Great post questions and answers + Lenten Calendar 2010

Orthodox Christians from February 15 to begin spiritual preparation for the meeting a great holiday Easters: 48 days before Easter, Lent lasts.

Why is the first Monday of Lent is called Clean?

Unlike the Western tradition, when the Catholics came into office, strewing ashes on his head, and repent of our sins, rolling in the dust of the road, the Slavs in the first day of the post went to the bath, put on clean clothes and do cleaning in the house. On this day, according to a strict monastic statutes refusing to eat, eating a wafer with water.

From what we give in the days of Lent?

According to church ordinance during Lent prohibited from eating animal products - meat, milk, eggs, fish. In addition, from Monday to Friday, if these days do not have a holiday, is not used, and vegetable oil. The first day of Lent - Clean Monday (February 15) - and penultimate - Great Friday (Good Friday, which in 2010 falls on April 2) - recommended without food. On the second day of fasting is recommended xerophagy bread, raw vegetables and fruits - every day in the evening.

Many people put at the center of a gastronomic side of the post, seeing it as a way to diet and excrete the body. More importantly the spiritual side. The Church admits and milder forms of fasting, it is important that people not only purified the body and soul. In the days of Lent is to limit yourself in entertainment, focusing on good thoughts, prayers and charitable affairs.

What foods are allowed during the fasting

During Lent you can eat: vegetables (carrots, beets, eggplant, zucchini, peppers, all kinds of cabbage), potatoes, greens, mushrooms, soy products, fruits, dried fruits, nuts, candied fruits, seeds, herbs, honey, kvass, juice, sweet and mineral water, jams, pickles and marinades, meals of cereals, legumes, beans, peas, lentils, corn, pasta, bread and pancakes fasting (no eggs or milk), caramel, lean cakes, biscuits, gingerbread , oatmeal cookies and crackers, seafood (shrimp, squid, mussels, etc.).

In the days of fasting should limit themselves to these pleasures, including in food. If you want to cook shrimp, squid and oysters as a delicacy, it is best to refrain from such foods. If the position (fish) days you eats seafood, to gather strength for the accomplishment of good deeds, such a menu is not forbidden. After all, fasting is not for the stomach and the soul. The main thing - that you have in mind.

Fish is allowed only twice - on the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (April 7), and on Palm Sunday (March 28). On Lazarus Saturday (March 27) are allowed to spawn, and the rest of Saturday and Sunday of Lent, Great Thursday (Holy Thursday, this year it falls on April 1) and during some particularly revered saints (for example, forty martyrs of Sebaste - March 22, St. Gregory Dialogist - March 25) is allowed to add courses in vegetable oil.

How to cook meatless meals?

In the days when fasting xerophagy provided, should be prepared salads, raw vegetables, sauerkraut and pickled cucumbers, dressed with no oil, and various salad ingredients on the basis of acetic or lemon juice. You can also add nuts and raisins. Fruit salads can be charged with honey.

On the other days of fasting vegetarian food can be boiled or stewed, steamed or grilled. You can cook and vegetable soups, adding there cereals - rice, barley. A very important part of lean table - oatmeal, cooked in water.

Lent excludes any abuse - spices, spicy, salty, sour, sweet, fried food. Therefore it is better to cook in double boiler, cook the vegetables, or potato pancakes on the grill or Teflon pan, but on the frityurnitse at the time of fasting is better to forget.

Is it possible during the fast engaged in fitness?

A very topical issue for the modern man, who would not come to mind our ancestors. The church says about it: it is possible. After training exercises, active and healthy life today - is also a kind of post. Catching up on fitness, you impose on certain restrictions.

Can I go to the post of beauty salons

To maintain the beauty and bodily need, as well as spiritual. You can visit the hairdresser and cut your hair to keep a neat appearance. But on the other cosmetic procedures still refuse, lest idle thoughts do not interfere with spiritual purification.

What if medically necessary to eat nepostny product?

If a diagnosis of any disease doctor offers pre nepostny eat product (eg, eggs), do not abandon the survey due to the post. Take this food as a necessary remedy.

Do I need to abstain from sex?

To perform marital duties is not prohibited in the days of fasting. But the Church reminds us that the loving couple must find time for prayer.

Confessors who are allowed to form a soft, fast?

In the post, it is important to observe moderation, refinement, to avoid excessive eating and hunger. The post must be strictly individual, because the forces are different.  

The Church makes the hardships of fasting for pregnant women, the sick, the elderly and people engaged in hard labor. The post must be weighed against the forces. Those who for the first time decided to stick to the post, it is better to maintain its milder form, refraining from eating meat in the diet and avoiding simple dish of fermented milk products, eggs and fish. And also to give up alcohol.

Do I need to fast for a child?

If you want to educate their children in the Orthodox tradition, they should be, as well as adult family members to refrain from a tasty and enjoyable. But this does not mean that young children should be put on bread and water.

Strong lean discipline can alienate the child from the faith, the simple rejection of the meat will result in a formal relationship to the post. It is important to teach him to rule over their desires. Fasting for a child - it's voluntary renunciation of what most want: sweets, ice cream, cakes and other sweets. Giving a baby milk products, substitute yogurt and cheese coated in a simple and low-fat yogurt cheese instead of fizzy drinks or fruit drinks offer juices.

Fasting for a child - that the refusal of the usual entertainment: TV and computer toys. It is time better spent on reading and educational games with your family.

Lenten Calendar 2010

10 major products in the days of Lent

In the days of Lent the question of how to eat properly at this time to maintain health and vigor, is still relevant. What are the foods most often can be at your desk in the fasting days?

A. Kashi

Boiled in water along with meals can be a vegetable soups main dishes lean table. Not only that cereals can be satisfied, because they are still useful. Oatmeal is rich in vitamin E, calcium and phosphorus, buckwheat adds to our body's reserves of iron, vitamins (especially B and F), and various trace elements. Barley and barley porridge regulate metabolism, possess expectorant, shielding, anti-inflammatory and tonic properties, and rice and wheat is removed from the body of salt.

Two. Home Pickles and blanks

Since ancient times, the mistress in the post every day, put on the table, home-made: pickles, sauerkraut, pickles - all that was prepared in the summer. The only possible danger is the use of these foods in large quantities of salt and vinegar in many marinades, so they should be consumed with caution to those who have stomach problems.

Three. Fresh fruit

Source of vitamins and energy - fresh fruit. In winter and spring, not so much, but in Lent can afford to eat apples every day, and from time to time to please yourself more exotic fruits - oranges, tangerines, kiwi, bananas, grapes, pears. In addition to being tasty fruits, they are also very helpful. Fresh fruit improves the stomach, is removed from the body fat, carcinogens, allergens, reduce elevated blood cholesterol levels, and in addition, reduce the risk of cancer.

4. Potatoes

Belarusian table without potatoes is difficult to imagine. A reference to the post and do not worth it. From the usual potatoes you can think of so many dishes that each day of fasting (except those in which the raw food diet is necessary to comply with the rule) may be a new delight.

Five. Juices

Many vitamins, along with fresh fruit, juices contain. Moreover, contrary to popular opinion, the usefulness of pasteurized juice is practically not inferior to freshly squeezed. However, people with a gastrointestinal juices should be consumed with caution. If you have a juicer at home, you can make juice from almost any fruit, vegetables and berries.

6. Dried fruits and nuts

Sweet Tooth will be able to satisfy his hunger for the goodies with the help of nuts and dried fruits. Raisins, dried apricots, prunes, nuts give a nice flavor to many dishes lean, but as a separate course will serve as an indispensable dessert. The benefits of dried fruit once again say no. These valuable minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, and fiber and pectin present in the dried fruit in full, it is a real concentrate of nutrients. For example, eating a day for five pieces of prunes, figs, dates or dried apricots, you forget about the problems with the intestines.

7. Greens

Fresh and dried herbs can improve the taste of any vegetable dish. Add to that those vitamins that are contained in green and are so lacking in the body in March, and do not forget to buy "extra" a bunch of parsley.

Eight. Vegetables

Cabbage, peppers, tomatoes, carrots - these vegetables can be eaten raw and they are the fount of living in this vitamin. The most useful, is believed to doctors, dark green and yellow and red vegetables. Squash, beets and other vegetables are cooked perfectly fit into your menu as side dishes, main dishes or salads (eg, salad).

9. Bread

Wholemeal bread (no baking) was used to saturate the abundance of the organism. However, it is best to choose diet breads. Sometimes, whole-grain bread can be difficult to distinguish, since the presence of sesame seeds and dark color of the bread is not obligated to testify about his "rudeness". The best way to grind grain for the eyes - look at his cut. It is believed that the larger inclusions in it, which differ in color and texture of the main test, the more coarse grind was. It should be noted that the rye bread meal is not recommended for people with high acidity, as it contributes to heartburn. In the case of frequent heartburn is best to choose bread yeast-free dough, such as pita bread, or unleavened bread diet.

10. Mushrooms

Probably, the main source of vegetable protein, along with legumes, are mushrooming. They contain lots of protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and mineral salts. There are enzymes in fungi and vitamin C, as well as potassium, magnesium, iron, and phosphorus content of mushrooms can be prirovnyat to fish products.