History of Apostles Fast

[Anduril]

Is anyone familar with the history of this fast? When did the Church start observing it, and how long did it take to evolve to its present form? Did the establishment of the feast of SS. Peter and Paul precede the establishment of this fasting rule, or vice-versa? I've seen it suggested that the Apostles' Fast is one that was actually engaged in by the disciples of Christ following the Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, as part of their preparation for their missionary undertakings. Sounds like something they might have done, but is there actually any evidence for it?

[Darius Aram]

Greetings-

You know i have always wondered about the apostles fast
1)When and Why
2)why the date changes every year and why some years we dont observe the fast

One thing i did hear was that the church chose to start commemorating Sts. Peter and Paul together due to superiority issues they people had putting Peter above paul and vice versa?

Anyways...if anyone has any information...i would also love to know

Thank you and God Bless,
Darius Aram

P.S. This is my first post i just joined today...and i would love any tips anyone might have on how to get the most out of this Site

[Owen Jones]

The liturgical year always begins on Sept. 1 based on the solar calendar. But the beginning of Lent is determined by the Lunar calendar which shifts, and everything after that continues to be based on the lunar calendar until the beginning of each new liturgical year. So because the Lunar Calendar shifts, there are some feasts and fasts on the calendar that are cut off prior to the beginnig of the new liturgical year, depending on how early Lent starts.

[Olga]

It would not surprise me if it was decided to commemmorate Sts Peter and Paul together to avoid conflicts over perceived superiority. A similar situation arose regarding the Three Hierarchs. The Byzantines were notorious for creating factions, and there were arguments over who was the greater theologian among Basil the Great, John Chrysostom and Gregory the Theologian. The early Church wisely decreed that each of these would have his individual feast day as normal, and the three would be additionally commemmorated as a group in late January. Adding to Owen's comments, the variation in length in the Apostles' Fast is a classic case of the proximity of a movable feast (Pentecost, whose date is regulated by Pascha) with a fixed feast (Sts Peter and Paul at the end of June). As Pascha can fall some time between the first week of April and the first week of May, with Pentecost fifty days later, you can see that the time available for the Apostles' Fast can vary from one week to four.

[Darius Aram]

Thank you all for your prompt responses...this [monachos.net] is truly a wonderful orthodox community...i am truly blessed to have stumbled upon it as it God willing will be a great resource

Thank you all
God Bless,

Darius Theodore A.

[Patrick Walsh]

The Apostle's Fast, in my understanding, is the connective "glue" that holds the Movable Feasts and the Immovable Feasts together on the Calendar. The fast starts the week after a movable feast (Pentecost) and ends on the day of an Immovable Fast (Ss. Peter & Paul Day).

The reason it is not observed some years is that some years Pentecost happens too late in the year to allow time for the fast to occur if the Feast Day of Ss. Peter & Paul were celebrated on the New Calendar. For example, this year, the New Calendarists had an Apostle's Fast of two days, while us Old Calendarists celebrated (a Fast is indeed a celebration!) for a little over two weeks.

This is a point often raised by Old Calendarists with New Calendarists, that the Apostle's Fast in some years disappears completely. Forgive me if I am remiss in raising it now! ;)

feofil

[Mr Leandros Papadopoulos]

This is a point often raised by Old Calendarists with New Calendarists, that the Apostle's Fast in some years disappears completely

This is why we are all being called Orthodox (both Old Calendarists and New Calendarists):

(Romans 14:5-8)

"One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord."

[John P. Nasou]

I am glad that someone has brought up the Apostle's Fast. Obviously we = all know that it was not founded by the Apostles, but what has escaped = my searching is when and by whom was this fast established? Any ideas? =

[Theopesta]

I find in the coptic tradation that:
fathers of the church not related this fasting to any one and this give indication that it is begin in the time of the apostles, as they feasted one week (sabbath) after the pentecost and then they fast before begin their preaching with the gospel to all world.

I read but not see with myself its ordering present in the 2nd head of the canons of the Apostles.

fathers of nice at 325 1st council: give it the name of the apostles and ordered it after the feast of pentecost

I will be blessed with any corrections, thanks
in christ