Apostles' Fast begins in Orthodox Christian world

[Priest Siluan]

The fast always ends on July 12 when Orthodox believers commemorate Sts. Peter and Paul[....]

The Fast ends, of course, on June 29, which is when Orthodox believers commemorate Sts. Peter and Paul. That this coincides with July 12 on the Pope's calendar is another matter entirely. No one turning to July 12 on the Menaion will find the feast of the Apostles.

We agree, the Feast of Holy and Glorious Apostles St Peter and Paul is Juny 29/ July 12, but the mistake that you mentioned was made by the Russian agency of news RIA Novosti.

With love in Christ

Fr Siluan

[Esteban]

Oh, Father, I know--it is simply that the identical error is made by an unnerving number of Orthodox Christians, all the time.

[Felipe Ortiz]

Even though this article says fish is allowed, my SJKP calendar says fish only on the weekends and on the Nativity of Saint John, otherwise Tuesdays and Thursdays are oil & wine days.

Actually, if I recall correctly, during the Apostles' Fast (and the Nativity Fast, before Dec. 19 inclusive) fish may be eaten on Tuesday, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays if the feast of the day is at least doxology rank. If a feast so ranked should fall on Monday, Wednesday, and Tuesday, wine and oil are premitted. I believe this is spelled out in Chapter XXX of the Ustav, but I don't have my copy at hand to double check.

The Saint Herman Calendar says the same as SJKP Calendar. And, although I do not know the rank of the feasts celebrated during these days, I think that likely both SHC and SJKP are taking into account the rules of the Ustav.

[Esteban]

The Saint Herman Calendar says the same as SJKP Calendar. And, although I do not know the rank of the feasts celebrated during these days, I think that likely both SHC and SJKP are taking into account the rules of the Ustav.

Actually, this quote from Chapter XXXIII of the Ustav is taken precisely from the St Herman Calendar:

"It should be noted that in the Fast of the Holy Apostles and of the Nativity of Christ, on Tuesday and Thursday we do not eat fish, but only oil and wine. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday we eat neither oil nor wine.... On Saturday and Sunday we eat fish. If there occurs on Tuesday or Thursday a saint who has a Doxology, we eat fish; if on Monday, the same; but if on Wednesday or Friday, we allow only oil and wine.... If it be a saint who has a Vigil on Wednesday or Friday, or the saint whose temple it is, we allow oil and wine and fish.... But from the 20th of December until the 25th, even if it be Saturday or Sunday, we do not allow fish."

[Joshua F]

read my calendar wrong - the feast is Wednesday so the Apostles' fast lasts for two-three days (depending on how you count Wednesday). Some OCA friends clued me in over a game of Settlers of Catan last night Am I right in thinking that there was no Apostles' fast in 2002 and that there will not be one in 2013?

[Jean-Serge]

Good feast of Saint Peter and Saint Paul... The next fast will begin within about one month...