WITH observing fasts and fast days necessary... This is not a human invention, but with the assistance of the Holy Spirit it was decreed and legitimized by the Church and Councils, and the foundation and Head of the Church is Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself...
I wish you to fight a good fight, “to fast spiritually and physically, with an enjoyable fast, pleasing to the Lord”: close the doors of your cell from people, the door of your tongue from speaking, and the door of your heart from evil spirits.

Rev. Macarius of Optina

P ost - an ancient gift; fasting is the treasure of fathers. He is contemporary with humanity. Fasting is legal in heaven. Adam accepted this first commandment: “You shall not tear down the tree which you understand is good and evil” (Gen. 2:17). And this: do not take it down is the legalization of fasting and abstinence.

St. Basil the Great

WITH meals of those who fast... borrow for yourself the medicine of life, and awaken your soul from deadness. For among them, sanctifying them, the Beloved reclines, and the labor of fasting and their deeds transforms them into His inscrutable sweetness; and His heavenly servants overshadow them and their holy dishes. I know one of the brothers who clearly saw this with his own eyes.

St. Isaac the Syrian

ABOUT The one who believes that fasting only means abstaining from food is mistaken. True fasting means avoiding evil, curbing the tongue, putting aside anger, taming lusts, stopping slander, lies and perjury.

St. John Chrysostom

G The lava of virtues is prayer, their foundation is fasting.

St. Ignatiy Brianchaninov

...P got closer and... fasting began; How are we going to fast? We cannot preserve sensual fasting from brashens in the same way as our fathers and teachers preserved it, but even if we preserved it, what will be used without spiritual fasting, about which the Church reminds us: “we fast with spiritual fasting, favorable to the Lord” and so on (stichera of the Triodion ). So, we must try, remembering our sins: firstly, to have a “contrite and humble heart” (Ps. 50:19), not to listen to the shortcomings of others and not to judge them, but to pay more attention to our passions and not allow them to come into play.

St. Macarius of Optina

TO sometimes he is negligent about fasting, he is also relaxed in other exploits, careless, weak, thereby showing the beginning and a bad sign of relaxation of his soul, and gives the one who fights with him an opportunity for victory...

St. Isaac the Syrian

..B Perhaps you spare the flesh and run away from fasting as if it were a source of exhaustion; but - on the contrary! - it is satiety that leads to the occurrence of gout, migraines, and other diseases; and fasting is the mother of health; so that not only the fornicator sins against his body, but the glutton also sins the same, making him weaker and more sickly

St. Gregory Palamas

IN every deprivation and every compulsion is valued before God, according to what is said in the Gospel: “The kingdom Heavenly force He is taken, and those who make the effort take him away” (Matthew 11:12). And those who boldly and willfully violate the rule of fasting are called “as enemies of the cross of Christ: their God is their belly, and their glory is in their shame” (Phil. 3: 18-19). And in the psalms it is said: “from [the mother’s] womb they go astray” (Ps. 57:4). Of course, it is a different matter if someone breaks the fast due to illness and bodily infirmity. And those who are healthy from fasting are healthier and kinder, and what’s more, they live longer, even though they seem skinny in appearance. With fasting and abstinence, the flesh does not rebel so much, and sleep does not overcome so much, and fewer empty thoughts enter the head, and spiritual books are read more readily and understood more readily.

St. Ambrose Optinsky

AND A man who neglects fasting shakes the entire building of his virtues: this building will not stand if the creator does not come to his senses and does not take care in time to strengthen the foundation.

St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov)

...ABOUT Because of intemperance, all sorts of evil happens... Fasting stimulates prayer, and is somehow especially hated by the enemy: they come to me for advice and confession, by the way, I advise you to observe holy fasts. They agree with everything, but when it comes to fasting: I don’t want to, I can’t, and so on. The enemy is agitating, he doesn’t want the holy fasts to be observed...

St. Barsanuphius of Optina

E If we fast, abstaining only from food, then after forty days the fast ends. And if we abstain from sins, then even after this fast, it will still continue, and we will receive constant benefit from it.

St. John Chrysostom

IN All who wish to begin the feat of fasting and prayer, all who wish to reap abundant fruits from their repentance, hear the word of God, hear the covenant of God - and let go, forgive your neighbors for their sins against you.

St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov)

IN while abstaining from food, we must also abstain from passions.

St. Macarius of Optina

WITH With what maternal, tender and holy love the Holy Church protects our souls and bodies, assigning us frequent fasts, which to many, in their ignorance, seem to restrict their freedom! Through abstinence and fasting, she wants to give us the broadest spiritual freedom: for intemperance enslaves our spirit to the body, its passions and lusts, and the body itself aggravates and exposes it to disease.

St. rights John of Kronstadt

E There is physical fasting, and there is mental fasting. In bodily fasting, the body fasts from food and drink; With spiritual fasting, the soul abstains from evil thoughts, deeds and words. A true faster abstains from anger, rage, malice and revenge. A true faster abstains from idle talk, foul language, idle talk, slander, condemnation, flattery, lies and all slander. In a word, a true faster is one who shuns all evil.

St. Basil the Great

TO then he fasts truly and unhypocritically, he imitates Christ, on earth he becomes like the angels, imitates the prophets, enters into communion with the apostles and, through fasting, achieving the rebirth of his nature, becomes from the unrighteous - righteous, from the evil - good, from the wicked - pious, and so Thus, he assimilates Christ, the treasure of life.

St. John Chrysostom

TO You need to spend so much time that after eating you want to pray, so that your spirit will always burn and insatiably strive for God day and night.

Venerable Silouan of Athos

ABOUT The general rule of moderation in abstinence is that everyone, in accordance with his strength, state of body and age, should eat as much food as is necessary to maintain the health of the body, and not as much as the desire for satiety requires.

Venerable Cassian the Roman

IN I don’t agree with you about adding rules for fasting, given your poor health, and because you are only concerned about fulfilling quantity, but have no concern for quality; in the impoverishment of both, let humility replace them. And with them, when there is no fragrance of humility, then (a person) will not take advantage of them at all, but will also receive harm through vanity and opinion.

St. Macarius of Optina

AND bloodthirsty animals, and predatory hawks, and how many other innocent animals, small and great, and what innumerable thousands of them, also fast. Wolves, they say, sometimes don’t eat for a week or more. Shouldn't we, Christians - heirs of the Eternal Kingdom, fast? Now is the perfect time. This time is favorable. This is the day of salvation. “It’s a joyful time of fasting, also with luminous purity, and pure love, luminous prayers, and all other virtues, having been satiated richly, let us cry out in a bright way: All-holy Cross of Christ, increasing the sweetness of life, let us adore you for all those who are pure in heart!”

St. Anatoly Optinsky

P ost is the beginning and foundation of everything spiritual work. Whatever virtues you create on the basis of fasting, they will all be unshakable and unshakable, like those written on solid stone. And when you accept this foundation, that is, fasting, and in its place you put satiation of the belly and other inappropriate desires, then all the virtues will be shaken and blown away from bad thoughts and from the flow of passions, like sand blown by the wind - and the entire edifice of virtue collapses.

St. Simeon the New Theologian

N and the question: “Does God care what kind of food?” - the elder replied: “It is not the food that matters, but the commandment; Adam was expelled from paradise not for overeating, but for eating only what was forbidden. ... What is especially important here is that obedience is developed through obedience.”

St. Ambrose Optinsky

…E If we remember what a meager meal the holy fathers had, then we will be satisfied. Meager food saddens the flesh, but enlivens the spirit...

St. Macarius of Optina

N We should do this: not just go through the weeks of fasting, but examine our conscience, test our thoughts, and notice what we managed to do this week, what the next, what new things we tried to achieve the next, and what passions we have corrected from. If we do not correct ourselves in this way and show such concern for our soul, then we will not benefit from the fasting and abstinence to which we subject ourselves.

St. John Chrysostom

P imitate... the Monk Theodore the Studite, who was at the table every day, but at the same time was a faster.

St. Ambrose Optinsky

…N and in the very first week of fasting, after...spiritual consolation, strong carnal warfare set in, and then spiritual anguish. You ask me: why could this happen? You yourself set out the reasons for this in your letter. First: unreasonable doubt and embarrassment that you cannot endure fasting as you should, and then murmuring against the Lord. Saint Isaac the Syrian writes that God endures all human infirmities; He does not tolerate a person who grumbles, so as not to punish him.
The second reason for this attack against you is an unauthorized fast. While you lived on your own, no matter what you did, you got away with it out of necessity: the Lord was lenient with your stupid zeal and recklessness. If you have a spiritual relationship with someone, then you should no longer go through voluntarily or take on reckless feats, contrary to the blessing or advice received, and this not only cannot please God, but such arbitrariness does not go unpunished, but brings on a person temptation.
...Saint John Climacus writes: “Whoever tries to tame this battle through abstinence alone is like someone who swims with one hand and wants to swim out of the sea,” but in another place he indicated the real remedy: “if you couple yourself with obedience, then thereby from it (i.e. .e. warfare of the flesh) will be resolved; if you acquire humility, then you will cut off its head.”

St. Ambrose Optinsky

P Therefore, it is appropriate to balance the way of bodily nutrition with the state of strength and strength of the body: when it is healthy, oppress it as much as necessary, and when it is weak, relax it a little. The ascetic should not relax his body, but should be as strong as is required for the ascetic endeavor, so that even though physical labors the soul is also properly cleansed.

Blazh. Diadochos

N It is necessary to pay attention so that, by excessive abstinence, weakening the bodily strength, do not make the body lazy and inactive for the most important activities... I think that a sign of the best stewardship is to follow the established regulations.

St. Basil the Great

WITH fasting should always be accompanied by prayer... And prayers are performed with attention, especially during fasting, because then the soul is lighter, not burdened by anything, and not suppressed by the disastrous burden of pleasures.

St. John Chrysostom

TO ak healthy eyes The desire for light is characteristic, just as fasting, observed with prudence, is characterized by the desire for prayer.

Rev. Isaac the Syrian

Church of St. John Chrysostom

IN abstinence from food, observed for show, is hated by the soul of the Lord; but abstinence, used to enslave carnal wisdom, is loved by the Lord, because through exhaustion of the flesh it brings about sanctification.

St. Basil the Great

AND the memory of death prevents intemperance in food; and when intemperance in food is stopped with humility, then other passions are cut off at the same time.

St. John Climacus

P The ost, like the doctor of our souls, humbles the flesh of one Christian, tames the anger of another; drives away sleep from one, stimulates another to greater good deeds; For one, it cleanses the mind and makes it free from evil thoughts; for another, it binds the uncontrollable tongue and with the fear of God, like a bridle, restrains it, not allowing it to speak idle and rotten words; and for others it does not allow the eyes to look here and there and be curious about what one or the other is doing, but it forces everyone to listen to himself.

St. Simeon the New Theologian

P The ost is the law and command of God, and those who transgress this law of God are taken into his power by the first criminal of God's will, the devil, and torment them like a tyrant. Although this does not happen immediately, because God is patient with us, waiting for our repentance, we will not escape from the hands of this enemy of ours, whether in this life or in the future, if we remain in sin and do not repent.

St. Simeon the New Theologian

One salvation is fasting and prayer.

Fasting leads to the gates of heaven, and almsgiving opens them.

Dear guest, may Lent be great.

Eat what they put in, and listen to the owner of the house!

Fasting is not in the belly, but in the spirit.

Bread and water are healthy foods.

They don’t die from fasting, but from gluttony they die.

The law is not written to the sick and the road.

We fast all the time, but we’re no good!

During fasting, food is simple.

Holy Fathers about fasting:

Do not neglect the Pentecostal Day, it is an imitation of the life of Christ.

St. Ignatius the God-Bearer

Fasting is the teacher of moderation, the mother of virtue, the educator of the children of God, the leader of the disorderly, the calm of souls, the support of life, the peace of lasting and unperturbed; its severity and importance pacifies passions, extinguishes anger and rage, cools and calms all sorts of unrest that arise from overeating.

St. Asterius of Amasia

The benefits of fasting should not be limited to abstinence in food, because true fasting is elimination of evil deeds... Forgive your neighbor's insult, forgive him his debts. You do not eat meat, but you offend your brother... True fasting is the removal of evil, abstinence of the tongue, suppression of anger, excommunication of lusts, slander, lies and perjury. Abstaining from this is true fasting.

holy Basil the Great

It is not the food that matters, but the commandment; Adam was expelled from paradise not for overeating, but for eating only what was forbidden.

Rev. Ambrose Optinsky

We must be, according to the teachings of the holy fathers, not body killers, but passion killers, that is, destroy passions in ourselves.

Rev. Macarius of Optina

In addition to abstaining from food, there are many ways that can open the doors of boldness before God. He who eats food and cannot fast, let him give abundant alms, let him say fervent prayers, let him show intense zeal for listening to the word of God - here bodily weakness does not hinder us in the least - let him make peace with his enemies, let him expel from his soul all memory of malice . If he does this, he will commit a true fast, the kind that the Lord requires of us. After all, He commands abstinence from food itself so that we, by curbing the lusts of the flesh, make it obedient in fulfilling the commandments.

holy John Chrysostom

The Apostle Paul said: if one of the unbelievers calls you and you want to go, then eat everything that is offered to you without any examination, for peace of conscience (1 Cor. 10:27) - for the sake of the person who welcomed you cordially.
Unreasonable people are jealous of the fasting and labors of saints with the wrong understanding and intention and think that they are passing through virtue. The devil, guarding them as his prey, plunges into them the seed of a joyful opinion about himself, from which the inner Pharisee is born and nurtured and betrays them to complete pride.

holy Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow

Whoever fasts out of vanity or, believing that he is performing virtue, fasts unreasonably and therefore begins to reproach his brother afterwards, considering himself to be someone significant. But whoever fasts wisely does not think that he is doing a good deed wisely, and does not want to be praised as a faster.

Abba Dorotheos

Those who do not change the strict rules of abstinence even when it is necessary to reinforce weakened strength by eating food should be considered a suicide.

Rev. John Cassian the Roman

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Holy Fathers about fasting

D thousands of years ago, humanity waited with hope for the Savior. However, the majority imagined Him as an earthly king and therefore did not notice the day of His Nativity.

Bethlehem slept peacefully, and only a handful of shepherds heard the angel's gospel.

These people believed that the Savior could be born not in the royal palace, but in a cave where sheep were sheltered from bad weather. These people saw the One for whom the whole world was waiting, because they were pure in heart. And as a reward for everything, the secret of the Embodiment of Love was revealed to them.

How often do people hope that life will improve due to external reasons. They do not suspect that the darkness of everyday life can only be illuminated by love in their souls. But to find it, you need to cleanse your heart.

D neither fasting takes a person out of the bustle of everyday life, demands from him pure life for God. This is another, unworldly time. IN Old Testament was required to bring a tenth of their income to the Temple. Fasting is the New Testament sacrifice of Christians to God.

Leo the Great writes:

“The very maintenance of abstinence is sealed in four times, so that throughout the year we may learn that we are in constant need of cleansing and that when life is scattered, we must always try by fasting and almsgiving to destroy sin, which is multiplied by the frailty of the flesh and the impurity of desires.”

According to Leo the Great, the Nativity Fast is a sacrifice to God for the harvested fruits. “Just as the Lord generously provided us with the fruits of the earth,” the saint writes, “so during this fast we should be generous to the poor.”

According to St. Simeon of Thessalonica, "The fast of the Nativity Pentecost depicts the fast of Moses, who, having fasted forty days and forty nights, received the words of God inscribed on stone tablets. And we, fasting for forty days, contemplate and accept the living Word from the Virgin, not inscribed on stones, but incarnate and born, and we partake of His Divine flesh".

The Nativity Fast was established so that on the day of the Nativity of Christ we purify ourselves with repentance, prayer and fasting, so that with a pure heart, soul and body we can reverently meet the Son of God who appeared in the world, and so that, in addition to the usual gifts and sacrifices, we bring him a pure heart and desire follow his teachings.

Venerable Paisiy Velichkovsky

I call fasting eating a little one day during the day, while still being greedy, getting up from the meal; food to have bread and salt, and drink to have water, which the springs themselves supply. This is the royal way of eating, that is, many were saved this way, as the Holy Fathers said. A person cannot always abstain from food for a day, two, three, four, five and a week, but he can always do so in order to eat bread and drink water every day. Only after eating, one must be a little greedy, so that the body is submissive to the spirit, and capable of work, and sensitive to mental movements, and bodily passions are conquered; fasting cannot mortify bodily passions as much as meager food mortifies. Some fast for a while and then indulge in sweet foods; for many begin fasting beyond their strength and other severe feats, and then weaken from immoderation and unevenness, and seek sweet foods and rest to strengthen the body. To do this is the same as creating, and then destroying again, since the body, through poverty from fasting, is forced to desire sweets and seeks consolation, and sweets kindle passions.

If anyone sets a certain limit for himself, how much meager food to take per day, he receives great benefit. However, regarding the amount of food, it must be established how much is needed to strengthen strength<...>such a one can accomplish every spiritual work. If someone fasts more than that, then at another time he indulges in peace. Moderate feat has no price. For some of the great Fathers took food by measure and had measure in everything - in exploits, in bodily needs and in cell supplies, and they used everything in due time and every thing according to a certain moderate rule. Therefore, the Holy Fathers do not command to begin to fast beyond one’s strength and to weaken oneself. Make it a rule to eat every day - this way you can abstain more firmly; If someone fasts more, how can he then resist satiety and gluttony? No way. Such an immoderate undertaking arises either from vanity or from recklessness; whereas abstinence is one of the virtues that contributes to the curbing of the flesh; Hunger and thirst are given to man to cleanse the body, preserve him from bad thoughts and lust; Eating sparingly every day is a means to perfection, as some say; and he who eats every day in certain hour; These are praised by Saint Theodore of Studite in his teaching on the heels of the first week of Great Lent, where he cites in confirmation the words of the holy God-bearing Fathers and the Lord Himself. This is what we should do. The Lord endured a long fast; equally Moses and Elijah, but one day. And some others, sometimes, asking something from the Creator, imposed on themselves some burden of fasting, but in accordance with natural laws and the teaching of Divine Scripture. From the activities of the saints, from the life of our Savior and from the rules of life for those living decently, it is clear that it is wonderful and useful to always be ready and to be in ascetic endeavor, labor and patience; however, do not weaken yourself by excessive fasting and do not render your body inactive. If the flesh is inflamed in youth, then much must be abstained; if she is weak, then you need to eat enough to be full, regardless of other ascetics - whether many or few people fast; look and reason according to your weakness, as much as you can accommodate: for each there is a measure and an inner teacher - his own conscience.

It is impossible for everyone to have one rule and one feat, because some are strong, others are weak; some are like iron, others are like copper, others are like wax. So, having well known your measure, take food once every day, except Saturdays, weeks and sovereign holidays. Moderate and reasonable fasting is the foundation and head of all virtues. Just as you fight a lion and a fierce serpent, so you must fight the enemy in bodily weakness and spiritual poverty. If anyone wants to have a strong mind from evil thoughts, let him refine his flesh by fasting. It is impossible to serve as a priest without fasting; Just as breathing is necessary, so is fasting. Fasting, entering the soul, kills the sin lying in its depths.

D thousands of years ago, humanity waited with hope for the Savior. However, the majority imagined Him as an earthly king and therefore did not notice the day of His Nativity. Bethlehem slept peacefully, and only a handful of shepherds heard the angel's gospel.

These people believed that the Savior could be born not in the royal palace, but in a cave where sheep were sheltered from bad weather. These people saw the One for whom the whole world was waiting, because they were pure in heart. And as a reward for everything, the secret of the Embodiment of Love was revealed to them. How often do people hope that life will improve due to external reasons. They do not suspect that the darkness of everyday life can only be illuminated by love in their souls. But to find it, you need to cleanse your heart.

Days of fasting take a person out of the hustle and bustle of everyday life and require him to live a pure life for God. This is another, unworldly time. In the Old Testament, people were required to bring a tenth of their income to the Temple. Fasting is the New Testament sacrifice of Christians to God.

The Nativity Fast is a winter fast; it serves for us to consecrate the last part of the year with a mysterious renewal of spiritual unity with God and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Christ.

Leo the Great writes:

“The very practice of abstinence is sealed in four times, so that throughout the year we may learn that we are in constant need of cleansing and that when life is scattered, we must always try by fasting and almsgiving to destroy sin, which is multiplied by the frailty of the flesh and the impurity of desires.”

According to Leo the Great, the Nativity Fast is a sacrifice to God for the harvested fruits. “Just as the Lord generously provided us with the fruits of the earth,” the saint writes, “so during this fast we should be generous to the poor.”

According to St. Simeon of Thessalonica, “The fast of the Nativity Pentecost depicts the fast of Moses, who, having fasted for forty days and forty nights, received the words of God inscribed on stone tablets. And we, fasting for forty days, contemplate and accept the living Word from the Virgin, not inscribed on stones, but incarnate and born, and we partake of His Divine flesh.”.

The Nativity Fast was established so that on the day of the Nativity of Christ we purify ourselves with repentance, prayer and fasting, so that with a pure heart, soul and body we can reverently meet the Son of God who appeared in the world, and so that, in addition to the usual gifts and sacrifices, we bring him a pure heart and desire follow his teachings.

Venerable Paisiy Velichkovsky

I call fasting eating a little one day during the day, while still being greedy, getting up from the meal; food to have bread and salt, and drink to have water, which the springs themselves supply. This is the royal way of eating, that is, many were saved this way, as the Holy Fathers said. A person cannot always abstain from food for a day, two, three, four, five and a week, but he can always do so in order to eat bread and drink water every day. Only after eating, one must be a little greedy, so that the body is submissive to the spirit, and capable of work, and sensitive to mental movements, and bodily passions are conquered; fasting cannot mortify bodily passions as much as meager food mortifies. Some fast for a while and then indulge in sweet foods; for many begin fasting beyond their strength and other severe feats, and then weaken from immoderation and unevenness, and seek sweet foods and rest to strengthen the body. To do this is the same as creating, and then destroying again, since the body, through poverty from fasting, is forced to desire sweets and seeks consolation, and sweets kindle passions.

If anyone sets a certain limit for himself, how much meager food to take per day, he receives great benefit. However, regarding the amount of food, it must be established how much is needed to strengthen strength<…>such a one can accomplish every spiritual work. If someone fasts more than that, then at another time he indulges in peace. Moderate feat has no price. For some of the great Fathers took food by measure and had measure in everything - in exploits, in bodily needs and in cell supplies, and they used everything in due time and every thing according to a certain moderate rule. Therefore, the Holy Fathers do not command to begin to fast beyond one’s strength and to weaken oneself. Make it a rule to eat every day - this way you can abstain more firmly; If someone fasts more, how can he then resist satiety and gluttony? No way. Such an immoderate undertaking arises either from vanity or from recklessness; whereas abstinence is one of the virtues that contributes to the curbing of the flesh; Hunger and thirst are given to man to cleanse the body, to preserve him from evil thoughts and lust; Eating sparingly every day is a means to perfection, as some say; and the one who eats every day at a certain hour will not humiliate himself morally and will not suffer spiritual harm; These are praised by Saint Theodore of Studite in his teaching on the heels of the first week of Great Lent, where he cites in confirmation the words of the holy God-bearing Fathers and the Lord Himself. This is what we should do. The Lord endured a long fast; equally Moses and Elijah, but one day. And some others, sometimes, asking something from the Creator, imposed on themselves some burden of fasting, but in accordance with natural laws and the teaching of Divine Scripture. From the activities of the saints, from the life of our Savior and from the rules of life for those living decently, it is clear that it is wonderful and useful to always be ready and to be in ascetic endeavor, labor and patience; however, do not weaken yourself by excessive fasting and do not render your body inactive. If the flesh is inflamed in youth, then much must be abstained; if she is weak, then you need to eat enough to be full, regardless of other ascetics - whether many or few people fast; look and reason according to your weakness, as much as you can accommodate: for each there is a measure and an inner teacher - his own conscience.

It is impossible for everyone to have one rule and one feat, because some are strong, others are weak; some are like iron, others are like copper, others are like wax. So, having well known your measure, take food once every day, except Saturdays, weeks and sovereign holidays. Moderate and reasonable fasting is the foundation and head of all virtues. Just as you fight a lion and a fierce serpent, so you must fight the enemy in bodily weakness and spiritual poverty. If anyone wants to have a strong mind from evil thoughts, let him refine his flesh by fasting. It is impossible to serve as a priest without fasting; Just as breathing is necessary, so is fasting. Fasting, entering the soul, kills the sin lying in its depths.

Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk

As we see, there is physical fasting, and there is mental fasting. Bodily fasting is when the womb fasts from food and drink. Mental fasting is when the soul abstains from evil thoughts, deeds and words.
A fair faster is one who refrains himself from fornication, adultery and all uncleanness.
A fair faster is one who abstains from anger, rage, malice and revenge

A fair faster is one who has imposed abstinence on his tongue and keeps it from idle talk, foul language, madness, slander, condemnation, flattery, lies and all slander.
A fair faster is one who keeps his hands from theft, theft, and robbery, and his heart from coveting other people's things. In a word, a good faster is one who shuns all evil.

You see, Christian, spiritual fasting. Physical fasting is useful for us, since it serves to mortify our passions. But mental fasting is absolutely necessary, because physical fasting is nothing without it.
Many fast with the body, but do not fast with the soul.

Many fast from food and drink, but do not fast from evil thoughts, deeds and words - and what good does it do them?
Many fast every other day, two or more, but out of anger, rancor and revenge they do not want to fast.
Many abstain from wine, meat, fish, but with their tongue they bite people like themselves - and what good does it do them? Some often do not touch food with their hands, but extend them to bribery, theft and robbery of other people's property - and what benefit does it do them?

True and direct fasting is abstinence from all evil. If, Christian, you want fasting to be useful to you, then, while fasting physically, fast also mentally, and fast always. Just as you impose a fast on your belly, so impose a fast on your evil thoughts and whims.

Let your mind fast from vain thoughts.
Let the memory fast from rancor.
Let your will fast from evil desire.
Let your eyes fast from evil vision: “turn away your eyes, so as not to see vanity.” (See Ps 119:37) .
May your ears be kept from vile songs and slanderous whispers.
Let your tongue fast from slander, condemnation, blasphemy, lies, flattery, foul language, and every idle and rotten word.
May your hands fast from beating and stealing other people's property.
Let your feet fast from going to evil deeds. Avoid evil and do good (Ps. 33, 15, 1; Peter 3, 11) .

This is the Christian fast that God requires of us. Repent, and, abstaining from every evil word, deed and thought, learn every virtue, and you will always fast before God.

If you fast in quarrels and strife, and strike with the hand of the humble, why do you fast before Me as you do now, so that your voice may be heard? I have not chosen such a fast as the day on which a person will humble his soul, when he bends his neck like a sickle and covers himself with rags and ashes. This is not the kind of fast you would call a pleasant fast, this is not the kind I have chosen,” says the Lord. - But resolve every alliance of unrighteousness, destroy all debts written down by force, set the brokenhearted free, tear up every unrighteous scripture, split your bread with the hungry, and bring the poor who have no shelter into the house; When you see a naked person, clothe him, and do not hide from your half-blood.

Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly increase, and your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will follow you. Then you will call, and the Lord will hear; you will cry out, and He will say: “Here I am!” When you remove the yoke from your midst, cease lifting up your finger and speaking offensively, and give your soul to the hungry and feed the soul of the sufferer: then your light will rise in the darkness, and your darkness will be like the noonday” (Isa. 58:4-10).

• It’s not just the mouth that should fast; no, let the eye, the ear, the hands, and our whole body fast.
  (St. John Chrysostom)
• True fasting is elimination of evil deeds. Forgive your neighbor's insult, forgive him his debts. “Do not fast in courts and quarrels.” You do not eat meat, but you eat your brother. You abstain from wine, but you do not restrain yourself from taking offense. You wait until evening to eat food, but you spend the day in court.
  (St. Basil the Great)
• Are you fasting? Feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, visit the sick, do not forget the prisoners. Comfort the mourning and crying; be merciful, meek, kind, quiet, long-suffering, unforgiving, reverent, true, pious, so that God will accept your fast and bestow the fruits of repentance in abundance.
  (St. John Chrysostom)

• In the coming days of Holy Lent, put yourself in order, make peace with people and with God. Contrite and cry about your unworthiness and your death, then you will receive forgiveness and find hope of salvation. God will not despise a contrite and humble heart, and without this, no sacrifices and alms will help you.
  (From letters of abbot Nikon (Vorobiev))

The holy fathers spoke a lot about fasting, for this feat was familiar to each of them. Today we have a great opportunity, after reading quotes from the holy fathers about fasting, to be encouraged and also try to give up something to which we have become attached.

Let's not forget what I said Reverend Anthony Great: “There is no virtue higher than reasoning.” This means that when starting a fast, you should take into account your state of health, age and many other factors. If a lay person has any serious illnesses, then it is worth consulting with the priest personally in order to find the measure of fasting that will be within his power and will not harm the body.

The essence of fasting is to learn to control your nature, learn to curb your desires, be able to subjugate your gut, and not be led by it...

Holy Fathers about fasting:

St. Augustine on fasting:

The more days of fasting, the better the treatment; The longer the period of abstinence, the more abundant the acquisition of salvation.

Venerable John Kolov about fasting:

When the king is about to take an enemy city, he first of all stops the supply of food supplies to it. Then the citizens, oppressed by hunger, submit to the king. The same thing happens with carnal lusts: if a person spends his life in fasting and hunger, then disorderly desires will become exhausted.

Saint John Chrysostom on fasting:

Are you fasting? Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from flattery and deceit. Are you fasting? Avoid slander, slander, lies, enmity, blasphemy and all excess. Are you fasting? Flee greed, robbery, quarrels and soul-destroying envy. If you fast for God, avoid every deed that God hates, and He will accept your repentance, as the Merciful and the Lover of Mankind.

In addition to abstaining from food, there are many ways that can open the doors of boldness before God. He who eats food and cannot fast, let him give abundant alms, let him say fervent prayers, let him show intense zeal for listening to the word of God - here bodily weakness does not hinder us in the least - let him make peace with his enemies, let him expel from his soul all memory of malice . If he does this, he will commit a true fast, the kind that the Lord requires of us. After all, He commands abstinence from food itself so that we, by curbing the lusts of the flesh, make it obedient in fulfilling the commandments.

Are you fasting? Feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, visit the sick, do not forget the prisoners. Comfort the mourning and crying; be merciful, meek, kind, quiet, long-suffering, unforgiving, reverent, true, pious, so that God will accept your fast and bestow the fruits of repentance in abundance.

Fasting is an ancient gift; fasting is the treasure of fathers. He is contemporary with humanity. Fasting is legal in heaven. Adam accepted this first commandment: “ from the tree, which you understand good and evil, you will not tear down"(Gen. 2:17). And this: you won't demolish it- is the legalization of fasting and abstinence.”

If Eve had fasted and not eaten of the tree, we would now have no need for fasting. The benefits of fasting should not be limited to abstinence in food, because true fasting is elimination of evil deeds... Forgive your neighbor's insult, forgive him his debts. You do not eat meat, but you offend your brother... True fasting is the removal of evil, abstinence of the tongue, suppression of anger, excommunication of lusts, slander, lies and perjury.

Beware of measuring fasting by simply abstaining from food. Those who abstain from food and behave inappropriately are like the devil, who, although he does not eat anything, does not stop sinning.

Venerable John Cassian the Roman on fasting:

Strict fasts become in vain when they are followed by excessive consumption of food, which soon reaches the vice of gluttony.

Those who do not change the strict rules of abstinence even when it is necessary to reinforce weakened strength by eating food should be considered a suicide.

Saint Theophan the Recluse on fasting:

Fasting is not to eat your fill, but to leave yourself a little hungry, so that neither your thoughts nor your heart are burdened.

Look around and consider: what are all the people doing, why are they fussing so much, who are they working for? Every single one of them is working on the stomach and all the trouble is about satisfying its demands: give me something to eat, give me something to drink. What great good is promised in the future by the mere promise of the abolition of this tyrant of ours! Now stand at this point and decide: where will the tireless thirst for activity that belongs to this century be directed in another century, when there will be no need to worry about the stomach or even about everyday things? We need to solve this now in order to prepare for what awaits us in the endless future.

Holy Abbess Arsenia (Srebriakova) about fasting:

Many scientists of our century say that fasting and all church orders are an empty ritual, an appearance that leads to nothing. And the more I live, the more convinced I am that all the laws established by the holy fathers at the inspiration of the Holy Spirit are the greatest good given to us by the Lord, that they are all extraordinarily saving due to the grace present in them. Scientists say: “All this is nonsense, only the truths of the Gospel are important.” – I will say that it is impossible to directly comprehend, to stand on the truths of the Gospel, bypassing and neglecting the statutes of the Church. They, only they, lead us to the highest truths of the teachings of Christ.

Now we are talking about fasting, that is, abstaining from overeating and excesses, in general, in order to make our body lighter and thinner, more capable of spiritual sensations. And the Lord Jesus Christ sanctified this institution of the Church with a forty-day fast, and fasting became saving for us, although due to our weakness we do not spend it at all as we should. But we must believe that our nature, through the forty-day fast of the Lord Jesus Christ, has been purified and made capable of spiritual sensations. We must believe that fasting saves us not for our deeds, but by the grace inherent in it as a church institution. One church bell gives us salvation, reminding us with its funeral tone of the mortality of everything earthly. Abstaining from food teaches us to abstain from passionate thoughts and feelings.

Abstinence is the first step in all virtues... The Lord Jesus Christ says: Love your enemies that is, those who slander you and reproach you. - How to do this? He curses you to your face, can’t you suddenly love him now? First of all, refrain from answering you with abuse too. Next, refrain from having any bad thoughts about this person, and so on. This means that the first step to love is abstinence. It also leads to God’s help. And God’s help will then become necessary for you when you begin to abstain from anything. Here you will see that yours own strength It’s too little that you need God’s help and you will begin to ask for it with your whole being. This is how it is acquired true prayer. Then, during Lent, our usual fasting, confession of sins and communion of the Holy Mysteries, in addition to those gifts of grace that are given to us during the fulfillment of all this, remind and move us towards that greatest repentance to which we must come through life. They are reminded of the confession that a person must bring directly to the Lord, in the deepest knowledge of his fall and the greatest sinfulness of his nature, which must be followed by eternal union with the Lord Jesus Christ. Here are the blessings. Which come from fasting. Let's not be afraid of it and that we will spend it wrong, but let's rejoice that it is so saving!

Venerable Abba Dorotheos on fasting:

But we must not only observe moderation in food, but also refrain from any other sin, so that just as we fast with our belly, we also fast with our tongue. We must also fast with our eyes, that is, not look at vain things, not give freedom to our eyes, not look at anyone shamelessly and without fear. Likewise, the hands and feet must be kept from every evil deed. By fasting in this way, as St. Basil the Great, through auspicious fasting, moving away from every sin committed by all our senses, we will reach the holy day of the Resurrection, becoming, as we said, new, pure and worthy of communion of the Holy Mysteries.

Saint Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow about fasting:

The Apostle Paul said: if one of the unbelievers calls you and you want to go, then eat everything that is offered to you without any examination, for peace of conscience (1 Cor. 10:27) - for the sake of the person who welcomed you cordially.

Unreasonable people are jealous of the fasting and labors of saints with the wrong understanding and intention and think that they are passing through virtue. The devil, guarding them as his prey, plunges into them the seed of a joyful opinion about himself, from which the inner Pharisee is born and nurtured and betrays them to complete pride.

Venerable Isaac the Syrian on fasting:

The spirit does not submit to the cross unless the body first submits to it.

Venerable John Climacus on fasting:

It is better to eat and thank the Lord than not to eat and condemn those who eat and thank the Lord.

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