The Byzantine Catholic Dormition Fast
The Dormition Fast is a significant, albeit voluntary, period of spiritual preparation in the Byzantine Catholic tradition leading up to one of the most important feasts dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
Chapter: The Dormition Fast
The liturgical year starts in September with a feast of the Mother of God and a feast of the Lord. That is the Nativity of the Theotokos birth and the Exaltation of the Cross. We end the liturgical year in August with another feast celebrating the death of the Mother of God (the Dormition) and a feast celebrating the Lord, the Transfiguration. According to tradition, there is strict abstinence from August 1 to 14 to prepare for the feast of the Dormition.
As I stated earlier, the liturgical year starts in September with a feast of the Mother of God and a feast of the Lord. The Nativity of the Theotokos is September 8 and the Exaltation of the Cross is September 14. We end the liturgical year in August with another a feast celebrating the Lord, the Transfiguration on August 6, and a feast celebrating the death of the Mother of God (the Dormition).
The feast of the Dormition on August 15 is one of the oldest and greatest feasts of the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, and it is preceded by a fourteen-day fast, from August 1 to August 14. By tradition, this is a strict fast (no meat, fish, animal products, wine or oil) on the days of the fast, with wine and oil allowed on Saturday and Sunday, and on the feast of the Transfiguration on August 6. So the fasting on these days essentially resembles that of the Great Fast.
Unlike the Great Fast, however, the celebration of the Divine Liturgy is allowed on weekdays, except for the days of Alleluia on August 3 and 4. Also, during these preparatory days for the feast of the Dormition, it is customary to celebrate the service of the Supplicatory Canon to the Mother of God, also called the Paraklesis. Of course, this fast, just like the Apostles' Fast and Nativity Fast, is voluntary. The faithful should practice it if they can, but are not required to do so.
So, what is the Dormition Fast?
It is a penitential season near the end of the liturgical year. According to tradition, there is strict abstinence from August 1 to 14 to prepare for the feast of the Dormition, which is one of the oldest and greatest feasts of the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary. It is a voluntary fast, but it could help bring the faithful closer to God. Ask your parish priest or deacon for more information on the Dormition Fast.
And that was the Dormition Fast in a nutshell. Thanks for learning with us, until next time, may God grant you many blessed years.
Quiz
1. Please read the question carefully.
2. Think of an answer.
3. Click to check the answer.
When does the liturgical year begin and end, and what major feasts mark these transitions?
The liturgical year begins in September with the Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos and the Exaltation of the Cross. It ends in August with the Feast of the Transfiguration and the Feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God.
What is the Dormition, and on what date is the Feast of the Dormition celebrated?
The Dormition refers to the death or “falling asleep” of the Virgin Mary. The Feast of the Dormition is celebrated on August 15th.
Describe the traditional practice of the Dormition Fast, including its duration and the level of abstinence involved.
The traditional Dormition Fast lasts for fourteen days, from August 1st to August 14th. It involves optional strict abstinence from meat, fish, animal products, wine, and oil on most days.
How does the fasting during the Dormition Fast compare to the fasting during the Great Fast, according to the text?
The fasting during the Dormition Fast essentially resembles that of the Great Fast in its strictness, although the Dormition Fast allows for the celebration of the Divine Liturgy on most weekdays.
Is the Dormition Fast considered mandatory for all faithful?
No, the Dormition Fast is not mandatory for all faithful. The text explicitly states that it is a voluntary fast that the faithful should practice if they can.
Recommended Reading
- Father Basil Shereghy. The Liturgical Year of the Byzantine-Slavonic Rite. (Pittsburgh, PA: Byzantine Seminary Press, 1968.)
A good book-length introduction to the liturgical year as celebrated in the Byzantine Catholic Church. - A Monk of the Eastern Church (Father Lev Gilet). The Year of Grace of the Lord. (Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 2001.)
An beautiful explanation and commentary on the liturgical year; an Orthodox standard.
