Lenten calendar for 2024: save these dates so you don't forget

Fasting can last one day (one-day) or a whole period of time (multi-day). At such times, believers refuse to eat food of animal origin, go to churches, pray, and refrain from quarrels. During the periods of fasting, the Church forbids holding noisy parties, having fun, and having fun. If you follow these rules, it is worth knowing when the fasts of 2024 will be. SSPDaily tells about it.

Calendar of fasts for 2024: multi-day fastsLent: March 18 - May 4

The longest fast in the church calendar, preceding Easter. In total, it takes 48 days and always begins on Monday (seven weeks before the Resurrection of the Lord) and ends on Saturday.

Lent is also considered one of the strictest, because on its first day you should completely give up food and drink only water. On Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, only dry food (bread, salt, raw vegetables and fruits) is allowed, and on Saturday and Sunday, a small amount of hot food with oil is allowed.

On the second and sixth week of the fast, believers can eat only dry food on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. On Tuesday and Thursday, warm dishes are allowed, but without oil, and on weekends with oil.

The Passion Week (the last week of Lent) is very strict, as only dry food is allowed on all days except Friday. Until the shroud is taken out of the church, people refuse to eat at all.

Fish is allowed on the major church holidays that fall during Lent. These are the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (March 25) and Palm Sunday (Sunday a week before Easter). On Lazarus Saturday (the day before Palm Sunday), you can add fish caviar to your diet.

Peter's fast: canceled

In 2024, the Peter's Fast was canceled by the OCU because, as explained in the press service, this fast should begin a week after Pentecost (June 23, 2024) and end on the feast of Peter and Paul (June 29, 2023), so the necessary conditions for observing the fast will not be created.

Assumption Lent in 2024: August 1 - 14

This fast was established in honor of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and is the shortest. It lasts only two weeks each year.

Despite this duration, the fast is quite strict. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, you can eat only dry food, on Tuesday and Thursday you are allowed to add hot dishes without oil, and on weekends with oil.

On the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord (August 6, 2024), the Church also allows eating fish.

Christmas fast: November 15 - December 24

The last multi-day fast of the year, which is considered the second longest. It begins on November 15, regardless of the day of the week. The duration of the Christmas fast is 40 days. The fast is quite strict, although there are some relaxations.

For example, from November 15 to St. Nicholas Day (December 6), you can eat hot dishes without oil on Monday, and you can even add fish on Tuesday, Thursday, and on weekends. On Wednesday and Friday, only dry food is allowed.

From December 7 to December 19, 2024, hot dishes with oil are allowed on Tuesday and Thursday, but fish should be removed from the diet.

From December 20 to December 24, only dry food is allowed on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, hot food without oil on Tuesday and Thursday, and with oil on weekends.

On Christmas Eve (December 24), you can't eat until the first star appears in the sky, and then the whole family sits down at the festive table, which must have 12 meatless dishes.

The Church allows you to eat fish on the Feast of the Entrance of the Blessed Virgin Mary (November 21) and St. Nicholas Day (December 6), regardless of what day of the week it is.

What are the one-day fasts in 2024?

There are also fasts that last only one day. In 2024, they will fall on the following days:

• Epiphany (Epiphany Eve) - January 5;
• Presentation of theLord - February 2;
• Annunciation of the BlessedVirgin Mary - March 25;
• The Feast of theApostle John the Theologian - May 8 and September 26;
• TheNativity of John the Baptist - June 24;
• SaintsPeter and Paul - June 29;
• Transfiguration of theLord - August 6;
• The Assumption of theVirgin Mary - August 15;
• TheNativity of the Mother of God - September 8;
• Protection of theHoly Virgin - October 1;

• Introduction of the Blessed Virgin Mary - November 21;
• St. Nicholas - December 6.