Among the four many-day fasts in the Russian Church, the Holy Four-Decade (Great Lent) is the longest and most rigorous. If you touch the bodily side of fasting in abstinence from food, then Great Lent provides for including abstinence from fish with the exception of a few days.
Unlike other multi-day fasts (Petrov and Rozhdestvensky), Lent provides for stricter abstinence in food. It is forbidden to eat not only animal products, but also fish (on most days). On Wednesdays and Fridays, the charter implies a ban even on eating oil (vegetable oil). However, the duration of the holy Fourteenth Day determines the presence in the church calendar of several great holidays, in the days of which there is a relaxation in the severity of fasting.
The main holidays of Lent, falling in most cases precisely on this period of abstinence. are the days when the Holy Church triumphs the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as well as the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem. These dates are marked in red in bold on the Orthodox calendar, which indicates that these celebrations are called twentieth (that is, among the twelve great Orthodox holidays). These days, a church charter permits the tasting of fish during Lent.
The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated on April 7th. This Mother of God holiday presents to humanity the good news of the conception and birth of the Savior of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ from the Virgin Mary. From ancient times in Russia, this day was marked by great triumphs. True, it is worth considering that the day of the Annunciation may coincide with Wednesday or Friday. In this case, eating fish is not provided for in the charter (boiled food with vegetable oil is allowed). It is extremely rare for the day of the Annunciation to fall on the post-Easter period. For example, on the Bright Week. Then on this day all fasts are canceled altogether, because the holy Fourteenth day ended with Easter.
The Lord’s entry into Jerusalem, popular name Palm Sunday, falls on the last Sunday before Holy Easter. Therefore, this holiday is always allowed to eat fish, despite the fact that Lent continues. In 2016, the feast of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem falls on April 24th.
The church charter requires permission to eat fish roe on Saturday before Palm Sunday (Lazareva Saturday). On this day, the Church recalls the great miracle of Christ's resurrection of the four-day Lazarus. In the absence of many real fish caviar for eating, some clergymen bless and eat fish on this day.
Of particular note is the practice of blessing the relaxation of fasting in food. This applies to sick people or children and adolescents, as well as other persons who for one reason or another are not able to maintain the entire Great Lent in authorized severity. With the blessing of the confessor (priest), you can eat fish on Sundays and Saturdays of Great Lent (with the exception of the first, third and last week).
