Assumption Fast: History and Meaning
Фото: Pixabay
On August 1, believers in Ukraine begin the two-week Assumption Fast, one of the four long fasts of the church year. It is established in honor of the great feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Previously, the Assumption Fast lasted from August 14 to 27. However, after the Orthodox Church of Ukraine switched to the new Julian calendar, the dates were shifted: now the fast begins on August 1 and lasts until the 14th inclusive.
Why is the Assumption Fast important?
It is a special period of spiritual preparation before the feast of the Assumption, the day when, according to Christian teaching, the Virgin Mary ended her earthly life and was ascended to heaven. Lent reminds believers of humility, prayer, and self-control.
The Assumption Fast was first mentioned in church sources of the 5th century, in particular in the conversations of Saint Leo the Great. It was finally approved at the Council of Constantinople in 1166.
The beginning of Lent is also a holiday
The Assumption Fast begins with another important church day – the Exposition of the Holy Woods of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord. The fast itself was established in memory of two great holidays: the Transfiguration of the Lord and the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.
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