Tag: Nativity Fast

“Little Lent”, the 40-day Nativity Fast begins on Friday for Orthodox following the Revised Julian (New) Calendar. The Nativity Fast is also known as St Philip's Fast because it begins the day after his feast day (Nov 14). It is not as strict as the Lenten Fast before Pascha.

Forty days till Christmas, Nativity Fast begins

The **Nativity Fast**, one of the four main fasting periods in the Orthodox Church, begins on **November 15** and ends on **December 24**, leading up to the celebration of the **Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ** on **December 25**. This period invites faithful Christians to prepare spiritually for the joyous occasion of Christ's birth. It is a time of reflection on the mystery of the **Incarnation**, when God became flesh. As part of this preparation, the Church calls on believers to engage in fasting, embracing the discomfort and sacrifice it brings, as a means of drawing closer to Christ in anticipation of His coming.