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Fasting

Table of contents

1 Fasting for Religious Reasons 1.1 Hinduism 1.2 Islam 1.3 Christanity 1.3.1 Roman Catholicism 1.3.2 Eastern Orthodox Churches 1.3.3 Protestant Churches 2 Fasting for Medical Reasons 3 The Internal Effects of Fasting 4 The Political Fast 5 See also:

Fasting for Religious Reasons

Hinduism

Islam

Christanity

Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are still days of fasting and abstinence, as specified in the Code of Canon Law (cc. 1250 to 1253). On these two solemn days Roman Catholics are enjoined to both fast (reduce the size of their daily meals) and to abstain (to completely avoid the consumption of meat in those meals).

The current regulations concerning Lenten fasting and abstience for Catholics in the United States generally are as follows,

• Abstinence from meats is to be observed by all Catholics 14 years old and older on Ash Wednesday and on all Fridays of Lent.
• Fasting is to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday by all Catholics who are 18 years of age but not yet 59. Those who are bound by this may take only one full meal. Two smaller meals are permitted if necessary to maintain strength according to one’s needs, but eating solid foods between meals is not permitted.

Until the Second Vatican Council Ash Wednesday and all the subsequent Fridays and Saturdays of Lent were days of "Fasting and Abstinence" whereas all the other weekdays of Lent were days of "Fasting without Abstinence". An exception to this rule was granted to the Bishops of Ireland (see Irish calendar) by the Vatican in 1918, when the obligation of fasting and abstaining on the Lenten Saturdays was transferred to the Wednesdays of Lent instead.

Immediately before the Second Vatican Council limited fasting to Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, fasting days included all of the weekdays (i.e., non-Sundays) of Lent, all Ember days, and the vigils of (days before) Pentecost, Immaculate Conception, and Christmas, unless either of the latter two fell on a Sunday (regardless of other circumstances, a Sunday could never be a day of fast or abstinence). Abstinence was required on all Fridays, except those upon which a holy day of obligation fell, and also on Ash Wednesday, Holy Saturday, and the vigils of Immaculate Conception and Christmas unless the latter two were Sundays. Prior to 1951, all Wednesdays of Lent and the vigils of Assumption and All Saints (unless Sunday) were also days of both fasting and abstinence (but the vigil of Immaculate Conception was not), and Ember days brought abstinence as well as fasting (the fast on the vigil of Pentecost was added in 1951, not having been in force prior).

In recent years, Saint Patrick's Day has at times fallen on a Friday of Lent. Some Priests have granted dispensations for their parishoners from the abstinence obligations so that Catholics could enjoy traditional Irish dishes.

Eastern Orthodox Churches

Protestant Churches

Fasting for Medical Reasons

One reason that people fast for medical reasons is for surgery or other procedures that require anesthetic. Because the presence of food in a person's system can cause complications when they are anesthesied, medical personnel have people fast for several hours before the procedure.

Another reason that people fast for medical reasons is for certain medical tests. People are asked to fast often so that a baseline can be established.

Longer term fasting for health reasons typically lasts a week or longer and includes some food intake, such as fruit or vegetable juices.

The Internal Effects of Fasting

The Political Fast

Hunger strikes have been used by personalities all over the world, including Martin Luther King Jr and Lanza del Vasto (during the Algerian War, Vatican II and the struggle of the farmers of the Larzac plateau).

Today, hunger strikes are often used by refugees seeking political asylum.

See also:

• non-violence
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