fasting season

Bishop Teofil urges prayer and charity for those unable to fast during Lent

Assistant Bishop Teofil of the Archdiocese of Roman and Bacău urged believers who are unable to fast during the Lenten period to intensify their prayer or perform more acts of charity. The hierarch celebrated the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts on Wednesday at the Nativity of the Mother of God Monastery in Caraclău, Bacău County.…

Mar 12, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Orthodox Christians to begin Great Lent on Feb. 23 as Pascha falls on April 12

In about a month, on February 23, Orthodox Christians will enter Great Lent, also known as the Great Fast. The Feast of the Resurrection of the Lord (Holy Pascha) will be celebrated on April 12 this year. On February 1, the liturgical season of the Triodion begins, including three preparatory weeks for Great Lent, followed…

Jan 22, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Dormition Fast begins August 1: brief guidelines

The Dormition Fast begins this Friday and lasts for two weeks for Orthodox Christians observing the revised calendar. This year, the fast will also conclude on a Friday, which means it will be extended by one day, in accordance with the General Liturgics. “The fast is prolonged to include the feast day itself if it…

Jul 28, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Archbishop Atanasie urges faithful to embrace apostolic mission during Saints Peter and Paul Fast

His Eminence Archbishop Atanasie of Great Britain and Northern Ireland delivered a pastoral message at the beginning of the Apostles’ Fast, emphasising that this liturgical season is a natural continuation of Pentecost. “If the Day of Pentecost marks the foundation of the Church, then this liturgical period calls us to live out the life of…

Jun 18, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

The fasting season involves a spiritual struggle, Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop Varlaam says

In his sermon delivered last Friday at the Patriarchal Cathedral, the Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop Varlaam of Ploieşti stressed that “the fasting season involves a spiritual struggle with ourselves, against the temptations that come from around us and, especially, against the spirits of evil.” His Grace said that the Mother of God comes to the aid…

Apr 20, 2021Aurelian Iftimiu

Nativity Fast begins: “Let us prepare our souls to become the cave in which Christ will be mystically born”

On the first day of the Nativity Fast, Sunday, November 15, 2020, Patriarch Daniel explained that we should use his fasting season as a time for preparing our souls to become a luminous cave in which Christ the Lord will be mystically born. “To the merciful love of God Who sent His only Son in…

Nov 15, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Husi Bishop says we should be addicted to the Bible like we are to our smartphones

‘It would be wonderful if the dependence on the word of God were at least directly proportional to the addiction to our smartphone,’ wrote Wednesday His Grace Bishop Ignatie of Husi on his Instagram account marking the Bible Day. He stressed that we are in ‘the age of word inflation,’ an inflation which lacks the…

Nov 14, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

40 Patriarch Daniel Quotes for the Lenten Season

Orthodox Christians across the globe are entering Lent, the season of preparation before Easter. The 40-day period sees many Christians partake in a season of moderation, meditation, fasting, prayer and repentance. The exercises in discipline are undertaken to allow believers time to reflect on the life, words and sacrifices of our Saviour Jesus Christ. For…

Mar 11, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu