Paschal Cycle:
- Meatfast the week before the beginning of Great Lent
- Great Lent and Holy Week
Yearly Cycle:
- Nativity (St. Philip’s) Fast Nov. 15 through Dec. 24
- Apostles’ (Peter and Paul) Fast from the Monday after All Saints Sunday through June 28
- Dormition (Theotokos) Fast Aug. 1 through Aug. 14
Fast Days:
- The Wednesdays and Fridays of the Year, except for Fast-free Weeks
- The Eve of Theophany Jan. 5
- The Beheading of St. John the Baptist Aug. 29
- The Elevation of the Cross Sept. 14
Fast-free Weeks:
- Afterfeast of the Nativity of Christ to Theophany Eve Dec. 25 through Jan. 4
- The week following the Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee
- Bright Week the week after Pascha
- Trinity Week the week after Pentecost, concluding with All Saints Sunday
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.