Orthodox Christians following unrevised Julian calendar begin Dormition Fast

Orthodox Christians who follow the unrevised calendar begin the Dormition Fast on Friday, 14 August, a two-week period that ends in late August.

It is one of the year’s strictest fasting periods, comparable to the Great Lent before Easter. During this period, meat, eggs and dairy products are not consumed, while fish is permitted only on 19 August, the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord.

Alongside dietary restrictions, the period is devoted to increased prayer and to cultivating a more temperate way of life. Reading Holy Scripture, attending Church services and helping those in need are all part of the spiritual preparation for the feast.

Where the unrevised Julian calendar is observed In Romanian communities, the unrevised calendar is followed particularly in the Republic of Moldova, northern Bukovina and Budjak, and among Romanians in the Timok Valley in Serbia. Some Ukrainian communities in Romania, the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, and Mount Athos also observe the same calendar.

In some Romanian communities outside the country, the period also retains traditional forms of prayer. The fast begins with lăsatul secului, the traditional final day before fasting…