The topic of why we fast in the Orthodox Church was touched on in the previous article (see here) but was not completely explained. The reasons why Orthodox fast during certain periods such as Great Lent or on Wednesdays and Fridays were dealt with in Part 1. Here, we will examine why we fast at all.

The aim of this short article is to explain how we Orthodox Christians fast. It should be stated upfront that fasting is not mandatory for Orthodox Christians. Unlike Islam, it is not a sin if one does not fast. Having said that, fasting is one of the best weapons in our arsenal in dealing with the struggles and the temptations which we face.

St Ephraim the Syrian was a fourth century deacon, hymnographer and theologian. He wrote on a variety of themes and was extremely prolific. His hymns alone cover topics ranging from the Nativity to refuting heresies, and his prose writings on the books of Genesis and Exodus are still read.

​Before closely analysing the words of this Lenten Prayer, it is necessary to go into why this Prayer is recited during the Lenten period. Our Church understands that this Prayer captures the penitent aspect of the spirit of Great Lent, and this is prayed in the weekday Lenten services.

This Sunday is the Second Sunday of Lent, on which the Orthodox Church commemorates St Gregory Palamas. This staunch defender of our faith and Father of the Church lived from 1296 to 1359. Over the course of his life as a monk and a bishop he fought against thinkers who wished to drag the Church away from its tradition and towards a Western, reason-based mode of thinking in comparison with traditional Eastern thought.

​The Sunday of Orthodoxy, also known as the Feast of Orthodoxy or the Triumph of Orthodoxy has a backstory which should be remembered by all Orthodox Christians. Whether they know it or not, it impacts their daily life.