Epiphany Eve

When the Feast of Theophany falls on a Monday, according to the liturgical typikon of the Orthodox Church, the Divine Liturgy on the preceding Friday is not celebrated. Instead, the Royal Hours and the service of the Typica are served — the Liturgy of the Word.

In connection with this, the Church prescribes a special fast: until the evening, the faithful completely abstain from food and drink. At the same time, the strictness of the fast is determined not by the choice of food, but by the time of abstinence. After the fast is concluded, there are no restrictions on the type of food.

This is a particular fast observed on a Sunday.

This ancient practice is reminiscent of the fast during Ramadan, where abstinence is likewise primarily connected with the timing of eating. This similarity is not accidental: in Ramadan one can see features of older Near Eastern religious fasting traditions, including Jewish and Christian ones.

Paradoxically, some ancient forms of fasting preserved in other religious traditions are today often little known even to Christians themselves. Meanwhile, they continue to live within the liturgical typikon of the Church, reminding us of the richness and depth of the ecclesial tradition.