Holy Week is the last and strictest week of Lent. During this period, it is important to observe all traditions and prohibitions in order to celebrate Easter correctly. In 2020, Holy Week begins on April 13 and Easter falls on April 19.
Holy Week for Christian believers is a special period, not only the most difficult for the body, but also the brightest for the soul. Translated from Church Slavonic, “passion” means “trials and suffering.”
Holy Week is dedicated to the events in the dying days of Christ's earthly life: the Last Supper, betrayal, suffering, crucifixion, burial and resurrection. The Holy Week before Easter is also popularly called Red and Clean Week.
Benefits of fasting
Compliance with Orthodox fasting provides very great benefits for the human body. Some people perceive it as a diet and assume that it is only useful for overweight people. This is wrong. The post is useful to everyone. Lenten foods mainly consist of cereals, fruits and vegetables, which contain a lot of fiber. Such food, like a universal cleaner, rids the body of waste and toxins, normalizes weight and makes the body healthier. And one-day fasting does a good job of strengthening the body. Reducing the volume of the stomach during fasting reduces the need for food, especially since fasting food is very healthy and nutritious. Fasting is useful for sick and healthy, thin and fat.
There is an opinion that Orthodox fasts are difficult to observe; many expect hunger pangs. This is wrong. Those who try fasting are often surprised by how full they feel without eating meat. Nowadays, you can easily prepare a varied Lenten meal thanks to many recipes. Therefore, the question of what to eat during Holy Week does not pose a problem.
What can you eat during Holy Week?
Throughout this week, a particularly strict fast is required for the sake of the Passion of Christ and for worthy preparation for the meeting of Easter. During the last 7 days of Lent, you are allowed to eat:
- Vegetables and fruits in fresh, dried, dried or any other form
- Mushrooms
- Fish (only on Annunciation, April 7)
It is forbidden to cook food, i.e. boil or fry it. Instead of thermally processed foods, you need to eat raw vegetables and fruits. At the same time, dishes prepared from them must be without the addition of vegetable oil. Drinks also have their own restrictions: only teas and some infusions are allowed. Of course, alcohol is completely prohibited. During Holy Week, one evening meal is allowed.
Of course, any body, even with excellent health, needs to allow a little indulgence. Orthodoxy provides for a number of exceptions in the second half of Holy Week: starting from Thursday inclusive, Christians are allowed to eat hot vegetable foods prepared without adding oil. During this period, two meals a day are provided, including a small amount of red wine to maintain the strength of the body.
But such exceptions will need to be reserved for Good Friday, which involves complete abstinence from food. According to the Holy Scriptures, Christ was crucified on this day. Therefore, Good Friday is a difficult day not only physically due to the complete refusal of food, but also spiritually, when a true Christian deeply experiences this tragic and terrible event.
During Lent, you are allowed to eat fish only twice: on the Annunciation, April 7, and on Palm Sunday, exactly a week before Easter.
Maundy Monday
Cold food without oil (for example, sauerkraut with cranberries, salted mushrooms, bread). Any food is allowed, including boiled vegetable food without oil.
Maundy Tuesday
Cold food without oil (mushroom caviar without oil, fresh cabbage and carrot salad with lemon juice, prunes).
Great Wednesday
Cold food without oil (cucumber, tomato and onion salad, bananas with oranges, olives).
Maundy Thursday (Maundy Thursday)
Cold food without oil (daikon with carrots and lemon juice, nuts, apples). Any plant food with vegetable oil is allowed.
Good Friday (Good Friday)
According to folk tradition, on Good Friday it is advisable to abstain from food altogether.
Great or Good Friday - on this day a particularly strict fast is observed in memory of the day when Christ was sentenced to death and made his way of the cross to Calvary. Before the removal of the shroud in churches (approximately 16:00) no food is taken. Afterwards - only raw plant foods without oil or complete abstinence from food.
The last week of Great Lent is called Holy Week - it is dedicated to the last days of earthly life and the death of the Savior on the cross
All days of Holy Week are special and are called Great or Passionate, and Old Testament stories are closely intertwined with what happens in the last days of the earthly life of Jesus Christ.
During Holy Week, Orthodox churches hold special services that are considered the most majestic and solemn of the entire church year.
During Holy Week, the dead are not commemorated, the days of saints are not celebrated - at this time all rituals are dedicated to preparation for Easter or the Holy Resurrection of Christ.
What are the days of Holy Week dedicated to and what can and cannot be eaten by day.
Holy Week by day
Holy Monday- at church services on this day they remember the Old Testament Patriarch Joseph, whom his brothers sold into slavery, as well as the curse of the sinful fig tree by Jesus Christ, which brings neither faith, nor prayers, nor true repentance.
The rite of making peace also begins on Monday - it is made from a mixture of fragrant resins, vegetable oils and fragrant herbs and boiled while reading prayers continuously for three days.
On Holy Tuesday in churches they remember the sermons of Jesus Christ about how the Savior spoke in the Jerusalem temple, about the parables told to the disciples, about the talents and ten virgins, the resurrection of the dead and the Last Judgment.
On Great Wednesday- they remember the betrayal of Judas Iscariot, who betrayed the Teacher for thirty pieces of silver, as well as the sinner who washed the Savior’s feet and anointed them with myrrh. On Wednesday people try to go to confession.
On Holy or Maundy Thursday The Orthodox Church remembers the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with His disciples and His establishment of the Sacrament of the Eucharist (Holy Communion). On Thursday the congregation receives communion.
Red or Good Friday- a day of mourning, during the service they remember the suffering of the Savior on the cross. The shroud, an image of Christ lying in the tomb, is taken out of the altar, and the believers bow before it.
On Holy Saturday at the solemn service they talk about the burial of Jesus Christ and his stay in the tomb. At the same time, priests already on this day put on light festive vestments. Easter cakes, colored eggs and Easter eggs brought to the temple by people are illuminated.
In Jerusalem, in the Church of the Resurrection of Christ, the Holy Fire descends on Saturday, and the most important service begins in the evening - believers celebrate Easter.
What you can and cannot eat by day
All restrictions of Lent also apply to Holy Week, but the last week is the strictest. During the entire week, some believers, if desired, take only water and bread.
In Holy Week, according to the monastery charter, dry eating is prescribed on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, that is, bread, water, fruits, and vegetables are allowed.
These days you can eat lean bread and thermally unprocessed food. That is, raw vegetables and fruits, as well as dried fruits, nuts, honey. It is not recommended to take tea and compote these days.
These days you can prepare salads from vegetables and fruits. For example, cut any fruit - pears, oranges, apples, bananas, add chopped dried fruits, raisins and nuts, and season everything with liquid honey. It will turn out tasty and very healthy.
According to church canons, on the last Friday before Easter there is no food until the evening service.
Holy Saturday is the last day before the Holy Resurrection of Christ, when the Lord Himself was in the Tomb, believers observe strict fasting.
In 2018, the last Saturday before Easter falls on April 7, the day when the Orthodox world celebrates the Annunciation. Usually it is allowed to eat fish on a holiday, but due to the coincidence with Saturday, fish is not supposed to be eaten on this day.
Seriously ill people, pregnant women, military personnel, workers engaged in heavy physical labor, travelers, nursing mothers, as well as children under seven years of age are exempt from fasting.
The last week before Easter is the most difficult and strict compared to other days. This period is very important for Orthodox people, because we remember the last days of Jesus’ life on earth and his suffering. It is advisable to spend Holy Week in prayers that will help you better understand yourself.
During Holy Week, every person is spiritually cleansed. And this depends not only on abstinence in food, but also on the renunciation of all evil intentions. At this time, you cannot instill cruelty in your heart, commit evil deeds and utter poisonous words. These are the same sins as gluttony, eating meat and drinking alcohol. Read what you can and cannot do before Easter.
Proper diet for the week
Monday: the most difficult day of Holy Week. In addition to the fact that you can only eat food once in 24 hours, it must be eaten raw. Therefore, for most of us it is difficult and unusual. Righteous people who firmly believe in God try to give up food altogether on this day. For beginners, it is permissible to include flour products in the Monday diet, in particular bread and vegetables. They can be consumed in any form: dried, fried and pickled. This day is also characterized by the use of fruits and mushrooms. You can drink unlimited quantities of water, cool compotes and fruit drinks. It is important to know that you can only eat in the evening.Tuesday: On Tuesday you can eat whatever you cook. However, remember that during Lent we exclude sweets, flour, meat, fish, dairy and eggs from our usual diet. It is permissible to eat vegetables and fruits on Tuesday, but only in limited quantities. You should eat food, as on Monday, in the evening and only once a day. Wednesday: on this day people remember Judas, who betrayed Christ. You should visit church and repent of your sins. It is known that this is the best time to cleanse your soul. Dry food is served at the table, it is advisable to refuse food altogether, so that nothing interferes with cleansing the body and thoughts on this day.
Thursday: It passes easier than the previous days, because from now on you can eat twice a day. Hot food, which was previously prohibited, and vegetable oil appear in the daily diet. Active preparations for Easter begin: people bake Easter cakes, paint eggs, prepare treats for the festive table.
Thursday is characterized by various rituals to expel evil spirits and evil from the house. One of them is that when cleaning your home you need to throw a handful of small items into a basin of water. This will attract prosperity and wealth in the future. Water on Maundy Thursday has magical powers, so you can bless your apartment and, after washing, rid yourself of illnesses for the whole year.
Friday: is a time of sorrow for Orthodox people. It was on the fifth day of the week that Jesus Christ was crucified. It is prohibited to consume any food, the exception applies only to infants and infirm people. Any household chores should be put off. By doing anything on this day, you show your disrespect for God. It is necessary to gain strength and try to endure this day, honoring Christ, who gave his life for our sins.
Saturday: There is only one day left until the holy holiday. On Saturday you can eat the same as on Thursday. The daily diet includes dishes such as: honey, bread, dry and raw fruits, vegetables. All day until the next morning, people must bless the food they put on the table. The church allows you to bring any food that you consider necessary to celebrate Easter. Before the end of the evening, you must prepare all the treats, since Easter services take place at night. Also on this day is Parents' Saturday: find out if you can visit the cemetery.
Sunday: bright day of Great Easter. You can only eat what you have blessed, if this is not done, then in the morning they still consecrate their food in the Temple, hurry up. Eggs, lard, cheese, sausage and Easter cakes must be present on the table. You must taste these foods first, and then taste the rest of the treats. On Sunday, everyone should rejoice and celebrate the resurrection of the Son of God. On Easter, you need to visit the church for communion, and also learn about the traditions and folk signs of this Orthodox holiday.
Holy Week is very important for people: these days many people come to rethink their lives. During this time, a person is spiritually cleansed and greets Easter with pure and bright thoughts. It is imperative to keep all the commandments, pray and not denigrate yourself with sinful deeds and thoughts. It is known that if you repent on the Bright Resurrection of Christ with a pure heart and firm faith, then God will definitely forgive you for everything.
The last week of Easter Lent is called Holy Week. This week got its name from the word “suffering”, “torment”.
What can you eat during Holy Week?
This is also related in the gospels of various saints. The events of Holy Week include the Last Supper, the Prayer of Gethsemane, the betrayal of Judas, the trial of Jesus by the Pharisees, the ascension to Calvary, the execution, death and subsequent Resurrection of our Savior.
Many believers do not know exactly what can be eaten during Holy Week, what indulgences are allowed, and on which days particularly strict restrictions must be observed. We offer you a similar description of the week for each day in two versions - for devout believers and for the laity.
This week, even those to whom the priest has given a blessing for relief during Lent due to illness or old age are advised not to eat meat, dairy, or eggs.
Monday
Strict fasting prescribes not to eat anything on this day in the morning, but at sunset you can eat bread, porridge in water without adding butter, but with sugar or jam, vegetables stewed in water, tea or compote.
You can drink water throughout the day.
Laity and those for whom the clergy allows relief are allowed boiled food with the addition of sunflower oil, tea, coffee, compote or juices throughout the day. Porridge, soups, lean gingerbread, everything is prepared without meat and dairy products.
In 2019 there will be no ordinary day of strict fasting. You can eat boiled food without adding sunflower oil, drink tea with sugar or jam.
Wednesday is considered a fast day even in ordinary times, but during Holy Week it is especially strict. Devout believers should not eat boiled food, drink only water during the day, and after sunset they can have bread and tea or compote. You can sweeten it, but do not add jam. In the evening, they eat only raw food that has not been subjected to heat treatment.
Laymen are allowed to eat boiled food, but without using sunflower oil. Lenten soups, stewed or baked vegetables, baked goods made from unleavened dough. You can drink tea, coffee, juices, compotes and jelly, naturally, without adding milk.
A typical day of strict fasting. You can eat boiled food without adding sunflower oil, drink tea with sugar or jam.
Laymen are allowed to cook with sunflower oil, but without adding dairy and meat products, as well as eggs.
The most terrible day in the history of Christianity is the eve of Easter. You can't eat anything at all. Even those who have received a relaxation of fasting in their diet are advised to abstain from food for as long as possible, preferably until sunset. You can only drink water. If you don’t have the strength not to eat anything, then you can have a snack with a slice of bread with water or any fruit (vegetable).
It is advisable to abstain as much as possible from boiled food, especially for those who will participate in the Procession and receive communion at the Altar. You can have breakfast with bread and water or tea, and have a snack of vegetables for lunch.
Lay people can eat boiled food without using sunflower oil, eggs, dairy products and meat in its preparation. This is all you can eat during Holy Week during Lent.
Resurrection
Great. This is the most important holiday for Christians. Christ is Risen! All Christians rejoice and rejoice at the miraculous resurrection of our Savior. On this day you can eat everything. Rich tables are set, on which there must be Easter cottage cheese, Easter eggs and Easter cakes. Traditionally, horseradish, a piece of lard and homemade sausage should be present on the table.
Happy Easter to you!
Before Easter you will have to celebrate Holy Week (we will tell you in the article what you can eat on the days before Easter). But what can you eat on a daily basis during this period? Now we have to deal with this. For believers, this week is very important. During this period and until Easter, Christians pray and read the Bible. They remember Christ, who came to our Earth to cure us of various diseases, and left this world for our sins.
The fact is that throughout the week before Easter, not everything is allowed to be eaten. These 7 days are considered the strictest. From the first day to the seventh, every day is considered Great. During this important week, believers keep the strictest Fast.
Holy Week is a kind of memory of the last time of our savior and his terrible torment. During this week, people are rethinking their lives. Someone decides to repent, someone is simply in thought, and someone prays earnestly. This holy holiday means something different for everyone. This week the soul is cleansed of sinful thoughts. That is, abstinence occurs not only food, but also morally. During Holy Week you cannot be angry and swear - this is a great sin, just like eating meat with wine.
Approximate diet and procedure
What can you eat during Holy Week? During this period, you are allowed to eat bread, vegetables in any form, fruits and mushrooms. But do not forget that your food should be raw vegetables and fruits, cooked without oil. Compotes and cold teas are allowed as drinks. Moreover, you can’t eat in the morning. Meals are taken once - in the evening.
By the end of the week, you are already allowed to add hot vegetable foods with oil to your diet. You can eat twice a day. And drinking wine is allowed. Friday is the strictest of all seven days. On Good Friday it is forbidden to eat any food. This is explained by the fact that people are in mourning, since on this day Christ was crucified. Naturally, during Holy Week you should give up all sweets except honey. You should not eat baked goods, meat, fish, eggs or dairy.
Since the week before Easter you need to adhere to strict food rules, we have compiled an approximate diet for you. Don’t worry, on the eighth day you can return to your usual menu.
Monday
The first day of Holy Week is considered the most difficult, as you will have to give up your usual diet. Much food will be prohibited. Firstly, you have to suddenly switch to single meals. Secondly, which is also unusual, you have to eat all your food raw. People who strongly believe in the Lord God do not eat anything at all on this day. Ordinary people who simply believe in God are allowed to include bread and vegetables in any form on the menu on the first day of Holy Week before Easter. That is, they can be dried, salted, pickled and fermented. It is allowed to include mushrooms and fruits in the daily diet.
Only cold juices are accepted for drinks. Don't forget, on this day you take food only once and that in the evening. And during the day, be sure to tidy up your room or yard if you have a private home. On Monday in the church, all employees remember Christ and the events that happened earlier on this day.
Tuesday
On this day you can eat the dishes you have prepared, but only without adding oil. We can only eat once a day, in the evening. The church eats fresh vegetables and fruits. But they have limited access to these products. On this day it is necessary to wash all dirty things, because then there will be no time. The sermons of Christ are remembered in churches.
Wednesday
On this day we continue to eat dry food. People devoted to God even refuse food altogether. Clean the house early in the morning and take out all the trash. Slowly begin to prepare for Easter. In churches on Wednesday they will remember Judas and how he betrayed our savior. It would not hurt to confess on this day. They say that it is on Wednesday that the Lord will forgive everything to all who repent of their sins. That is, on this day you are completely cleansed.
Thursday
On the fourth day there is already a slight relaxation, since it is now allowed to eat twice. Plus, it is permissible to eat hot food with vegetable oil. You can prepare salads and, if you wish, you can drink a little wine. On this day you should finish all your chores related to cleaning the house. On Thursday, various rituals are performed to expel all evil spirits from the house. Be sure to consecrate your apartment with church candles.
There are old customs. When you wash windows and doors, throw some small change into the soapy solution. This will help bring prosperity and good luck into your home. On this day, preparations for Easter already begin. Housewives paint eggs and bake Easter cakes. People call this day “Maundy Thursday”. That is, at the very end of the day you need to shop well. All this must be completed before sunrise. It is believed that water will wash away all your sins and take away illnesses with it. After showering, dress exclusively in clean clothes.
It turns out that Thursday is the busiest day for Christians. You need to have time to do everything, and also prepare the main attributes for the festive table. There is also a belief that if, after bathing, you collect salt in a linen bag and store it for a whole year, then evil spirits will not be able to get into your home.
Friday (Good)
This day is considered the strictest. We all mourn on Friday for Christ, because he was crucified on Friday. Whether you like it or not, you simply must not eat anything on this day. Exceptions apply for young children and elderly sick people. On this day you need to rest; you have completed all the housework earlier. In churches, ministers remember the suffering of Christ that he had to endure on the last day of his life. We are obliged to endure this fast, since Christ once saved us. After all, the Lord died so that we could live.
Saturday
Easter is approaching, only one day left. On this day, all night and the morning of the next day, people illuminate eggs, Easter cakes, and water. You can consecrate whatever you consider necessary to bring to the temple. Someone brings wine, lard, cheese and sausage. People bring different things, the main thing is that they believe in God and on this Bright Day. Church servants do not eat anything on this day either. Ordinary people (Christians) can eat a piece of bread, a limited amount of vegetables and fruits, dried fruits and honey. On this day, you can finish cooking what you haven’t had time to do yet. But before the evening you should definitely get it done, since the service will take place all night.
Sunday (Holy Easter)
Finally, we waited for the brightest day. In the morning you cannot eat anything until you have dedicated your food. Then, when you get home, you need to break your fast. You can eat an egg, salzo, cheese, sausage, and definitely a pasochka. And only then everything that you have prepared for this holiday. This is real joy for people, because our Christ is Risen. On this day you can have fun and walk. But this does not mean that after fasting you need to immediately pounce on food. Try to gradually expand your diet every day.
On Easter, parishioners visit church for communion. You should also give alms to the poor. All days of Holy Week are very important. During this period, rethinking comes to every person. Thus, by Easter a person comes already spiritually pure. Be sure to follow these rules, you will see how the burden that lay inside your soul has been lifted from you. Perhaps something was bothering you, and the week before Easter is an excellent opportunity to beg your sins from the Lord. They say that if we truly repent from a pure heart, the Lord will forgive us for everything that we once did that was illegal.
In addition to spiritual cleansing, physical cleansing occurs. Thanks to fresh vegetables and fruits, the body gets rid of harmful waste and toxins, and the body becomes healthier. Fasting is useful for absolutely all people, the main thing is that they have faith in God.
To fast or not is everyone’s business. But true Christians must adhere to this rule. Every person should know the history of his origin, and who Christ was. We need to celebrate the holiday consciously. Fasting will be very easy, since now there are a large number of different Lenten recipes. You can eat different dishes every day, but without meat. It's simple, because you don't need to go on exhausting diets and starve. You can simply diversify your diet with other foods for just a week.
For breakfast you can serve various salads from vegetables and fruits. Prepare fruit and mushroom soups. Make chowder with rice and vegetables. Even if you need to prepare soups, you can easily do without oil. Add all vegetables fresh to the broth. Celebrate Holy Week in prayer. And on Easter day, be sure to go to church.