Lenten Cookbook
About Fasting
Jesus Christ Himself, the Holy Prophet John, and many others in the Old Testament fasted. To fast is to consume smaller portions and to eat a vegan diet free from meat, fish, and dairy. Fasting is an ascetic discipline whose purpose is to aid us in the struggle against the passions that enslave us. Exerting self-control brings us freedom. By developing self-control over our diet we nurture the ability to perform the true fast of refraining from sin. To fast with a legalistic attitude is to miss the point of fasting entirely. Fasting also helps us to simply our lives and thus focus on Christ more. Also, money that would go to more elaborate food is instead given as alms to the poor. Thus the Orthodox Christian is fully equipped with the three spiritual weapons proclaimed in the Sermon on the Mount: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
Fasting was part of the Jewish faith of Christ and the Apostles. During the life of Christ His Apostles were slandered for not fasting; the Lord responds: “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast” (Mt 9:15). The early Church continued the Jewish tradition of fasting twice each week, but moved the days to Wednesdays and Fridays to call to mind the betrayal of the Lord and the crucifixion, respectively. Orthodox Christians also fast in preparation to receive the Holy Eucharist and at various times throughout the year. Furthermore, one cannot truly feast without fasting. Because of this, Pascha (Easter) becomes an even more joyous occasion, for during Lent Orthodox Christians fast for almost the entire 40 day period. Overall, Orthodox Christians fast for about half the year. For more information on fasting, please see the article and links on OrthodoxWiki.
Lenten Cookbook
St George parishioner Rita Hanna, a nutritionist, has written a cookbook full of delicious fast-friendly (vegan) Lenten recipes. Download a copy here.
The parish of St George, including Rita, was featured in a number of articles in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Lenten cooking in the Orthodox Church:
Orthodox congregation joins sacraments, food in marking Lent