Filippovskiy post (Christmas). Christmas Orthodoxy

Several times a year, Orthodox Christians confine themselves to eating and carnal desires. These pieces of time are called posts. They provide for a refusal not only of food, but full spiritual cleansing, reunion with God and humility. One of the main posts is Filippov, who precedes the bright holiday of Christmas.

Filippovskoe Reaching

This is the eve of the fourteen days - forty days of abstinence, spiritual and physical. Before the Philippov fast comes, on November, 27th it was possible to eat something tasty and fast. To withstand the long weeks of all sorts of restrictions and not violate strict rules, our ancestors came up with the custom: to eat up to the heap. As well as oil, the people today also on the eve of the Christmas Lent arrange parties, go to visit and eat with the family.

In many regions of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, the Filippovskoye Zalovenie boys and girls organize so-called evening parties. Often hiring musicians to have fun from the heart. There is also a tradition - to treat each other with different delicacies. It can be pancakes, nuts, gingerbread, as well as spirits - wine or vodka.

After this, on November 28, Philip's post comes, during which you must follow strict rules: do not eat animal products, do not drink alcohol, do not maintain intimate relationships in marriage. It is forbidden even to sing and dance, all this time people should devote to prayers and fellowship with God.

Fundamental rules

The Christmas or Philippine Orthodox fast lasts exactly forty days: from November 28 to January 6. He is not as strict and hungry as Paschal, but he still has to give up meat and milk. Already in advance, you need to think about what to replace these products, because the body will be catastrophically short of protein. To avoid his deficit, doctors recommend eating soy products, beans and peas. The priests say: in order not to yield to the temptation to eat something forbidden, make your daily menu as diverse as possible. Cook vareniki with potatoes, cabbage rolls with mushrooms, salad, donuts and other delicacies.

Filipovskiy post are obliged to observe all believers. An exception exists only for old and sick people, pregnant women and breast-feeding mothers, young children, travelers and those engaged in heavy physical labor. They can eat dairy products and even a little meat. First of all, such people are recommended to be cleansed spiritually, since this component of fasting is more important than simple abstinence from the fast.

Three parts of the post

The abstinence period can be conditionally divided into three time intervals. The first one lasts from the beginning of the fast until the day of St. Nicholas on December 19. These days on Mondays, one should eat only vegetable food without adding oil. It is allowed on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Also on these four days of the week, small amounts of fish and red wine are allowed. Wednesday and Friday should be fully dedicated to dry thinking.

The Christmas post (Filipovskiy post) is gradually becoming tougher. In its second period, from December 19 to January 1, in terms of nutrition, everything remains almost the same, only fish and wine can be eaten exclusively on weekends. Even more time should be allocated for visiting the church and communicating with spiritual instructors. It is recommended to pass the sacrament and confession ceremonies on the eve of the New Year.

Filippovskiy post, which lasts 40 days, reaches the peak of severity in the last week before Christmas. Consciousness extends for three days: Monday, Wednesday and Friday. On Tuesday and Thursday plant food without oil is laid. It is recommended only once a day without such excesses as fish and wine. On Christmas Eve, January 6, you need to starve the whole day, right up until the appearance of the first star in the sky.

Leaving the post

In order not to get an upset stomach, you need to competently stop abstinence. Filippovskiy post ends on the night before Christmas. This is a great holiday for all Orthodox, when the table is bursting with delicacies and delicacies. Restricting himself for a long time, a person often breaks down and gets to the hospital. Therefore, on Christmas Eve, when dinner is served for non-meals, try each of them a little. Drink a glass of wine, which helps digestion.

On Christmas Day, when meat and fatty dishes, sweet pies and cream cakes are put on the table, it is also important to be cautious. It is better to eat small portions, but often. Priests advise special prayers, which will help to complete abstinence without harming one's health.

Christmas (Filippovsky) post provides not only food restrictions. As John Chrysostom said : "True abstinence is also the curbing of your tongue, the taming of lust, the deliverance from evil, anger and bad thoughts, the cessation of lies and slander." Therefore, try to observe these rules, and not only during fasting, but also throughout life.