings”. Compiled and Edited by A Monk of St. Tikhon’s Monastery. Copyright 1986 by the St. Tikhon’s Seminary Press, South Canaan, Pennsylvania 18459.