The Orthodox Christians have now entered Great Lent, the strictest fasting period of the year. Until the Feast of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, celebrated this year on May 5, those who fast will not eat meat, fish, dairy products, eggs, and also wine. The first and last weeks of the fasting period are the strictest, IPN reports.

Lent lasts forty days. It officially begins on Monday, seven weeks before Easter, after the Sunday of Adam’s Expulsion from Heaven and ends on the evening of Lazarus Saturday, the day before Palm Sunday, when the Lord’s Entry into Jerusalem is celebrated. However, fasting continues into the following week, which is also called Holy Week or Passion Week.

Compared to other fasting periods of the year, Lent is considered harsher. During the 40 days, there are only two feasts when fish is allowed – the Annunciation, observed on April 7 (by Christians who follow the old church calendar) and Palm Sunday, celebrated a week before Easter.

Sick people, pregnant women and children can ask for dispensation from the priest. Parishioners will be able to take communion from the first week.

In a message at the beginning of Great Lent, His Eminence Metropolitan Bishop Vladimir encourages the Christians to live in peace, love and faith with their close ones. “My dear, fasting is a good occasion for earnest prayer and good works. Spiritual fasting means fasting of the senses – the mouth should not speak untruths and injustices, the eyes should not look at the perishing and tempting, the ear should not listen to empty words. And blessed are those who combine spiritual fasting with bodily fasting because, through self-control, one becomes a luminous face of Christian humility,” reads the Metropolitan Bishop’s message.