Christians that follow Julian calendar enter Advent
- 28.11.2008 05:36
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The Orthodox Christians that follow the Julian calendar entered Advent or Nativity Fast on Friday, November 28. Until November 7, they will not eat sweets and will pray to the Blessed Virgin Marry. The focus of the entire season is the celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ in his First Advent, and the anticipation of the return of Christ the King in his Second Advent.
Advent purifies our soil and body, the deacon of the Shelter of the Holy Virgin Church in Ghidighici, priest Andrei Irascu has told Info-Prim Neo.
The people will also remember the children killed by Pontius Pilate. After the magicians came to Pilate and told him that Jesus would be born, the Pontius ordered that all the Jewish kids be killed. About 10,000 children are said to have been killed then.
The fast traditionally entails fasting from meat products, eggs, dairy products. Fish, wine and oil are allowed on Saturdays and Sundays, and oil and wine are allowed on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The fasting rules permit fish, and/or wine and oil on certain feast days that occur during the course of the fast
The sick people, children and pregnant women are allowed to eat food that is banned during Advent. They can fast by purifying the soul, praying and doing good things.
Fasting with humility and repentance is believed to enable one to draw closer to God by denying the body worldly pleasure. Although the fast influences the body, the emphasis is placed on the spiritual facet of the fast rather than physical deprivation.
