About the Fast

Preceding every great Feast of the Church is a corresponding period of preparation, which includes prayer and fasting. On Monday, November 15/28, the Church begins the Nativity Fast, which is broken on the Feast itself, December 25/January 7. During this Fast, we are permitted to have wine and oil every day save Wednesdays and Fridays. On Saturdays and Sundays, from the Entry of the Theotokos on Nov. 21/Dec. 4 until the Feast of St Spyridon on Dec. 12/25, we are also permitted to eat fish.

On the Feast of the Entry of the Theotokos we begin to chant in Matins the Katabasiai of the Nativity, “Christ is born, glorify Him.” On the Feasts of St Andrew, Nov. 30/Dec. 13, and St. Nicholas, Dec. 6/19, we begin to chant various hymns for the Nativity.

The Sunday occurring two weeks before the Nativity, Dec. 12/25, is dedicated to the Forefathers of Christ, and on the Sunday before the Nativity, Dec. 19/Jan. 1 we read the genealogies of Christ according to Luke during the Matins and according to Matthew during the Divine Liturgy. The next day is the Prefeast of the Nativity, from which until the Eve of the Nativity are chanted Three-ode canons (Τριώδιοι κανόνες) during the Compline modeled after the Three-ode canons chanted during Great Week. On the Eve of the Nativity Dec. 26/Jan. 6, we chant the Royal Hours and celebrate the Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil the Great.

Thus, through the various pre-festal hymns of the Church, scripture readings, and comparatively eased fasting, we should be sufficiently prepared to celebrate the Nativity according to the flesh of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.