The Nativity Fast also has a second name - Philip's Fast, it is directly related to the meeting of St. Philip, which falls on November 27. The holy and bright Nativity Fast prepares all Orthodox believers for the meeting of a significant festive event - Nativity of Christ. According to the new style, the bright holiday is celebrated on the 7th of January, and it is until this date that the holy restriction of believers lasts. The beginning of the Nativity Fast is never modified; the first date of restriction is set by the Orthodox religion for November 28.
Menu for the Nativity Fast 2018-2019 for every daywill definitely tell you which dishes are recommended and allowed to be included in the daily Orthodox menu, and which foods should be categorically avoided. 
The Nativity fast is recognized as a strict long-term restriction. During its duration, it is important to completely avoid eating animal products. During the same period, there are dates when it is allowed to feast on fish. These days are recognized as the dates when significant bright holidays are celebrated in Orthodoxy. It is not only strict dietary restrictions that a believer must adhere to during the duration of Philip's fast. It is very important to abandon human passions and empty desires with which the life of an ordinary person is filled. Any fast gives the believer spiritual strength, it supplies him with an energetic and physical charge, gives him self-confidence and effectively relieves him of mental anguish and various experiences of a nervous nature. After the sweat stops, the believer feels an unprecedented lightness, he understands true unity with the Lord and feels his faithful and constant support.
What is allowed and what is not allowed to eat during fasting?
From November 28, 2018 to January 6, 2019 Nativity Fast - Filippov village t enters the homes and hearts of Orthodox believers. This restriction is considered less strict along with Lent. Nevertheless, Filippova the restriction also has important nutritional fundamentals that are necessary for Orthodox believers to implement.
When does it begin in Orthodoxy?Christmas post in 2018-2019, menu for every daymust not contain products such as:
- meat dishes;
- various dairy products;
- eggs.
Believers It is allowed to drink St. Cahors - red church wine. You can drink a small glass of wine almost every evening, but Drinking the holy drink on Fridays is strictly prohibited. 
As for fish dishes, thennutrition calendar by day for the bright Nativity fast 2018-2019allows you to eat such food on great Orthodox holiday dates, as well as periods when martyrs are revered. One of these bright celebrations is the Entry into the Orthodox Church of the Most Holy Theotokos; the triumph of Orthodoxy is celebrated on December 4th. Holidays can fall on almost any day of the week, but it is strictly forbidden to eat fish dishes on Wednesdays, as well as Fridays, while the effect lasts Filippov's fast. 
17 - eating boiled plant foods without adding oil.
18, 19 - plant foods in any form and fish dishes are allowed. December 19 - Memorial Day
20 - any plant food is allowed, raw or boiled with the addition of oil.
21 - dry eating.
22, 23 - fish dishes and plant foods are allowed, raw or cooked with the addition of oil.
24 - hot food without oil.
25 - boiled vegetable food with added oil.
26 - dry eating.
27 - plant foods in raw or prepared form with the addition of oil.
28 - dry eating.
29, 30 - plant foods in raw or prepared form with the addition of oil, fish.
31 - hot food without oil.
January 1 - raw and thermally processed plant foods without oil are recommended.
January 2 - dry eating.
3 - hot vegetable food without oil.
4 - dry eating.
5 - any plant food, raw or boiled with butter, is allowed.
Is it possible to eat fish
Fish is allowed:
- November 28 - December 19: Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays;
- December 20 - January 1: Saturdays and Sundays;
- December 4 (on the feast of the Entry of the Virgin Mary into the Temple);
- December 19 (St. Nicholas Day).
Can I drink wine?
The consumption of this drink is allowed on Saturdays and Sundays, as well as on the holidays of the Entry of the Virgin Mary into the Temple and St. Nicholas.
How to prepare and smoothly enter the fast
To make dietary restrictions easier for your body to accept and not harm your well-being, you should:
- prepare for fasting several weeks in advance. Animal products should be eliminated gradually so as not to cause stress in the body due to sudden starvation. The first foods to avoid: lamb, beef, pork. Then the ban should apply to milk and eggs;
- the day before entering the fast, cleanse the intestines so that the mechanisms of intracellular nutrition are launched. This will also help get rid of the obsessive feeling of hunger. People who neglect bowel cleansing will find it more difficult to suppress their appetite, especially in the first 2-3 days;
- before the spell, eating fatty, heavy and difficult-to-digest foods is prohibited;
- enter the fast with weak restrictions that must be gradually tightened;
- the reduced calorie content of food can be compensated by increasing the serving size at one time;
- In the first days, you can experiment with your diet and eat more often. When the body finally gets used to the new diet, you can return to your previous daily routine;
- have frequent fruit and vegetable snacks between meals;
- drink water instead of other drinks: juice, compote.
Rules of conduct and traditions of the Nativity Fast
The Nativity fast is not only food restrictions, but also a time when you can repent of your thoughts and actions. This means that a person must give up many familiar things:
- food of animal origin - milk, butter, eggs, cheese, sour cream and partly fish;
- consumption of alcoholic beverages - they are prohibited according to the Church Charter throughout the entire period of fasting (except for wine);
- idleness - excessive rest can harm both body and soul;
- entertainment - visiting entertainment venues, noisy celebrations with friends, celebrating anniversaries, excessive use of the Internet are unacceptable during Lent;
- watching TV - scenes of cruelty, violence from television series and news will complicate the process of searching for the Divine principle within oneself;
- travel - trips that are not related to visiting shrines or do not contain a spiritual basis are better postponed to another time;
- marital relations - carnal restrictions are welcome only with the mutual consent of both spouses.
Changes should also affect the sphere of relationships with people. During the Nativity Fast, you need to become kinder and more tolerant of others, put aside all grievances and stop using obscene language.
On days of fasting, it is advisable to attend churches and services, read the Gospel, pray, read the Psalter, perform godly deeds and give alms, and receive communion.
The Orthodox Church does not prohibit reading akathists during the Nativity Fast. Considering the large number of days of remembrance in the Orthodox calendar for December, doing this is not only possible, but also useful from a spiritual point of view.
What you can and cannot do during the Nativity Fast
Fasting is a period of restrictions not only in nutrition, but also in lifestyle. To achieve spiritual cleansing, one must abstain from everyday sins. You cannot remain angry, irritable, entertain bad thoughts, quarrel with loved ones, judge others and gossip. It is prohibited to attend entertainment events and abuse television and Internet resources. Neglecting these rules is considered a violation of fasting.
Is it possible to do handicrafts
During the Nativity Fast, it is allowed to sew, embroider with beads, knit and crochet. Restrictions on handicraft arise only when it replaces saying prayers and going to church.
Is it possible to baptize a child
You can choose any day of the Nativity Fast for christening.
Is it possible to remember the dead?
It is allowed to commemorate the deceased from November 28 to January 5. It is better to do this through prayer - in church or at home. You can also order memorial services and submit notes for the proskomedia. If there is a memorial meal during this period, her diet should be as simple and lean as possible. Relaxation of fasting requirements can only be done with the permission of a priest or personal spiritual mentor.
Is it possible to conceive a child?
According to church traditions, it is undesirable to conceive a child during Lent, although restrictions on intimacy can only be by mutual consent. If conception does happen, you should not torment yourself with prejudices and worry once again. The date of conception according to the church calendar has no relation to the health and development of the unborn child.
Is it possible to get married
The Sacrament of Marriage is not performed during fasting days.
Is it possible to have a wedding?
A modest version of the painting in the registry office does not go beyond the postal restrictions. A merry party with an abundance of meat and fish dishes is not welcome during the 40 days of fasting. It is believed that such a wedding promises misfortune and hardship to the newlyweds.
Is it possible to go hunting and fishing?
The Orthodox Church does not support killing animals and fishing for the sake of excitement and an interesting pastime. Therefore, it is better to avoid them during fasting.
Sayings and signs
- If during the Nativity Fast the weather is extremely cloudy or snowy, then May will be quite stormy.
- If there are frequent snowstorms, you should expect an early spring.
- If there are frosts in the first days, then the grain harvest will be good.
- If relatives quarrel during Lent, then the whole next year will be full of troubles.
- The loss of something promises losses in the coming year, and any discovery promises new income.
- If, at the end of the moon, you touch a dry branch with a wart, saying: “Just as during fasting the meat on a platter is empty, so that the wart is thin,” then it will dry out and fall off.
Advent fast for Catholics
Catholics have traditions of the Nativity Fast that are in many ways similar to Orthodox ones. The main difference is the dates. The Catholic Nativity Fast begins on November 15 and ends on December 24. During this period, people take on individual obligations that may relate to various areas of everyday life: limiting visits to entertainment events, charity, reconciliation with others. Catholics do not adhere to any special dietary restrictions.
The strictest days of fasting for Catholics are the four Sundays preceding Christmas, called Advent. These days are dedicated to repentance and prayers. An attribute of Advent is a wreath with four candles, which is placed on the home altar.
The Nativity Fast completes a series of strict fasts this year. By following certain rules, you will spend time usefully for the soul and enlist the support of Higher powers.
The Nativity (or Filippov) fast occurs at the end of December and lasts forty days until the Nativity of Christ. During this period, Orthodox Christians purify themselves not only in their bodies, keeping them strict, but also in their souls. Since ancient times, believers have prepared in this way to meet the great day of the Savior’s birth.
Strict fasting involves giving up many familiar dishes, and not everyone manages to follow its rules. Sick people, children, old people and pregnant women can afford the relaxation, since abstaining from necessary products can negatively affect their health. For those who have the opportunity and desire to fast, prayers before meals will help: they will set you up for spiritual cleansing and give you strength to adhere to a strict menu.
Nutrition calendar
During the fasting period, the consumption of meat, butter, eggs, cheese and dairy products is not allowed. The church allows those who, for health reasons, cannot avoid any of these products, to deviate from the rules.
Fish fasting days: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Also on these days you are allowed to drink a little wine. From December 20 to 25, fasting becomes stricter and fish products are excluded from the menu.
November 28-29, December 3, 4, 6, 10, 11, 13, 17-18, 24-25, 31 And 1st of January It is allowed to eat fish products.
November 30, December 12, 14,16, 21, 23, 30 And January 3, 5 You should limit yourself to hot food without oil.
Having decided to observe fasting from beginning to end, remember that the goal is also to strengthen yourself on the righteous path. Fasting keeps the body in strictness and enlightens the thoughts. This period is especially important for cultivating spirituality, atonement for sins and awareness of oneself as a Divine creation.
Do not forget to pray to the Higher Powers so that they help you in difficult times. By observing fasting, you will take the path of enlightenment and allow your soul to develop. To sow what is reasonable, good and eternal is the main task of every person. Be happy and don't forget to press the buttons and
25.11.2016 06:05
During the Nativity Fast, a person’s physical and spiritual preparation for the great holiday of the Nativity of Christ occurs. ...
The Nativity Fast is approaching, designed to prepare every Christian for the Nativity of Christ. So that not only happens...
Yes, because unlike the Great, 40 days of dietary moderation is not strict. Let us remember that these days precede the birthday of the Savior. The Nativity Fast is also called Philippov, since food restrictions are introduced after November 27, the day of remembrance of the Apostle Philip.
Basic nutrition rules
On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, according to the regulations, it is forbidden to eat fish, drink wine and consume vegetable oil; on these days the rule of dry eating applies, food is taken after Vespers.
-On Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday it is allowed to eat food with vegetable oil.
-Fish is consumed on Saturdays, Sundays and great holidays that fall during the period of Lent. When can I fish during Nativity Fast 2019? Accordingly, November 30, December 1, 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22, 28 and 29.
-Meat and meat products, chicken eggs, milk, and cheese are completely excluded from the diet.
Here is a list of great holidays that fall during the period from November 28 to January 7: Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary (December 4), the day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (December 19), as well as on the days of remembrance of some saints - the apostles Matthew (November 29), Andrew First-Called (December 13) and Prince Alexander Nevsky (December 6).
The strictest days
Even more stringent food restrictions are introduced in the period from December 20 to 25 (old style), from January 2 to 6 according to the new style. These days, even on Saturdays and Sundays, fish is not included in the diet.
It should be noted that fish during the Nativity Fast for the laity is a kind of relaxation, since not every believer is able to follow all the rules of eating behavior on these days, without exception.
Bishop Roman of Yakutsk and Lensk, in an interview with the website “Orthodoxy and Peace,” points out the two most common mistakes that believers make when trying to set designated dietary restrictions.
The first and rudest is to consider fasting solely as a diet., which involves temporary exclusion of animal products from the daily diet. While the main meaning of following the rules established by the Church is spiritual cleansing.
The second mistake is not to fast at all, classifying yourself as unworthy and considering this the lot of the righteous. Archpriest Alexander Ilyashenko adds that the main mistake of believers is excessive self-indulgence. You will be more right if you strive to follow the rules of fasting to the best of your ability, rather than excluding it completely from your life.
