Spanish, Hispanic, and Filipino Advent Traditions

Living a Truly Catholic Advent — Even Now

In much of the modern world, Advent has been reduced to little more than a vague countdown to Christmas, eclipsed by commercial excess, premature celebration, and a loss of spiritual preparation. Yet this was not always so. For centuries, Advent was understood as a penitential season, a time of watchfulness, restraint, and expectant prayer — a lesser Lent oriented toward the mystery of the Incarnation.

Even now, in the midst of Advent, it is not too late to reclaim its true character. Remarkably, while Advent’s traditional discipline weakened or disappeared in much of the West, it was preserved with striking fidelity in Spanish, Hispanic, and Filipino Catholic cultures. These traditions are not cultural curiosities. They are living witnesses to the Church’s historic understanding of Advent and offer concrete guidance for Catholics who wish to live the remainder of the season more faithfully.

Advent as a Penitential Season

Historically, Advent was penitential in character, though distinct from Lent. This is not a romantic reconstruction but a documented reality.

The Council of Tours (567) required monks to fast during Advent, and the Council of Macon (581) mandated fasting from St. Martin’s Day (November 11) until Christmas. Medieval liturgists such as Durandus of Mende, in his Rationale Divinorum Officiorum, explicitly refer to this period as St. Martin’s Lent.

The Roman liturgy itself reflects this penitential spirit even today: violet vestments, the suppression of the Gloria, restrained music, and an emphasis on preparation rather than celebration. While Advent fasting was never as universally codified as Lenten fasting, its penitential intent was widely recognized, especially in Catholic Europe and the missionary lands that inherited its faith intact.

It is precisely these missionary cultures — Spain, Latin America, and the Philippines — that preserved Advent most faithfully.

Las Posadas: Advent Catechesis Lived Nightly

One of the richest and most misunderstood Advent devotions is Las Posadas. Far from being a festive pageant, Las Posadas is a deeply catechetical practice rooted in Scripture, tradition, and liturgical theology — and it is still unfolding right now in many Catholic communities.

Las Posadas developed from Spanish Catholic devotional life and was systematized in the late 16th century by Augustinian missionaries in New Spain. In 1587, Pope Sixtus V granted indulgences to those who participated devoutly in the nine-day observance, formally recognizing it as an authentic Catholic devotion. Liturgical historians such as Fr. Francis Weiser, S.J., document this approval in Handbook of Christian Feasts and Customs.

Celebrated from December 16 through December 24, Las Posadas intentionally follows the structure of a novena — nine days of prayer in preparation for Christmas. Each night reenacts Our Lady and St. Joseph’s search for lodging in Bethlehem, as recounted in Luke 2:1–7.

Participants traditionally divide into two groups: one representing Mary and Joseph, often processing from house to house, and another representing the innkeepers, who repeatedly refuse them entry. This refusal is not theatrical embellishment but deliberate catechesis, dramatizing John 1:11: “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.”

Only after repeated refusals are Mary and Joseph finally welcomed, symbolizing the soul that, after resistance, opens itself to grace. Even midway through Advent, this devotion reminds us that Christ still seeks entry — not into homes on a street, but into hearts.

Latin American Advent Discipline and Sobriety

Alongside Las Posadas, much of Latin America preserved Advent’s penitential discipline well into the 20th century — and in many places, remnants of it remain today.

Traditional moral theology manuals, such as Fr. Dominic Prümmer’s Manuale Theologiae Moralis, emphasize that penitential seasons shape not only law but custom. As a result, Advent in Hispanic Catholic cultures often included simplified meals, reduced alcohol consumption, avoidance of weddings and major celebrations, and increased participation in prayer and weekday Masses.

As St. Alphonsus Liguori teaches, voluntary penance is especially fitting during seasons of preparation, even when not strictly required by law. Liturgical scholars such as Fr. Francis X. Weiser note that these practices endured because Catholicism remained integrated into daily life rather than confined to Sunday worship.

Even now, midway through Advent, these practices can still be taken up — not perfectly, but sincerely.

The Nativity Scene and Sacred Time

Spanish and Hispanic Catholic cultures also preserved the theological structure of the Nativity scene, which continues to teach even today.

While St. Francis of Assisi popularized the crèche in 1223, these cultures maintained its liturgical logic: Mary and Joseph appear early in Advent; the Christ Child is added only at Midnight Mass; shepherds arrive gradually; and the Magi appear at Epiphany, not Christmas.

This slow unfolding reflects the Church’s understanding of sacred time, articulated by Dom Prosper Guéranger in The Liturgical Year: “The Church does not anticipate her joy. She waits.”

If Advent has already felt rushed, this practice offers a quiet correction.

Simbang Gabi: Advent Still Lived Fully

Perhaps nowhere has Advent been preserved more fully than in the Philippines, through the practice of Simbang Gabi, meaning “Night Mass.”

Simbang Gabi consists of nine consecutive early-morning Masses, traditionally celebrated between 4:00 and 5:00 a.m., from December 16 through December 24 — meaning that, right now, this devotion is actively being lived.

Developed during the Spanish missionary period as a pastoral accommodation for agricultural workers, Simbang Gabi asks the faithful to sacrifice sleep and comfort in order to worship. This mirrors ancient Christian practice, as pre-Christmas vigils are attested in Roman and Gallican sources as early as the 5th and 6th centuries.

Our Lord Himself commands this posture in Matthew 25:13: “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” Simbang Gabi functions as a living Advent retreat, reminding Catholics everywhere that it is not too late to watch, pray, and prepare.

What These Traditions Still Teach Us

Las Posadas, Hispanic Advent discipline, and Simbang Gabi share three essential truths that remain valid even now:

1. Christ truly comes, not symbolically but really
2. Souls must be prepared, even at the eleventh hour
3. Joy follows sacrifice, not indulgence

As Dom Guéranger warned, when liturgical seasons lose their character, the Faith itself weakens. These traditions show that restoration is possible — even midstream.

Living the Rest of Advent Well

Even in the middle of Advent, Catholics can still respond:

• Simplify meals and entertainment
• Reclaim moments of silence
• Delay unnecessary celebration
• Pray the O Antiphons attentively
• Treat Christmas as something to be awaited, not rushed
• These acts are not about perfection. They are about conversion.

Conclusion

Spanish, Hispanic, and Filipino Advent traditions are not relics of the past. They are Catholic memory preserved, still speaking to the Church today. Even now, Advent has not passed us by. Christ still comes quietly. The door can still be opened.

May Our Lady, who waited in silence and humility for the birth of her Son, teach us how to wait again.

For much more on Advent customs, see the book "Restoring Lost Customs of Christendom."

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2026 Traditional Catholic Fasting and Abstinence Calendar

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As a follow-up to my significant research on Traditional (Roman and Eastern) Catholic fasting and abstinence, I have put together a 2026 fasting and abstinence calendar for my devotional purposes. This is a follow-up to similar ones I created over the past several years.

Traditional Catholic Fasting Rules:

Fasting: Fasting refers to how much food we eat. It means taking only one meal during a calendar day. The meal should be an average-sized meal as overeating at the one meal is against the spirit of the fast. Fasting generally means that the meal is to be taken later in the day. Along with the one meal, up to two snacks (technically called either a collation or frustulum) are permitted. These are optional, not required. Added up together, they may not equal the size of the one meal. No other snacking throughout the day is permitted. Fasting does not affect liquids, aside from the Eucharistic Fast which is a separate matter.

Abstinence: Abstinence in this context refers to not eating meat. Meat refers to the fleshmeat of mammals or fowl. Beef, poultry, lamb, etc are all forbidden on days of abstinence. Abstinence does not currently prohibit animal byproducts like dairy (e.g. cheese, butter, milk) or eggs, but in times past they were prohibited. Fish is permitted along with shellfish and other cold-blooded animals like alligators. In times past, days of fast were always days of abstinence as well; however, not all days of abstinence were days of mandatory fasting.

Partial Abstinence: Partial Abstinence refers to eating meat only at the principal meal of the day. Days of partial abstinence do not permit meat to be eaten as part of the collation or the frustulum. Partial abstinence started only in 1741 under Pope Benedict XIV as a concession and as part of a gradual weakening of discipline. Beforehand, days of abstinence were days of complete abstinence.

Fasting, therefore, refers to the quantity of food and the frequency of eating. Abstinence refers to what may or may not be eaten.

Calendar Notes:

1. While Partial abstinence is allowed in the rubrics in place as of 1962, it is a a modern invention and is not part of this calendar. Abstinence is always full, never partial. 

2. All Days of Lent, aside from Sundays, are days of fasting and abstinence. Sundays are days only of abstinence.

3. For Lent only, abstinence refers to all animal products (e.g., dairy, butter, eggs) in addition to meat. This includes Sundays.

4. January 22nd is in the USA only an obligatory day of penance for offenses against the dignity of human life.

5. This calendar keeps the 1954 Roman Catholic Calendar and the pre-1917 practice of anticipating Vigils on Saturday that fall on Sunday in a given year.

6. Major Fasts: Great Lent (February 18 - April 4), Apostles Fast (June 1 - June 27), Dormition Fast (Aug 1 - Aug 14), St. Martin's Lent (Nov 12 - Dec 24).

7. Dominican Specific Fasting Days: April 29, August 3, and October 6 are not on the calendar but will be observed by Dominican Tertiaries per the 1923 Rule (the last one before Vatican II). Same with all Fridays of the year, which Dominicans are asked to keep as days of fasting.

8. Days of fasting generally include all of the Major Fasts as noted above, in addition to the following days when they fall outside those periods: Ember Days, Vigils of the Apostles, and Vigils for Major Feasts. Rogation Days were often days of abstinence but not fast.

9. Before the 1830s, all Saturdays were days of abstinence except during Christmastide (in some places) and on major holidays.

10. Voluntary Saturday abstinence is omitted on current or former Holy Days of Obligation. Saturday Abstinence used to be obligatory year-round with some exceptions for days "as often as no major solemnity (e.g., Christmas) occurs on Saturday, or no infirmity serves to cancel the obligation.” One exception granted in some places was for all Saturdays of the Christmas Season to be exempted.

11. Year Round Wednesdays as days of abstinence are recommended based on the Early Church's practice of Wednesday penance (and based on the wishes of Our Lady of Mount Carmel). Abstinence year-round on Wednesdays would be commendable on all Wednesdays of the year outside of Pascaltide except for those when either a Holy Day of Obligation, Former Holy Day of Obligation, or First Class Feast falls.

12. While part of the Apostles Fast, both the Vigil of Corpus Christi and the Vigil of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist are recommended days of fasting and abstinence.

13. Exceptions for the Apostles Fast reflect both Corpus Christi and the Nativity of St. John the Baptist.

14. December 25th falling on a Friday was exempt from mandatory abstinence starting in the Middle Ages but beforehand it remained a day of mandatory abstinence.

15. Above all, this calendar goes far beyond the mere "minimums," which are virtually non-existent, and attempts to present concrete ways for Catholics to actually fast in the manner our forefathers did.

Want to learn more about the history of fasting and abstinence? Check out the Definitive Guide to Catholic Fasting and Abstinence.

Digital Version:

To order a digital .ics file of the above calendar that can be easily imported into your calendar application (e.g., Outlook, Google, Apple, etc.), order below. 

The file is only $5.95. Please order it by clicking here.

After you complete the order, you will have a ZIP file. You MUST unzip that file to extract the ICS file. That ICS file can be added to the calendar application of your choice. Check out details for how easy it is to add an ICS file (after you unzip it) online.

Note that the file is a free benefit to all my Patreon members. So, if you become a patron, you will get that and many other benefits.

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Eggs in the History of Catholic Fasting and Abstinence

Of all the changes in Catholic fasting and abstinence across the centuries, few are as striking as the regulation of eggs. Today, Catholics rarely think of eggs as a “penitential food,” but for well over a millennium they were strictly forbidden during Lent, alongside dairy and animal fat. Understanding the history of these rules helps us appreciate both the rigor of earlier generations and the cultural traditions that flowed from them as detailed in The Definite Guide to Catholic Fasting and Abstinence.

1. The Ancient and Patristic Church

Early Christian fasting was extraordinarily strict.

Dr. K.A. Heinrich Kellner records that in the ancient Church, especially in Holy Week, food was reduced to bread, salt, and water. The Apostolic Constitutions forbade flesh and wine for all of Lent and prescribed total abstinence on Good Friday and Holy Saturday. St. John Chrysostom testifies that in Antioch, no flesh was eaten during the whole of Lent. Crucially, milk and eggs (lacticinia) were also excluded as a general rule.

The Council of Trullo (692) confirmed this universality, forbidding the eating of eggs and cheese in Lent, even on Sundays, under penalty of deposition for clerics and excommunication for laymen (Canon 56).

Thus, from the earliest centuries, Lenten fasting meant abstaining not only from meat but also from dairy, eggs, and animal products.

2. Pope St. Gregory the Great and the Medieval Consensus

In 604, Pope St. Gregory the Great summarized the law succinctly: “We abstain from flesh meat and from all things that come from flesh, as milk, cheese, and eggs.”

This form endured for nearly a thousand years. Whenever fasting was observed, abstinence was also observed. Thus: Lent = no meat, no eggs, no dairy, no animal products.

By the time of St. Thomas Aquinas, the Lenten fast still forbade lacticinia, while Fridays and other non-Lenten abstinence days had already relaxed to permit dairy and eggs. This distinction became fixed: Lent retained the stricter prohibition, while non-Lenten abstinence was milder.

3. Culture and Custom

From this tradition arose beloved customs:

• Shrove Tuesday pancakes used up eggs and butter before Lent.
• Easter eggs became a festive symbol of the Resurrection precisely because they were absent for 46 days.

In some countries, exceptions were made. As Fr. Francis Weiser notes, Scandinavia was never bound to strict lacticinia abstinence because substitutes were scarce; dispensations were common, often accompanied by pious almsgiving.

Even so, the general discipline remained firm until the modern era.

4. 19th-Century Relaxations

By the 19th century, the Church had begun granting wider concessions.

In 1886, Pope Leo XIII permitted meat, eggs, and dairy on Sundays of Lent and at the main meal on every weekday except Wednesday and Friday in the United States. Holy Saturday was excluded. This marked a decisive relaxation.

Mara Morrow notes that Leo XIII also allowed eggs and dairy at the evening collation daily during Lent and permitted bread with coffee or chocolate in the morning. These mitigations were part of a broader trend: the use of lard and meat drippings was allowed, and those exempt from fasting could eat eggs and milk more than once a day.

A 1905 Irish catechism by Fr. Patrick Power still listed milk, butter, cheese, and eggs as forbidden in Lent, though he acknowledged that some countries allowed milk at collation. Dispensation varied widely by nation.

5. The 1917 Code of Canon Law

The 1917 Code decisively ended the universal prohibition of lacticinia during Lent. 

• Canon 1250: abstinence forbids meat and soups made with meat, “but not eggs, milk, and other condiments, even if taken from animals.”
• Canon 1251: mixing meat and fish in the same meal was permitted.

From this point, eggs and dairy were no longer excluded by law, even during Lent. The ancient and medieval practice was officially abrogated.

6. Mid-20th Century Clarifications

By the 1950s, theologians such as Fr. Dominic Prümmer explained the law clearly: abstinence forbade flesh meat and broth, but not eggs, dairy, or animal fats. In case of doubt, one was free to eat, since the law did not bind in uncertainty.

Thus, by mid-century, eggs were firmly reclassified as a permitted food on both fasting and abstinence days.

7. Today’s Law

Under the 1983 Code of Canon Law:

• Fasting (Ash Wednesday and Good Friday): one full meal and two smaller meals, no restriction on eggs.
• Abstinence (Fridays of Lent): no meat, but eggs fully permitted.
• Year-round Friday penance remains binding, but abstinence from eggs is nowhere in view.

8. Conclusion

For more than a millennium, the Catholic Church’s Lenten discipline excluded not only meat but also eggs and dairy. This practice, deeply rooted in the patristic and medieval Church, gave rise to traditions such as Easter eggs and Shrove Tuesday pancakes. Outside Lent, however, abstinence days rarely included eggs after the early Middle Ages.

From Pope St. Gregory the Great through St. Thomas Aquinas, lacticinia abstinence was normative in Lent. Dispensations and mitigations appeared over time, culminating in Pope Leo XIII’s late-19th-century relaxations and the 1917 Code’s universal allowance of eggs and dairy. Today, the Church’s law requires only abstinence from meat, leaving eggs entirely permitted.

Still, some Catholics voluntarily restore the older discipline of giving up eggs and dairy during Lent, rediscovering a penitential practice that once united Christendom and sanctified the approach to Easter.

Want to learn more about the history of fasting and abstinence? Check out the Definitive Guide to Catholic Fasting and Abstinence.

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Walking Through the Holy Doors: My Pilgrimage During the 2025 Jubilee Year

Scriptural Basis for Jubilee Years

One aspect of being Catholic that is often not discussed, as it comes up usually a few times in a person’s lifetime, is the observation of Holy Years of Jubilee. Beyond the weekly, monthly, and annual cycle that we know well as Catholics, there is the Jubilee cycle that comes less frequently. The website FishEaters does a good job introducing the origin of Jubilee Years:

In the Old Covenant, God set aside certain times to be honored as sacred. As recorded by Moses in Exodus 20:8-11, there was to be a weekly "Sabbath" -- which means "cease" or "rest." In Deuteronomy 16:16-17, Moses records God's commands to our spiritual ancestors to keep the yearly Passover, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles. In addition to these weekly and yearly cycles of time, God also ordered periodic year-long sabbaths. These "sabbatical years" were of two types: the regular sabbatical year which was to take place every 7th year, and the special year of Jubilee, which took place after "seven weeks of seven years," or after 49 years -- that is, in every 50th year. All told, then, every 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th, 35th, 42nd, 49th, and 50th years would be sabbath years, with two years in a row -- the 49th year and the 50th year of jubilee -- being such. The word "jubilee" is a Hebrew word which etymologically indicates the ram's horn -- "jobel" (also "shofar") -- that God ordained should announce these special sabbatical years in Leviticus 25:1-13

The Church has accordingly adopted this practice and continued it, since our Lord Himself said He came not to abolish the Old Law but to perfect it. We see this in many different aspects of the Old Testament such as the ritualistic observances in worship and even the vestments.

The Holy Years

Writing for the National Catholic Register, Father Raymond de Souza writes:

There will be a holy year in 2025, keeping the tradition of holy years every quarter-century. The last holy year was the extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy in 2015-2016; before that there was the “ordinary” holy year of 2000, styled the “Great Jubilee.” The previous ordinary Holy Year was in 1975.

But in the last century we have seen more Holy Years, in addition to Jubilee Years, as Father De Souza notes:

In 1933, Pope Pius XI called an extraordinary jubilee year for the 1,900th anniversary of the redemption…The idea of “special years” has become a key pastoral tool in the last century. The tradition of holy years began in 1300, with invitations for Catholics to make a pilgrimage to Rome. Eventually the interval between holy years was shortened from 100 to 25 years, so that everyone might (theoretically) have a chance to complete a holy year pilgrimage during his lifetime.

Special holy years were issued in 1954 (Marian Year), 1967 (Year of Faith), 1983 (Jubilee of Redemption), 1988 (2,000th Anniversary of the Blessed Virgin Mary's Birth), 2002 (Year of the Rosary), and 2004 (Year of the Eucharist). Closer to our own time Pope Benedict XVI observed three such years throughout his pontificate: The Year of St. Paul, the Year for Priests, and the Year of Faith. In 2015 Pope Francis called an extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy and followed in 2019 with the Year of Our Lady of Loretto and in 2020 with the Year of St. Joseph.

The Holy Doors (Portae Sanctae)

Jubilee Years in particular are special as they are opportunities for us to invoke the mercy of God in a special way and come to Rome on pilgrimage to enter the Holy Doors which are only ever open in Jubilee Years. FishEaters elaborates on that:

The Sacrament of Confession can be likened to God's granting to us what He commanded to Moses: "remission to all the inhabitants of thy land: for it is the year of jubilee." In these holy years, penance is key (a General Confession in Jubilee Years is recommended by Pope Benedict XIV). 

In addition to the special emphasis on the alleviation of the eternal effects of sin through the Sacrament of Confession, the temporal effects of sin are a focus of Jubilee Years, too. A plenary indulgence can be gained, under the usual conditions, by making a pilgrimage to the four primary patriarchal churches in Rome and walking through their Holy Doors (portae sanctae), which are symbolic of Christ. This is the standard requirement for the Jubilee indulgence, but the exact requirements (published when the Jubilee is announced) may vary from Jubilee to Jubilee and usually include provisions for visiting local churches, doing charitable works, or fasting, etc.

The Holy Doors are present in the four major Basilicas of Rome. In the past few years, some additional Holy Doors were established by the Holy See. To see the opening of the Doors, or to walk through them during the Holy Year, is an experience that one will not forget. The Holy Jubilee of 1950 was documented by Life Magazine and with the advent of television, most Catholics had their first opportunity to ever see the ceremony of their opening.

 

My Experience of the Jubilee Pilgrimage

This year I had the privilege of personally taking part in the Jubilee. A Jubilee Year is not just a theological concept or a historical tradition, but a lived reality for those who make the journey. Walking through the Holy Doors of the four major basilicas of Rome was a moment of profound grace and awe. The prayers, confessions, and indulgences connected with the Jubilee all came alive when I was physically present in the Eternal City, following the same path that countless pilgrims have walked for centuries.

During this Jubilee pilgrimage, I was blessed to walk through all the Holy Doors of the four Major Basilicas, each one a profound reminder of Christ as the true gate of salvation. I prayed at the tomb of St. Lawrence, venerated the relics of the saints—including the foot of St. Mary Magdalene, the True Cross, and even the Crib of Bethlehem—and gazed upon the breathtaking Ecstasy of St. Teresa. Each day I was able to assist at the Traditional Latin Mass, uniting my prayers with countless pilgrims across the centuries. On a lighter note, I even mailed a letter to the Holy Father, savored the incomparable cuisine of Rome, and managed to log over 30,000 steps daily in the sweltering summer heat—a reminder that pilgrimage is both a spiritual and physical journey.

The Church reminds us that these years are not meant simply as a commemoration, but as a true call to conversion and renewal. That truth was something I felt tangibly as I entered each basilica, joined the faithful from every nation, and reflected on the mercy of God poured out so abundantly in these extraordinary times.

In this article, I have included several of my own photographs from the pilgrimage. They capture not only the grandeur of the basilicas and the Holy Doors but also the spirit of joy and prayer that filled the streets of Rome. These images, I hope, convey some of the sense of sacredness and unity that a Jubilee offers to the universal Church.

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Is Friday Abstinence Required When Assumption Day Falls on a Friday?

Assumption by Martin Knoller

Assumption Day As A Holy Day of Obligation

The first catalog of Holy Days comes from the Decree of Gratian in c. 1150 AD, which shortly thereafter gave way to Decretals of Pope Gregory IX in 1234, which listed 45 Holy Days.

In 1642, His Holiness Pope Urban VIII issued the papal bull Universa Per Orbem which mandated the required Holy Days of Obligation for the Universal Church to consist of 34 days as well as the principal patrons of one's one locality (e.g. city and country). Those days were the Nativity of Our Lord, the Circumcision of Our Lord, the Epiphany of Our Lord, Monday within the Octave of the Resurrection, Tuesday within the Octave of the Resurrection, Ascension Thursday, Monday within the Octave of Pentecost, Tuesday within the Octave of Pentecost, Most Holy Trinity, Corpus Christi, the Finding of the Holy Cross, the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Dedication of St. Michael, the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, SS. Peter and Paul, St. Andrew, St. James, St. John (the December feast day), St. Thomas, SS. Philip and James, St. Bartholomew, St. Matthew, SS. Simon and Jude, St. Matthias, St. Stephen the First Martyr (the December feast day), the Holy Innocents, St. Lawrence, St. Sylvester, St. Joseph, St. Anne, and All Saints.  

Hence, Assumption Day was a Holy Day of Obligation long before the dogma of the Assumption was dogmatically defined.

Is Friday Abstinence Required When Assumption Day (August 15) Falls on a Friday?

Since August 15 this year falls on a Friday and is a Holy Day of Obligation, a question arises on whether abstinence is obligatory this Friday. The answer, as clearly stated in the 1917 Code, is as follows:

"On [Sundays] or feasts of precept, the law of abstinence or of abstinence and fast or of fast only ceases, except during Lent, nor is the vigil anticipated; likewise it ceases on Holy [Saturday] afternoon" (1917 Code, Canon 1252 § 4). [Translation taken from THE 1917 OR PIO-BENEDICTINE CODE OF CANON LAW in English Translation by Dr. Edward Peters]

As Assumption Day falls outside of Lent, this Friday is not a day of mandatory abstinence. However, this was actually a change from the practice observed for well over 1,000 years.

Dispensations From Abstinence Were Previously Required Even for Holy Days of Obligation Outside of Lent

Even Christmas would in and of itself not dispense Friday abstinence in the Medieval Church, as Dom Gueranger writes in the Liturgical Year published in 1886:

"To encourage her children in their Christmas joy, the Church has dispensed with the law of abstinence, if this Feast fall on a Friday. This dispensation was granted by Pope Honorius III, who ascended the Papal Throne in 1216. It is true that we find it mentioned by Pope St Nicholas I, in the ninth century; but the dispensation was not universal; for the Pontiff is replying to the consultations of the Bulgarians, to whom he concedes this indulgence, in order to encourage them to celebrate these Feasts with solemnity and joy: Christmas Day, St Stephen, St John the Evangelist, the Epiphany, the Assumption of our Lady, St John the Baptist, and SS Peter and Paul. When the dispensation for Christmas Day was extended to the whole Church, these other Feasts were not mentioned."

Previously, a dispensation was required by the Holy Father even on Holy Days of Obligation that fell outside of Lent. Two examples indicating this are Pope Leo XIII's 1890 dispensation for Assumption Day and a 1907 dispensation issued for Canada for All Saints Day. All Saints Day was, at that time, a Holy Day of Obligation in Canada.

The Catholic Encyclopedia on St. Pius X's Supremi disciplinæ indicates that fasting was abolished eo ipso only starting in 1911 for all Holy Days of Obligation outside of Lent (which were at the same time reduced to only 8): "The present Motu Proprio institutes another important change in legislation. As feasting and fasting are incompatible, Pius X has abolished the obligation of fasting as well as that of abstinence for the Universal Church, should such obligation coincide with any of the eight feasts, as above." 

Thus, while eating meat this Friday is not a sin, it would be meritorious to continue to observe Friday abstinence in honor of the nearly 1,800 year-old tradition that preceded the 1917 Code. If we choose to do so, let us offer it up through our Lady's intercession for the conversion of sinners who violate the laws of the Church and do not attend Holy Mass on days of precept like Assumption Day.

Want to learn more about the history of fasting and abstinence? Check out the Definitive Guide to Catholic Fasting and Abstinence.

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Why Online Catechesis Is Effective

Bringing the Faith into the Digital Age Without Compromise

In an age where so much of life has moved online—from work meetings to medical appointments—many Catholics wonder: can the same be true for religious education? The answer is yes—but only when done right.

Online catechesis is not a watered-down substitute for parish-based instruction. When faithful to the Magisterium, rooted in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition, and built with structure and clarity, it becomes not only a viable alternative—but often a better one. Here’s why.

1. Accessibility Without Boundaries

• Online catechesis reaches learners wherever they are:
• Homebound elderly or disabled individuals
• Families living far from faithful parishes
• Busy parents balancing school and work schedules
• Military families and traveling professionals
• Converts in areas without a solid RCIA program

The Faith is universal, and online catechesis ensures no soul is left without the opportunity to learn it.

2. Consistency in Doctrine

Sadly, not all in-person programs teach the Faith with the same fidelity. Online catechesis—when created by orthodox Catholics—can eliminate the doctrinal inconsistencies that often creep into parish classrooms.

Well-designed online programs draw directly from:

• The Catechism of the Council of Trent
• The Baltimore Catechism
• The Douay-Rheims Bible
• Traditional theological manuals

This ensures that learners receive a presentation of the Catholic Faith that is complete, consistent, and uncompromised.

3. Self-Paced Learning Meets Real-Life Needs

Unlike fixed parish schedules, online programs allow students to:

• Learn at their own pace
• Review difficult topics as needed
• Pause and resume lessons when family life demands it
• Study together as a family or individually

This flexibility is especially beneficial for adult converts, catechists, godparents, and parents who may be coming to the Faith later in life or seeking continuing formation on their own terms.

4. Better Engagement and Retention

Online programs use tools like:

• Interactive assessments
• Multimedia presentations
• Immediate feedback on quizzes
• Tracking of progress toward completion

This keeps learners accountable and motivated—something that often lacks in once-a-week in-person sessions.

Studies in education consistently show that repetition and active recall (both of which are built into good online learning programs) increase long-term retention and understanding.

5. Ideal for Parishes and Homeschoolers

Faithful online programs aren’t just for individuals. Many parishes and Catholic homeschoolers use them to:

• Supplement sacramental prep (Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation)
• Replace underperforming CCD programs
• Provide RCIA and adult formation without overburdening clergy
• Train godparents and sponsors remotely

Because online platforms handle registration, lesson delivery, and assessments, parishes can spend more time on pastoral ministry—not paperwork.

6. Ongoing Formation Beyond the Basics

Catechesis doesn’t end after Confirmation. Online programs make it easy for Catholics to go deeper into:

• The lives of the saints
• Traditional Catholic morality and fasting
• The precepts of the Church
• Devotions like the Rosary and the Sacred Heart
• The theological virtues and works of mercy

For Catholics serious about knowing, living, and defending their Faith, online platforms can provide robust, lifelong formation.

7. Faithful Catechesis Without the Compromise of Modernism

In many dioceses, online catechesis is the only remaining option for Catholics who want to avoid modernist textbooks, poor classroom discipline, or programs that reduce the Faith to feel-good slogans. Online instruction rooted in tradition offers clear, doctrinally sound alternatives that are faithful to the perennial teachings of the Church.

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Is Abstinence Required on Civil Holidays?

For Traditional Catholics seeking to preserve the venerable customs of penance and prayer, the question naturally arises in 2025: Since July 4th falls on a Friday this year, are we still obligated to abstain from meat?

In today’s Church, the answer would be no—abstinence on Fridays outside of Lent is only “especially recommended,” not required. But for those who strive to maintain the immemorial practices of the Church, the answer lies in a deeper look at history, law, and the exceptions once granted for civil holidays like Independence Day.

Traditional Law: Friday Abstinence Is the Norm

From the earliest centuries, Friday abstinence was a universal precept. As a weekly commemoration of the Passion of Our Lord, it was required throughout the year. This obligation continued with few interruptions until modern times. Even into the 20th century, the 1917 Code of Canon Law mandated abstinence from meat on all Fridays of the year unless a Holy Day of Obligation occurred on that day outside of Lent. Before, even Fridays that were Holy Days of Olbligation still required abstinence, Christmas Day being the only exception.

Importantly, July 4th—the United States' Independence Day—has never been a Holy Day of Obligation. Thus, under traditional law, it remained a day of required abstinence whenever it fell on a Friday.

The 1931 Indult for Civil Holidays

However, a notable exception was introduced in 1931. Cardinal Fumasoni Biondi, Apostolic Delegate to the United States, communicated a special indult from Pope Pius XI allowing American bishops, ad quinquennium (for five years), to dispense from the laws of fasting and abstinence on civil holidays. As he wrote:

“The Sacred Congregation of the Council, in a letter dated 15 Oct 1931, informs me that, in view of the difficulties experienced by the faithful in observing the laws of fast and abstinence on civil holidays, His Holiness, Pius XI... granted to all the Ordinaries of the United States... the faculty to dispense their subjects from the laws in question whenever any of the civil holidays now observed occurs on a day of fast and abstinence, or of abstinence.”

This privilege, while notable, was:

• Temporary: It lasted only five years unless renewed.
• Discretionary: Bishops could exercise this faculty but were not required to.
• Not self-executing: The faithful could not assume they were dispensed unless their bishop officially declared it.

Even into the 1950s and early 1960s, bishops selectively used this privilege. Some issued formal dispensations when a civil holiday fell on a Friday (e.g., the day after Thanksgiving), but others did not.

Independence Day: No Permanent Dispensation

There was never a permanent, universal dispensation from Friday abstinence for the Fourth of July.

Unlike myths surrounding the so-called “turkey indult” for the day after Thanksgiving, there is no documented perpetual exemption for meat consumption on Independence Day—even under Pope Pius XII or John XXIII. Any dispensation from Friday abstinence on July 4th had to be granted explicitly by the local bishop and typically appeared in diocesan announcements or parish bulletins.

Furthermore, by 1962—the benchmark year for many traditional Catholics—the universal law was still clear: unless July 4th was a Holy Day of Obligation (which it was not), or unless a specific diocesan dispensation was announced, the law of abstinence applied.

What Changed After Vatican II?

With Paenitemini in 1966, Paul VI allowed bishops’ conferences to substitute other forms of penance for Friday abstinence. The U.S. bishops followed suit, and Friday abstinence became “especially recommended,” but no longer binding under pain of sin outside of Lent.

This relaxation, coupled with the dramatic reduction in fasting days, has contributed to a massive weakening of Catholic penitential identity. But for those attached to the Traditional Latin Mass and the older calendar, fidelity to the traditional norms remains a vital part of living the liturgical life.

So, What Should a Traditional Catholic Do on Friday, July 4, 2025?

Unless a competent traditional priest or bishop explicitly dispenses the faithful from abstinence, the traditional law remains binding. Independence Day—though a civic holiday—is not a feast of the Church, and it has never been granted a permanent exception. Thus, traditional Catholics should abstain from meat on Friday, July 4th, 2025.

This act of penance is not a rejection of patriotism but a higher form of devotion: honoring the sacred customs of the Church above the shifting preferences of modernity.

Recovering a Lost Rhythm

Throughout the past two centuries, Catholic discipline in America has steadily waned. From a time of over 30 Holy Days of Obligation, year-round Saturday abstinence, and strict fasting regulations, we now find ourselves with a minimal observance required under current law.

But as St. Francis de Sales wisely said, “If you’re able to fast, you will do well to observe some days beyond what are ordered by the Church.”

For those who long to recover the rhythm of Catholic life, the solution lies not in waiting for mandates, but in choosing to voluntarily embrace tradition. This July 4th, let us abstain from meat, pray for our nation, and offer up our penance for the conversion of America and the restoration of Catholic order.

Want to learn more about the history of fasting and abstinence? Check out the Definitive Guide to Catholic Fasting and Abstinence.

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A Catholic Life Podcast: Episode 117

In today’s episode for the A Catholic Life Podcast I cover the fascinating, complicated, and often forgotten history of Holy Days of Obligation in the United States.

1. Honor the Forgotten (Former) 36 Holy Days of Obligation
2. A History of Holy Days of Obligation & Fasting for American Catholics: Part 1
3. A History of Holy Days of Obligation & Fasting for American Catholics: Part 2

This episode of A Catholic Life is brought to you by the Sanctifica app — and if you’re passionate about living the liturgical year, this is the tool you’ve been waiting for. Feast days, saints, traditional devotions, indulgences — Sanctifica weaves it all into one beautifully crafted app. No fluff. No trends. Just timeless Catholic tradition — right at your fingertips. Personally, I’ve found it incredibly helpful in staying rooted in the Church’s rhythm — from  reminders for feast days and ember days, to novenas and spiritual treasures that otherwise may be easily missed. If you’re looking to bring structure, beauty, and deeper meaning to your daily spiritual life — Sanctifica makes it simple. Download it for free today on the App Store or Google Play. It’s a powerful companion for anyone striving to truly live a Catholic life.

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Honor the Forgotten (Former) 36 Holy Days of Obligation

The Land Without Holy Days

“…So also, from the earliest ages, the Christian Church instituted and religiously solemnized various feasts, differing in different countries, and varying according to times and circumstances, principally intended to keep in grateful and loving memory the chief mysteries of our Blessed Saviour's life, the glories and prerogatives of His Immaculate Mother, the example and heroic sanctity of the saints. . . . Blessed festivals, they are green, refreshing oases in the desert of our dreary, plodding life, and not a doubt, but they tend materially to keep alive the spirit of piety." 

With these words, Bishop Stephen Ryan of Buffalo addressed the bishops and theologians who had crowded into the former Cathedral in Baltimore. The occasion was the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore, which began in late 1884. The Council Fathers set to address a number of issues affecting Catholic life in the United States which had reached its then-disjointed arrangement through the acquisition of various terrorities each with their own customs and ecceslestical laws. Unbeknowst to many, days of fasting and abstinence in addition to holy days of obligation varied widely in what constituted the United States of America due to these historical differences. Could uniformity be obtained even though prior attempts to do so had failed? And in hindsight, should uniformity – at least in the manner sought – have even been attempted?

The history of America’s holy days of obligation highlights a complex network of unique customs, varied cultural traditions, and an overarching lack of fervor over time. In an era with so few Holy Days of Obligation, what have we lost? And should this be remedied? And what can this teach modern Catholics?

Holy Days of Obligation Over Time

In 1911, Pope St. Pius X reduced the number of Holy Days of Obligation from 36 to 8, although which places observed the holy days were not uniform at all beforehand.  Shortly thereafter, the 1917 Code of Canon Law increased the number to 10 by adding back Corpus Christi and Ss. Joseph. Those ten on the Universal Calendar have remained the same ever since.

However, the Holy Days up until 1911 reveal something quite interesting as all of the feasts of the Apostles were Holy Days of Obligation on the Universal Calendar as were many other days like St. Anne, the May 3rd Feast of the Finding of the Holy Cross, and so many other days which are now forgotten. The feasts of the Apostles were raised to public holidays back in 932 AD as Father Weiser relates (p. 279), for instance.

The 36 Holy Days of Obligation on the Universal Calendar back in 1642 under Pope Urban VIII included:

1. Nativity of our Lord
2. Circumcision of our Lord
3. Epiphany of the Lord
4. Monday within the Octave of the Resurrection
5. Tuesday within the Octave of the Resurrection
6. Ascension
7. Monday within the Octave of Pentecost
8. Tuesday within the Octave of Pentecost
9. Most Holy Trinity
10. Most Holy Body of Christ
11. Finding of the Holy Cross
12. Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary
13. Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
14. Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
15. Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
16. Dedication of St. Michael
17. Nativity of St. John Baptist
18. Ss. Peter and Paul
19. St. Andrew
20. St. James
21. St. John (the December feastday)
22. St. Thomas
23. Ss. Philip and James
24. St. Bartholomew
25. St. Matthew
26. Ss. Simon and Jude
27. St. Matthias
28. St. Stephen (the December feastday)
29. The Holy Innocents
30. St. Lawrence
31. St. Sylvester
32. St. Joseph
33. St. Anne
34. All Saints Day
35. The Principle Patrons of One’s Country, City, etc.

The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary was added in 1708 so it not on 1642 list.

In times past there was also a distinction made of days of double versus single precept. Days of double precept required both hearing Mass and refraining from servile works, whereas days of single precept were working holy days permitting work but still requiring Mass attendance.

Consequently, the number of Holy Days of Obligation in the United States as of the Second Vatican Council had already been significantly reduced from their previous state. Holy Days of Obligation, which had remained the same in the United States since 1917, were further modified in the latter part of the 20th century.  On December 13, 1991, the United States Bishops issued a directive further abrogating New Years Day (the Circumcision of our Lord), the Assumption, or All Saints in years when the feast falls on a Saturday or a Monday. And on March 23, 1992, in another reduction, the Bishop of Honolulu obtained an indult from the Holy See and approval from the United States episcopal conference to reduce the Holy Days of Obligation to only Christmas and the Immaculate Conception. 

Holy Days of Obligation Before 1900

Published in 1886, the eleventh volume of the American Catholic Quarterly Review offers an insightful series of reflections on Holy Days with a call for us to observe these as our forefathers in the Faith gladly did:

"The Church by one of her positive commandments requires the faithful to sanctify certain holydays in the year by taking part in the offering of the great sacrifice of the Mass and by abstaining from servile works... In the days of faith and fervor not only were the great festivals prescribed by the Church, those associated with the life of our Lord and His Blessed Mother, those intimately connected with the work of redemption, and the feasts of the holy apostles by whose ministry the Church was established and the channels of grace led through the world - not only were these kept reverently but the patronal feast of each country, diocese, and church, the days of the most famous local saints were similarly honored. The devotion was general, and whoso refused to lay aside his implements of trade or traffic on their days was so condemned by public opinion that custom made the law.” 

Interestingly, because the Church enjoined on the Faithful both the obligation to hear Mass and the necessity to refrain from servile work, the number of holy days, which included Sundays, was significant. Some people began to revolt against the Church claiming that these practices only increased poverty. But as the Journal notes, an interesting phenomenon occurred:

"Protestantism therefore at once swept away all the holydays and Christmas remained almost alone to represent the Church calendar, and the Puritans even punished those who kept Christmas. With men working all the year round except on Sunday, wealth was to be general, the poor would thrive and prosper and be happy and contented, no longer lured from great and ennobling labor by being called away every week to idle some days in church and prayer. It was again unfortunate that this excellent theory did not work well. The poor seemed to grow actually poorer with all these days of labor than they had been before." 

The first catalog of Holy Days comes from the Decree of Gratian in c. 1150 AD, which shortly thereafter gave way to Decretals of Pope Gregory IX in 1234, which listed 45 Holy Days. As the Catholic Encyclopedia summarizes regarding this period:

“The Decree of Gratian (about 1150) mentions forty-one feasts besides the diocesan patronal celebrations; the Decretals of Gregory IX (about 1233) mention forty-five public feasts and Holy Days, which means eighty-five days when no work could be done and ninety-five days when no court sessions could be held. In many provinces eight days after Easter, in some also the week after Pentecost (or at least four days), had the sabbath rest. From the thirteenth to the eighteenth century there were dioceses in which the Holy Days and Sundays amounted to over one hundred, not counting the feasts of particular monasteries and churches. In the Byzantine empire there were sixty-six entire Holy Days (Constitution of Manuel Comnenus, in 1166), exclusive of Sundays, and twenty-seven half Holy Days. In the fifteenth century, Gerson, Nicolas de Clémanges and others protested against the multiplication of feasts, as an oppression of the poor, and proximate occasions of excesses. The long needed reduction of feast days was made by Urban VIII (Universa per orbem, 13 Sept., 1642).” 

In 1642, His Holiness Pope Urban VIII issued the papal bull Universa Per Orbem which mandated the required Holy Days of Obligation for the Universal Church to consist of 34 days as well as the principal patrons of one's one locality (e.g. city and country). Ultimately Universa Per Orbem helped bring more uniformity to the Church since some parts of the Catholic world observed even more holy days of double precept (i.e. mandatory attendance at Mass and rest from servile work). The previous list of Holy Days of Obligation found in the Decretals also included Holy Monday through Holy Saturday in addition to Easter Wednesday through Easter Saturday.  These days had ceased being Holy Days by 1642. 

Holy Days in Young America

After the American Revolution, the Catholics in the 13 colonies that constituted the new United States of America were under the jurisdiction of the Apostolic Vicariate of the London District until the Diocese of Baltimore was established on November 6, 1789. This included the area of Maine that previously had been part of Quebec.

The first major change to the holy days of Americans came about through the lands purchased in 1803 from France in the Louisiana Purchase. Owing to the persecution of Catholics in France after the French Revolution, Pope Pius VII on April 5, 1802, reduced the holy days of obligation for Catholics in France to only Christmas, Ascension, Assumption, and the Feast of All Saints. Spain, which was in possession of the Louisiana territory since 1763, agreed in 1801 to cede it back to Napoleon. Before even getting possession of the territory, he sold it to the United States in 1803. What is particularly interesting is that the Catholics of Louisiana – whose territory includes areas in modern-day Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas, and Nebraska – adopted the reduced holy days granted to France in 1802.

A Divergence of Holy Days in the 1800s

As America expanded, there was a divergence in the days of precept. When Florida was purchased by the United States in 1821, its old holy days were maintained. And the same likewise occurred in the Texas territory when it was acquired by the United States in 1845. And this trend continued as America expanded westward as the American Catholic Quarterly Review observes:

"In the Second Plenary Council [of Baltimore] in 1866 the feast of the Immaculate Conception was made of obligation as it had been in Oregon, where the feast of St Peter and St Paul had retained its place with the Monday after Easter and Whit Sunday, St John the Baptist, Candlemas, and St Stephen. Pope Gregory XVI in 1837 dispensed all the dioceses then in the United States from the obligation as to Easter Monday and Whitsun Monday and in 1840 from that of the feast of St Peter and St Paul..." 

Uniformity of American Holy Days Established in 1885 

By the time of the Civil War, considerable changes had occurred to these holy days. It was not until the Third Plenary Council that uniformly was achieved, though at the cost of reducing the holy days observed by many Catholics in the New World as the Review laments:

"The effort to induce faithful to a more exact observance of holydays of obligation or least so far as hearing mass was concerned had not been successful. A general indifference prevailed. When zealous priests, to give servants and mechanics every opportunity to fulfil the obligation, had Mass celebrated at an early hour to permit them to attend it proceeding to their usual work, it was found that almost the persons to avail themselves of the opportunity would be a pious old women, while those of the very class for whose the Mass was thus offered were scarcely represented by a straggling individuals.

"The Fathers of the Council renewed their petition to the See and His Holiness Pope Leo XIII on the 31st of December 1885 transferred the solemnization of Corpus Christi to the Sunday following the feast and made the holydays of obligation in all of the United States to be thenceforward: The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin, Christmas Day, the feast of Circumcision, Ascension Day, the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, and the feast of All Saints. ” 

The Epiphany and Annunciation were no longer a Holy Day of Obligation in the United States – joining Easter Monday, Pentecost Monday, and St. Peter and Paul as working days. For even more history on how Holy Days of Obligation - and fasting days - changed in the New World before and after America's Foundation, see A History of Holy Days of Obligation & Fasting for American Catholics.

How Should Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation be Sanctified?

The Third Commandment commands us to “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” In its fulfillment under the New Law, this commandment obliges Catholics to sanctify Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation by participating in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and by refraining from servile work. The Catechism of the Council of Trent affirms that this is not merely a recommendation—it is a divine precept.

The Church further clarifies that all Sundays and all current Holy Days of Obligation are binding under pain of mortal sin. To deliberately skip Mass on such a day without a grave reason—such as serious illness or the inability to reasonably travel to Mass—is a mortal sin. And if a Catholic is unable to attend Mass for a legitimate reason, they should still sanctify the day as best they can: by reading the Missal, meditating on the day’s readings and prayers, and uniting themselves spiritually to the liturgy.

Sunday, moreover, is not only a day of rest and obligatory worship but a day for deeper immersion in the Faith. Traditionally, Catholics observed Sunday by attending Vespers or Benediction, praying the Rosary communally, engaging in spiritual reading, and avoiding unnecessary commerce or entertainment. It is a day to spend in quiet joy, family togetherness, and devotion. The faithful should use Sunday to read Catholic books, periodicals, and Scripture, to practice works of mercy, and to grow in virtue. See the article Top 10 Sunday Activities for Catholics for more.

Make a special effort to attend Mass on all of the former Holy Days of Obligation, if possible. While the current Holy Days of Obligation must still be observed under pain of sin, we should cultivate a desire to attend Mass frequently — even daily. The former Holy Days, though no longer obligatory, remain excellent occasions to rearrange your schedule and give special honor to God through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

With so many holy days reduced, and with priests largely not preaching on the necessity of attending Mass and of abstaining from servile works on them, the faithful have lost the sense of the sacred. Yet, as more Catholic seek to rediscover the Traditional Latin Mass and traditional fasting, voluntarily attending the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and abstaining from servile works on the former Holy Days of Obligation can help us sanctify time and hold dear to what our forefathers saw, in the words of Bishop Stephen Ryan, as “refreshing oases in the desert of our dreary, plodding life.”

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Traditional Catholic Easter Dinner

2018 Blessing of Easter Baskets at St. John Cantius

As the holiest of all Christian holy days, it is fitting that Easter is rife with customs. While cultures may vary in how they observed Easter, a unifying theme throughout is found in food. After having completed 40 days of fasting and 46 days of abstinence, Easter ushers in a period of fifty days where the faithful celebrate through various meats, eggs, dairy products, and other foods which were forbidden in Lent.

On Holy Saturday, the custom originated for the faithful to bring their Easter foods to church where the priest would bless them. The Roman Ritual provides a beautiful blessing of Easter food in the form of blessings of lamb, eggs, bread, and new produce. See Page 225 – 227 for a translation of the prayers in English.

Which foods are found in Easter baskets varied from culture to culture. In Slavic regions, ham was often the main dish because of its richness and serving it was a symbol of joy and abundance at Easter. But lamb and veal were found too. But in any case, the meats were often cooked together so as not to burden the cooks with too much preparation on such a great holy day. In Hungary, Easter is referred to as the "Feast of Meat" (Husvet), because the eating of meat resumes after the long fast of Lent.

As a consequence of having traditionally abstained from all butter, eggs, and cheese, these foods were often found in baskets as well. We see this first and foremost in the continued tradition of Easter Eggs. One truly appreciates Easter Eggs only after having forgone eggs for 46 days. After such a time, having an egg is truly a treat! Russian eggs are traditionally died red due to a story dating back to St. Mary Magdalene, but other cultures have chosen to paint even elaborate symbols on the eggs. 

And let us not forget cheese. As another item formerly forbidden in Lent, cheese is a great treat to those who have abstained from it for the 46 days of abstinence. The Russians would customarily make a custard type of cheese that was shaped into a ball. Known for its bland but sweet taste, it was meant to indicate that it is fitting that Christians should still engage in moderation and never gluttony even in Eastertide. And on this point, Fr. Goffine expresses similar rationale for why the Church enriches such customs with blessings from the Roman Ritual:

Why does the Church on this day bless eggs, bread, and meat? To remind the faithful that although the time of fasting is now ended, they should not indulge in gluttony, but thank God, and use their food simply for the necessary preservation of physical strength.

Russian Easter baskets will often feature salt as well as a reminder of our Lord’s own words in Matthew 5:13, which remind the Christian of his duty. And alongside these items is sometimes found horseradish, which symbolizes the passion of Christ yet, when mixed with sugar, helps us see how the Resurrection has sweetened the Passion of Christ.  Indeed, the details indicate to us how cultures valued and celebrated the Resurrection with intricate attention to detail. Even the butter in some baskets would be shaped into the figure of a small lamb or at least decorated in stick form with the image of a cross on the top.

This year, ask your priest to bless your Easter foods, even if it is a few days after Easter Sunday, and enjoy these worthwhile treats with your family as a reward for your abstinence this Lent.

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The 40 Hour Passion Fast and the Black Fast

The Strictness of Holy Week

The Passion Fast is a term which refers to the fast which began for some as early as sunset on Holy Thursday and as late as 8 AM on Good Friday. No one was allowed to eat any food during that time until sunset on Holy Saturday, which – since most fasted for Communion – extended until the morning on Easter Sunday. It was often called a “40 Hours Fast” and represents the original Lenten fast. For those who were too weak to follow this fast the minimum fast at this time was that of xerophagiae.

Xerophagiae is a diet of simple, dry, uncooked food, such as raw nuts, bread, fruits, and vegetables. Fish and oil are not part of it and neither are flesh nor animal products. It was a precept to fast on these only during Holy Week by custom and/or decree until approximately the time of Pope St. Gregory the Great (reigned 590 – 604 AD), who mentions nothing of it. It may still have been a custom at that time but no mention of it is made in the Decretals of Gregory IX published in 1234.

The Black Fast

A commonly misunderstood aspect of fasting is the “black fast.” Is the Passion Fast a Black Fast? Is it the only Black Fast? What is the true definition of a black fast? And what is it not? The Catholic Encyclopedia from 1907 answers as follows:

This form of fasting, the most rigorous in the history of church legislation, was marked by austerity regarding the quantity and quality of food permitted on fasting days as well as the time wherein such food might be legitimately taken. 

This is based in practice on the fasting done by the Early Church and the Apostles. In practice, there are three criteria that make a fast a “black fast” as the Encyclopedia identifies:

In the first place more than one meal was strictly prohibited. At this meal flesh meat, eggs, butter, cheese, and milk were interdicted (Gregory I, Decretals IV, cap. vi; Trullan Synod, Canon 56). Besides these restrictions, abstinence from wine, especially during Lent, was enjoined (Thomassin, Traité des jeûnes de l'Église, II, vii). Furthermore, during Holy Week the fare consisted of bread, salt, herbs, and water (Laymann, Theologia Moralis, Tr. VIII; De observatione jejuniorum, i). Finally, this meal was not allowed until sunset. St. Ambrose (De Elia et jejunio, sermo vii, in Psalm CXVIII), St. Chrysostom (Homil. iv in Genesim), St. Basil (Oratio i, De jejunio) furnish unequivocal testimony concerning the three characteristics of the black fast. 

Hence a black fast is one that meets these criteria:

1. Only one meal a day

2. Complete abstinence from all meat and animal products

3. The one meal may only be consumed after sunset.

Consequently, it is not a total abstinence from all food and drink whatsoever that makes a fast a “black fast”. And it also does not mean that one eats only bread. Vegetables are certainly allowed at the meal. And the Passion Fast is one such Black Fast

Want to learn more about the history of fasting and abstinence? Check out the Definitive Guide to Catholic Fasting and Abstinence.

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A Catholic Life Podcast: Episode 106

In today’s episode, on the First Sunday of Lent, I address the Precepts of the Church, with an emphasis on the laws of fasting and abstinence, and explain that they bind under mortal sin:

1. What Are the Precepts of the Church
2. Catholic Fasting and Abstinence Precepts Outlined
3. The Church’s Precept Bind Under Penalty of Mortal Sin
4. Rediscover the Power of Traditional Catholic Fasting

I would like to thank CatechismClass.com for sponsoring this episode.  CatechismClass.com, the leader in online Catholic catechism classes, has everything from online K-12 programs, RCIA classes, adult continuing education, marriage preparation, baptism preparation, confirmation prep, quince prep classes, catechist training courses, and more. It is never too late to study the fullness of the Catholic Faith, and CatechismClass.com is the gold standard in authentic Catholic formation online. Their Catholic Liturgical Year Course for a one-time cost of $129.95 includes lessons throughout the entire liturgical year on many forgotten days.

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Eating Meat on a Friday is a Mortal Sin

Laws of Fast and Abstinence Bind Mortally

To ignore the law of fasting or abstinence from meat is a grave sin. Why? Because it is an act of disobedience to God's Church. We do not abstain from meat on Fridays for instance because the meat is unclean or evil. It is the act of disobedience that is evil. As Fr. Michael Müller remarks in his Familiar Explanation of Christian Doctrine from 1874: "It is not the food, but the disobedience that defiles a man."

To eat meat on a forbidden day unintentionally, for instance, is no sin. As the Scriptures affirm it is not what goes into one's mouth that defiles a man but that disobedience which comes from the soul (cf. Matthew 15:11). But to eat meat on a Friday or to refuse the law of fasting on required days is a serious sin because of disobedience.

To ignore the law of Friday abstinence is a mortal sin and not merely a venial sin. This was made clear by both Pope Innocent III in the 13th century and Pope Alexander VII in the 17th century who both assert that to violate the law of abstinence on a required day is a mortal sin. The Catholic Encyclopedia explains this rationale:

The Church enjoins the ways and means whereby her subjects must satisfy the obligation of doing penance inculcated by natural law. Many of the Fathers allude to the exercise of ecclesiastical authority in reference to the obligation of abstinence. The disciplinary canons of various councils bear witness to the actual exercise of authority in the same direction. Texts of theology and catechisms of Christian doctrine indicate that the obligation of abstaining forms an element in one of the Commandments of the Church. Satisfaction for sin is an item of primary importance in the moral order. Naturally enough, abstinence contributes no small share towards the realization of this end. As a consequence, the law of abstinence embodies a serious obligation whose transgression, objectively considered, ordinarily involves a mortal sin. The unanimous verdict of theologians, the constant practice of the faithful, and the mind of the Church place this point beyond cavil. They who would fain minimize the character of this obligation so as to relegate all transgressions, save such as originate in contempt, to the category of venial sin are anathematized by Alexander VII [Cf. Prop. 23, ap. Bucceroni, Enchiridion Morale, 145 (Rome, 1905)]. 

In fine, the Trullan synod (can. 58, ap. Hefele, ‘History of the Councils of the Church’, V, 231, Edinburgh, 1896) inflicts deposition on clerics and excommunication on laymen who violate this law. Furthermore, theologians claim that a grievous sin is committed as often as flesh meat is consumed in any quantity on abstinence days (Sporer, Theologia Moralis super Decalogum, I, De observ. jejunii, # 2, assert. II), because the law is negative, and binds semper et pro semper. 

If you cannot resist having meat on Friday, how can you possibly resist more insidious assaults from the devil? The same can be said for a day of fasting – if you cannot refuse food for a short time, how can you reject serious temptations against purity, humility, or pride?

Want to learn more about the history of fasting and abstinence? Check out the Definitive Guide to Catholic Fasting and Abstinence.

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Rediscover the Power of Traditional Catholic Fasting

For centuries, fasting and abstinence were essential pillars of Catholic life. Saints, clergy, and lay faithful alike observed rigorous fasting disciplines—not out of mere obligation, but as a means of penance, spiritual purification, and reparation for sin. Sadly, these practices have been largely forgotten or dramatically reduced in modern times.

But what if we could reclaim them?

What if Catholics everywhere once again embraced fasting—not just as a personal devotion, but as a movement for the restoration of Christendom?

That’s exactly what we seek to do.

Step 1: Learn the Tradition

📖 The Definitive Guide to Catholic Fasting and Abstinence by Matthew Plese provides everything you need to know about the traditional discipline of fasting—what it was, how it changed, and how you can restore it in your own life.

This book traces the history of Catholic fasting back to the early Church, when Christians observed rigorous Lenten fasts, abstained from all meat and animal products, and kept strict Ember Days and vigils. It covers how the discipline gradually eroded, especially after the 1917 Code of Canon Law, and how Vatican II’s reforms nearly erased fasting altogether.

If you’ve ever wondered why Catholics today fast so little compared to past centuries—or if you feel called to do more but don’t know where to begin—this book is your guide.

Step 2: Live the Tradition

💪 Learning about fasting is one thing. Living it is another. That’s why we invite you to join the Fellowship of St. Nicholas—a traditional Catholic sodality dedicated to restoring penance and fasting.

Under the patronage of St. Nicholas—who was known not just for his charity but for his lifelong fasting—the Fellowship calls Catholics to band together in prayer, penance, and reparation.

St. Nicholas’s own life exemplifies the ancient fasting tradition. As the Roman Breviary recounts, even as an infant, he fasted from his mother’s milk twice a week, only nursing after sunset on Wednesdays and Fridays. He kept this discipline for his entire life, modeling for us a path of self-denial and holiness.

Inspired by this, the Fellowship of St. Nicholas commits to structured fasting and abstinence based on the traditional rules of the Church.

✅ Tier 1 follows the 1917 Code of Canon Law as a minimum, while eliminating the compromise of partial abstinence. This includes:

• No meat on any Friday of the year
• No meat for the entirety of Lent, including Sundays
• Abstinence on Ember Days and major vigils
• A strict fast (one meal a day, preferably after 3 PM) on traditional fasting days

✅ Tier 2 expands upon this, restoring the ancient Lenten fast as a fully vegan discipline—no meat, dairy, or eggs. It also extends fasting into Advent, bringing back the observance of St. Martin’s Lent, and observes abstinence on Rogation Days.

✅ Tier 3 goes even further, reintroducing fasting periods such as the Apostles’ Fast in June and the Assumption Fast in August, along with additional vigils and Ember Days.

This is not about personal asceticism—it is about restoring the Catholic way of life. As St. Leo the Great reminds us:

“The exercise of self-restraint which an individual Christian practices by his own will is for the advantage of that single member; but a fast undertaken by the Church at large includes everyone in the general purification. God’s people never is so powerful as when the hearts of all the faithful join together in the unity of holy obedience.”

For too long, Catholics have been told that fasting is optional, that penance is just a personal devotion, and that we need only do the bare minimum. But the saints did not think this way. Christ Himself fasted. The Apostles fasted. Entire Catholic civilizations observed rigorous fasting as a standard practice.

Now is the time to take it back.

Step 3: Join the Movement

If you feel called to more than just the modern minimal requirements—if you want to fast as Catholics always did—then join us.

👉 Join the Fellowship today! Connect with us on Telegram: https://t.me/+aXEK-WgNzL42NmJh

📚 Get the book and arm yourself with knowledge – Order The Definitive Guide to Catholic Fasting and Abstinence and learn what true Catholic fasting is.

🔥 This Lent, don’t settle for the bare minimum. Reclaim fasting. Restore penance. Help bring back the traditions that sanctified generations before us.

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