The Orthodox Christians who follow the Julian calendar on November 28 begin the Nativity Fast that runs for 40 days, until January 6 inclusive, by Christmas. For those who follow the new, Gregorian calendar, the Nativity Fast started on November 14 and will end on December 25, IPN reports.

According to the bishop of Saint Teodora de la Sihla Cathedral Ioan Ciuntu, it is important that the faithful should resort to physical cleanness by refraining from food and to spiritual cleanness by prayer, charity and good words. “As long as a person cannot concentrate and decide to give up particular foods, meat, alcohol and does not work on himself, this cannot recover spiritually either,” stated the priest.

Ioan Ciuntu noted the people while fasting should know that any of their actions is a step forward, such as a candle put on the candlestick to burn, a prayer said in the church, desisting from culinary and bodily pleasures. Also, the persons should be reconciled with those around. “Our harmonization cannot occur only when a soul follows another soul and the people when fasting should help those in need, the sick ones and those who are in jails. The fast is the period that should help a non-friend to become a friend,” said the bishop.

The fast traditionally entails fasting from products of animal origin, fish, oil, and wine. Unlike Lent, fish is allowed on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the fasting period and on the feasts of Saint Andrew and Saint Nicholas. The persons who are ill, the very young or elderly and nursing mothers are exempt from fasting. The Eve of Nativity is a strict fast day on which no solid food should be eaten until the first star is seen in the evening sky.

Those who want to take communion can do it in any church starting with the first fasting week. Priest Ioan Ciuntu said it is a sin to abuse food and to yield to physical pleasures after taking communion.

There are four fasting periods during the year, namely Great Lent, the Apostles’ Fast, the Nativity Fast and the Dormition Fast.