Peter's Fast is the most unpredictable fast among Orthodox Christians. It can last 8 days, or maybe 42 days. Why is Petrov's fast so fickle, when will it begin in 2018, how to observe it correctly - you will learn about this in our Questions and Answers section.

Why is Peter's fast called the apostolic fast?

Peter's fast is called the apostolic fast, since it was established in memory of the holy apostles Peter and Paul, who fasted in preparation for preaching the Gospel. Calling the fast “Peter and Paul” was difficult to pronounce; therefore, the fast was called by the name of the apostle, which is pronounced first.

When did this post appear?

Christians have known about this fast since the first centuries of the existence of the church.

The first mentions of him are found in the Apostolic Constitutions. In the 3rd century, this post had no connection with the apostles and was considered “compensatory.” In other words, those who, for health reasons, could not hold Lent, should have passed this test now. Then the fast lasted from the Sunday of All Saints until the Dormition.

Around the year 1000, the post was divided into two parts. Its first period began to end on the Day of Peter and Paul, July 12 according to the new style. The second part of the compensatory fast became the Assumption Fast, which should have begun on August 14.

When will Petrov's fast begin in 2018?

Peter's Fast directly refers to the date of Easter celebration. It always begins on Monday, a week after Trinity Day. And it ends every year on July 12, Peter and Paul Day. In this regard, the apostolic fast can last 6 weeks, or maybe only 8 days.

In 2018, Petrov's fast will begin on June 4 and end on July 11. It turns out that this year it will last 38 days.

What can and cannot be eaten during Peter's Fast?

Peter's Fast is not as strict as the Great Fast. During Peter's Fast, it is forbidden to eat meat and dairy products, and on Wednesday and Friday you need to give up fish.

On Saturday and Sunday, drinking wine in moderation is allowed. Although the church still recommends abandoning it.

On the church holiday of the Nativity of John the Baptist, which is celebrated on July 7, you can eat fish regardless of what day of the week it falls on. The Day of the Apostles Peter and Paul, which is celebrated on July 12, is not included in Lent. But if this day falls on Wednesday or Friday, it is also fast, but not strict - food with vegetable oil and fish are allowed.

Petrovsky fast menu:

Monday– hot food without oil is allowed. Stewed vegetables, mushrooms, cereals, soups. You can prepare cold lean cabbage soup, okroshka, rassolnik, or cook porridge with the addition of dried fruits.
Tuesday– fish and seafood dishes, cereals, mushrooms cooked with butter are allowed.
Wednesday
Thursday– it is allowed to eat fish, seafood, soups, mushrooms. You can cook porridge with the addition of vegetable oil. It is not forbidden to combine cereals with fresh vegetables and herbs.
Friday- dry eating. Those who are fasting can eat bread, cereals, fresh vegetables, dried fruits, honey and nuts. Unlimited water.
Saturday- the church allows you to eat fish, mushrooms, and dishes with vegetable oil.
Sunday- You are allowed to eat lean food with oil and fish.

One of the two large summer fasts - Peter's fast - was established in honor of the holy apostles Peter and Paul. The time of fasting varies from year to year - both its start date and duration change. Such fuzzy boundaries are due to the dependence fast days from Easter: the earlier Holy Sunday comes, the longer the fast lasts.

Petrovsky or Petrovsky fast has a second name - Apostolic. He received his name in honor of the two apostles - Peter and Paul, and is included in church calendar as a tribute to the memory of their great deeds.

Peter's Fast in 2017: what date does it start and when does it end?

The start date of Peter's Lent directly depends on Easter. Peter's Fast in 2017, as well as in other years, begins immediately after Trinity, on Spiritual Monday. Therefore, the answer to the question of what date Peter’s Fast begins will be different every year. But the end of Peter's fast is always on the same day - July 11, before the day of the apostles Peter and Paul.

Since Easter in 2017 is April 16, Peter's Fast will begin 51 days after the holy holiday, that is, June 12. In 2017, Peter's fast will last exactly a month.

Story

The first mentions of Peter's fast date back to the 3rd century. However, during the time of the first Christians, this fast was not regular, but rather variable. The fact is that for several centuries - presumably from the 2nd-3rd to the 4th-5th centuries, the Petrine Fast replaced the Great Fast, that is, it was performed by those who, for some reason, could not fast on the eve of Easter. The duration and dates of the beginning and end of fasting were slightly different, and for Orthodox Christians it acquired its final form already in the 9th-11th centuries.

The role of the Chief Apostles Peter and Paul in Orthodoxy is very important, and therefore the Fast of Peter is considered one of the obligatory fasts for a true believer. Orthodox Christians begin preparing for fasting with prayer and reading the acts of saints.

Menu for Petrov fast in 2017

Unlike other fasts - Christmas or Great - Peter's fast is quite mild and does not require excessive sacrifices when observing it. Its main feature is that during the fasting period it is allowed to eat fish (excluding, of course, Wednesday and Friday).

The basic meal plan during Peter's Fast is quite simple.

On Monday(and fasting begins on Spiritual Monday) it is allowed to eat hot food without oil - lean porridge (buckwheat, rice, pearl barley, barley, oatmeal), cooked in water even without a drop of vegetable (sunflower, olive) oil.

Try to enhance the taste of your usual porridge by adding dried fruits to it - raisins, dried apricots or nuts will go well with oatmeal, and some fans will also like barley porridge with fruit. You can mix the porridge with mushrooms, previously boiled and cut into small pieces. Another option for adding to porridge is baked or grilled vegetables. Fleshy bell peppers (just remove the skin from them first), thick-walled tomatoes and young zucchini are especially good options here.

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday- main days of fasting. At this time, any lean food plus fish is allowed. The fast is not strict, therefore the consumption of vegetable oil is allowed. Such a wide selection of permitted products opens up truly limitless menu options! The list of dishes is simply huge - from banal fried fish to tartlets with fish or vegetable pate, from the usual soups to pies or pies baked in an open oven. Only products of animal origin are prohibited - meat, milk and dairy products, eggs and all dishes made from them.

Wednesday and Friday- modest days. These days it is necessary to observe strict fasting - dry eating. Not only food of animal origin is prohibited, but also fish and even vegetable oil. Particularly zealous Christians perceive these days of fasting as a time to eat only water and bread.

Sunday- the most blessed day of fasting. Another product is added to the permitted menu on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday - wine. True, you can drink it only in small quantities, without abusing it and avoiding intoxication. In addition, permission to drink wine does not automatically allow everyone alcoholic drinks, primarily strong drinks - vodka, whiskey, cognac, etc. Red wine, especially Cahors, has a special semantic meaning for believers, and therefore permission for its moderate consumption seems absolutely appropriate.

Be sure to observe Peter's fast in 2017 - your body will also benefit from this and your health.

Petrovka

Beloved summer holiday people considered Petrovka to be July 12th. “It’s dry in Petrovka, and the day is great,” “Peter-Paul turned up the heat,” “The nightingale sings until Peter’s Day,” “By Peter’s Day, the water in the rivers will thin out” - this is how the Russian people characterized this day. The first yellow leaves begin to fall in Petrovka: “Petrok will come and pick off the leaves.”

From Peter's day - red summer, green mowing; its very height. By Peter's Day, the raising of the winter wedge was completed. “To plow until Petrov, to Ilyin (August 2) to harrow, to Savior (August 28) to sow,” the peasant calendar urged.

They carefully prepared for the Feast of Peter and Paul: they whitewashed the house, decorated the house with towels, cleaned the yard, and in the morning, festively decorated, they went to church.
After church we broke our fast with mandriks (dumplings made from wheat dough, eggs and cheese). It was believed that their name comes from the fact that Saints Peter and Paul, traveling around the world, ate just them.

During this holiday, the harvest began in Little Russia. Hence the popular belief that St. Peter’s job is to “harvest the rye.” In one of the folk songs, Saints Peter and Paul appear as plowmen, plowing a field for the autumn sowing:

Saint Peter walks behind the plow
St. Paul drives volonki,
and God the Lord himself sows wheat,
And Saint Elijah will be covered.

The Day of Saints Peter and Paul was a major holiday in Little Russia and southern Russia. This holy day is associated with the summer solstice. Shepherds celebrated it solemnly. In the Carpathian region, animal owners organized a festive round (Petrovka) in the pasture. They believed that on this day the sun played the same way as on Easter.

Folk traditions

Day of Peter and Paul. Peter and Pavel. Peter's day. Petrovka. Peter the fisherman. Yarilin's day.

The Day of Remembrance of the Apostles Peter and Paul, or, as the people said, “Peter,” was perceived as a huge holiday for which they prepared in advance: they whitewashed houses, decorated the walls with towels, cleaned everything clean. In the morning on this day, everyone went to church, and upon returning, they broke their fast with mandriks - special donuts that were baked from wheat dough, eggs and cheese. The very name of the cookie appeared because, while traveling along the roads, Peter and Pavel ate “mandriks.” They say that on this day the cuckoo stops cuckooing because, according to popular belief, she stole the mandrika from St. Peter, and for this the Lord punished her by the fact that in any year at this time she chokes on the mandrika and stops cuckooing.

The big church holiday coincides with the oldest pagan holiday - Yarilin's day, or the day of the scorching sun - the apogee of summer, after which nature begins to turn to autumn.

Peter's Day is the holiday of the Sun, the crown of summer, Red Summer, midsummer.

On Peter's Day it was customary to wash with water from three springs. Peasants also went out to watch the sun rise: they gathered on the hills at night, lit fires and spent time waiting for the dawn in games and songs. It was believed that on Peter and Paul the sun “plays” in the sky: it will sparkle different colors, then it will shine clearly, then it will rise, then it will fall.

The Apostle Peter is known as the patron saint of fishing. He is the patron of the fields. Fishermen pray to him for good luck, and on his day they light a secular candle for him in the temple, asking him for a hint: will the fishing be successful when casting a seine.

Peter's Day was also the day of all kinds of courts and the payment of duties. The church received the so-called “Petrine tribute.” Peter's auctions took place in almost all major cities and villages. The peasants noticed: if it rains on Peter’s Day, then the entire hayfield will be wet. At the same time, the change of weather within one day, when rain is followed by sun and then rain again, promised fertility. They said: “On St. Peter, rain means a bad harvest, two rains means a good harvest, three rains means a rich harvest.”

Peter's Day - "breaking the fast" - the end of Peter's fast. Petrovka is a day of fairs. Peter's festivities. They go to visit and receive relatives. Only married and old people take part in the evening feast. “It’s a holiday for a man, like Peter’s Day.”

Unlike other fasts, the duration of this fast varies, since its beginning depends on the moving holiday - Easter (it begins on Monday of the 9th Easter week, or the 2nd week after Trinity, and ends on a strictly defined day - July 12 ).

Folk signs for St. Peter's Day

Peter's Day is also a fishermen's holiday. The Apostle Peter is considered by the people to be the patron saint of fishing.

On Peter's Day the sun is shining, but if it rains, the hayfields will be wet.

Don’t boast, woman, that the meadow is green, but look what Peter’s Day is like.

Peter-Paul turned up the heat.

Peter and Paul shortened the day (hour) (the nights darkened).

The day is decreasing, but the heat is increasing.

Hot summer on Peter's day.

The rain on St. Peter is as quick as horsetail.

If after Peter's Day the nightingale sings for more than four days, then winter will begin after Intercession (October 14) four weeks later.

“Peter-Paul turned up the heat.” Most often this day is dry, hot, and light. The sun “plays” on this day.

Leaves begin to fall from the trees. “A leaf fell from a tree; when August comes, it will fall two at a time.”

On Peter's Day is the height of the green harvest - senkos. They put up haystacks. “It’s not the hay that’s in the meadow, but the hay that’s in the stack.” If it rains on Peter's Day, the hayfield will be wet.

From Peter’s Day “the lightning lightens the bread.” On this day they go to the springs to drink spring water and wash themselves.

“The nightingales sing until Peter’s Day and fall silent, the cuckoo stops crowing - it choked on a spike of barley.”

If the cuckoo crows after Peter's Day, then it means that the summer will be good, long and the snow will not fall soon.

The rivers are becoming shallow. Mushroom harvest. Time for canning berries.

The day is decreasing, the heat is increasing. Get out your scythes and sickles for Peter's Day. Anyone who has grown up, hurry to the haymaking. Summer is bad if there is no hay. Dew sharpens his scythe. With bad mowers, the mowing is also bad.

If it rains on St. Peter, the harvest is bad, two rains are good, three rains are rich.

Plow to Petrov, fence to Ilyin, sow to Savior. Petrovka - dung beetle, inter-pair, inter-pair. They carry manure for couples.

What can you eat on Petrov fast? Folk cuisine

Kitchen of Petrov's post

Petrov's fast is relatively lax. Except for Wednesday and Friday, fish is allowed at meals. This is a summer fast, and we have at our disposal fresh early vegetables, herbs, mushrooms, berries and fruits. Summer time also allows you to diversify the table with cold soups, your favorite okroshka, for example, and soft drinks. Many people relax outside the city, go fishing, and the catch serves as a good addition to the menu.

SNACKS

Vitamin salad

2 apples, 2 tomatoes, 2 fresh cucumber, 1 carrot, 1 young celery root, 1 glass of cherries, 1 tablespoon of sugar, half a lemon.

Cut apples, tomatoes, fresh cucumbers into slices, carrots and celery root into thin strips, remove the pit from the cherries. Pour lemon juice and sugar over chopped fruits and vegetables.

White cabbage salad

500 g cabbage, 2 apples, dill, parsley.

Chop the cabbage and grind with salt until the juice is released, add finely chopped apples, herbs, and season with vegetable oil.

Salad with champignons and vegetables

3-4 potatoes, 150 g fresh champignons, 1 onion, 100 g sauerkraut, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon sugar.

Combine boiled potatoes, cut into thin slices, with sauerkraut, chopped boiled champignons, and onions. Season with vinegar, vegetable oil, sugar, salt and mix carefully.

FIRST MEAL

Pea soup

2.5 liters of water, 500 g of peas, 1 onion, 1 carrot, salt, black pepper, 100 g of vegetable oil.

Soak dry peas in water for 2-3 hours and cook in the same water with carrots for 2-3 hours. Salt, pepper and rub through a sieve. Season the resulting puree with finely chopped and fried in vegetable oil onions. Serve with croutons white bread, roasted in the oven until golden brown.

Summer cabbage soup

500 g potatoes, 500 g cabbage, 200 g tomatoes, 200 g carrots, 15 g parsley, 75 g onions, dill, parsley, salt to taste.

Place peeled and chopped carrots, parsley, onions and early cabbage into boiling water, then add whole peeled potatoes and salt. Before serving, put the tomatoes cut into slices into the pan, let the cabbage soup boil and pour into plates, putting a slice of cabbage, 2-3 potatoes, tomatoes, dill or parsley in each plate.

Green cabbage soup made from nettles

500 g sorrel, spinach or nettle, 2-3 potatoes, 1 carrot, 1 parsley root, 1 celery, 1 onion.

Place diced potatoes, carrots, parsley root, celery into boiling salted water and cook for 20 minutes. Wash the sorrel or spinach thoroughly in cold water, finely chop and place in boiling vegetable broth.

Instead of sorrel, you can use young nettle prepared as follows. Remove the nettle leaves from the stems, rinse in cold water, scald with boiling water, quickly drain in a colander, not allowing the nettles to release juice, and immediately chop very finely. Boil the nettles in the broth for 10-12 minutes. 5 minutes before cooking, add bay leaf and peppercorns.

Potato soup with sorrel

6 potatoes, 250 g sorrel, 1 carrot, 1 parsley stalk, 1 onion, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon tomato puree, salt, pepper, bay leaf, herbs.

Place chopped potatoes into boiling water and bring to a boil. Add sauteed vegetables - carrots, onions along with tomato puree and cook until tender. 15 minutes before the end of cooking, add chopped parsley into the soup, season with spices, and 5 minutes before the end of cooking, add chopped sorrel leaves. When serving, season the soup with parsley or dill.

Fishing soup

300 g small fish, 500 g pike perch, 1 onion.

Wash and clean small fish, cook the broth, skimming off the foam. Place pieces of pike perch, peppercorns, bay leaves, and onions into a thick-walled pan, pour in strained broth and cook until tender.

Fish soup with saffron

500 g small fish, 1 onion, 1 parsley root, saffron.

Boil the fish as usual, but do not add the bay leaf. Remove the fish, add saffron to the broth, bring to a boil, strain through a colander and boil again.

COLD SOUPS

For okroshka:

Kvass from black bread

10 liters of water, 0.5 kg of crackers, 0.5 kg of sugar, 20 g of yeast.

Cut the black bread into slices and dry in the oven, and brown a few slices well. Pour boiling water, cover with a napkin and leave for several hours (4-6) to infuse, acquire color and bready taste. Then add sugar and yeast. Kvass should ripen on the second day. Strain the finished kvass, pour into bottles, close tightly and put in the refrigerator. It is good to put mint, scalded with boiling water, in kvass.

Kvass from crackers

10 liters of water, 0.5 kg of rye bread crackers, 20 g of yeast, 0.5 kg of sugar, some raisins, mint, blackcurrant leaves.

Dry the rye bread in the oven, cool, pour boiled hot water(70-80 degrees), let it brew for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally. Drain the wort and strain. Pour hot water over the rusk sludge again and leave for another 2 hours. Strain and pour into the infusion obtained earlier. Cool to 20-25 degrees, add sugar, yeast, mint or blackcurrant leaf, some raisins. Leave the kvass to ferment in a warm place for 8-12 hours. Strain, bottle, and refrigerate for 2-3 days. Instead of raisins, you can add 2-3 tablespoons of cumin.

Summer vegetable okroshka

1 liter of kvass, 0.5 cups of cucumber pickle, 2 turnips, 1 cup of diced boiled potatoes, 2 fresh cucumbers, 1 cup of green onions, 2 tablespoons of dill, 0.5 tablespoons of parsley, 1 tablespoon of grated horseradish, 0. 5 teaspoons ground black pepper.

Cut all ingredients, mix and pour kvass.

Fish okroshka

1.25 liters of kvass, 1 cup of cucumber pickle, 1 cup of finely chopped fish, 2 boiled carrots, 1 cup of diced boiled potatoes, 1 cup of green onions, 1 chopped onion, 2 fresh cucumbers, 1 tablespoon of parsley, 2 tablespoons each tarragon and dill, 0.5 lemon, 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper.

Fish suitable for okroshka include tench, pike perch, and cod. Pre-boil the fish, separate from the bones and chop. Add to the rest of the prepared ingredients and pour in kvass.

SECOND COURSES

Monastery style rice

200 g rice, 2 onions, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 carrots, 1 tablespoon tomato paste or tomato sauce, dried celery, dill, ground black pepper, salt.

Rinse the rice in seven waters, add boiling water in a ratio of 1:2, cook for 10 minutes until the rice is grain by grain, drain in a colander. In a deep frying pan, fry finely chopped onions in vegetable oil until golden brown, add boiled carrots and tomatoes grated on a coarse grater, stir. Add rice, season to taste with herbs, pepper and salt. Serve hot.

Pilaf with mushrooms

1 glass of rice, 500 g of mushrooms, 3 onions, 3 carrots, 120 g of vegetable oil.

Finely chop the onion and carrots and fry them in vegetable oil. Wash the rice and fry with vegetables. Boil peeled and washed finely chopped mushrooms in salted water, add rice, carrots and onions to the pan. Place on a baking sheet and bake over medium heat in the oven until the water has completely evaporated. The rice should become crumbly.

Buckwheat porridge with mushrooms

1 cup kernels, 20-30 dried mushrooms, 2.5 cups water, 1 onion

Wash dry mushrooms and soak for 2-3 hours in cold water, then boil until tender. Then drain the mushrooms in a colander, strain the mushroom broth, pour into the pot, bring to a boil, add salt, add chopped mushrooms and calcined buckwheat, stir.

Place the thickened porridge in the oven and bring it to readiness. When serving, add fried onions to the porridge.

Mushroom fritters

500 g potatoes, 250 g mushrooms, vegetable oil, salt.

Peel raw potatoes, rinse and grate. Finely chop the peeled mushrooms, mix them with the potato mixture and a small amount of salt. Place the pancakes with a spoon in a hot frying pan with vegetable oil and fry on both sides.

Chanterelles stewed with cabbage

1 kg of mushrooms, 500 g of white cabbage, 50 g of vegetable oil, 2 onions, salt.

Finely chop fresh chanterelles. Combine chopped onions and fried in vegetable oil with mushrooms, pour in 4-5 tbsp. spoons of water and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Then add chopped fresh cabbage, add salt and simmer until done.

Mushrooms stewed with potatoes

400 g mushrooms, 4-5 potato tubers, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1 tbsp. spoon of tomato puree, onion, salt, pepper, bay leaf, dill.

Peel the mushrooms, rinse and leave for 5-6 minutes. put in boiling water. Then drain in a colander and let the water drain. Cut the mushrooms into slices, place in a deep frying pan, pour in oil. Add tomato puree, salt, pepper, bay leaf to the same pan. Place the frying pan on medium heat and simmer for a little (7-10 minutes). Peel the potatoes, rinse, cut into slices, fry, mix with chopped fried onions and combine with mushrooms. Cover the pan with a lid. Simmer until all products are fully cooked. When serving, sprinkle with herbs.

Green peas with new potatoes

500 g green peas, 500 g potatoes, 100 g young carrots, 100 g vegetable oil, dill or parsley, salt.

Stew peas and carrots cut into circles in a small amount of oil and water. Peel and cook the potatoes separately (cut large potatoes in half), then simmer lightly in the remaining oil. Add stewed peas and carrots to the potatoes. Pour a glass of water in which the potatoes were boiled, sprinkle with chopped dill or parsley, and cook for a few minutes over low heat.

Pepper stuffed with rice

10 peppers, 125 g vegetable oil, 350 g tomatoes, 200 g rice, 2 onions, 1 bunch of green onions, 2 slices of white bread, parsley, dill, salt, pepper. For dressing: 50 g vegetable oil, 2 tbsp. spoons of flour.

Wash the peppers, cut off the tops and stems and carefully remove the seeds. Boil the sorted and washed rice for 10 minutes in boiling water, place in a sieve and fry in vegetable oil until golden brown, pour boiling water over it, add salt and cook over low heat. Mix almost ready rice removed from the heat with fried onions, finely chopped green onions and parsley and dill, add peeled and seeded, finely chopped tomatoes, soaked bread, ground pepper and mix everything well. Stuff the peppers with prepared minced meat, fry in oil on all sides, place in a suitable pan, add hot water, add peeled and seeded tomatoes and flour mixed with cold vegetable oil. Place in a hot oven for 20 minutes.

FISH DISHES

Boiled fish

Cut the fish into small pieces. Place onion and parsley root in salted water and bring to a boil. Place pieces of fish in a deep frying pan or pan, pour the prepared broth over it so that the water does not completely cover the fish, until high fire bring to a boil, then continue cooking the fish over low heat for 30-35 minutes, constantly adding water.

Remove the finished fish from the broth, carefully examine each piece and remove the bones.

As a side dish you can serve boiled potatoes, watered sunflower oil with crushed garlic.

Fish stewed with vegetables

Peel the carrots and onions, wash them, cut them into slices and cut each of them into 4 parts.

Clean the fish from bones and skin, rinse in cold running water, cut into small pieces, combine with vegetables, add a glass hot water, vegetable oil, bay leaf. Place in a saucepan, cover with a lid and simmer for 40 minutes. on low heat. The lid must be tightly closed.

As a side dish you can serve boiled potatoes and canned green peas.

COLD DRINKS AND DESSERT DRINKS

Kvass Petrovsky

1 liter of bread kvass, 25 g of horseradish root, 2 teaspoons of honey.

Dissolve honey in slightly warmed bread kvass, add finely chopped horseradish root. Place in the refrigerator for 10-12 hours in a well-sealed container, then strain. Serve kvass with pieces of edible ice.

Strawberry compote

550 g of fresh berries, 300 g of sugar, 1.2 l of water, 2 g of citric acid.

Add sugar to boiling water and citric acid and then cool. Sort out strawberries, strawberries or raspberries, remove damaged berries, place in a colander, immerse in a bucket of cold water three times, let it drain, rinse with boiled water, place in glasses or cups, pour in cooled syrup and let steep for 3-6 hours.

Kissel from dried apples or dried apricots

100 g dried apples, half a glass of sugar, 2 tablespoons of potato starch.

Place the sorted and washed dried apples in a saucepan, pour in 3.5 cups of hot water and leave in this form for 2-3 hours. Then put the apples on the fire in the same pan and cook at a low boil for 30 minutes. Strain the broth through a sieve into another pan, grate the apples, put them in the broth, add sugar, mix it all and boil. Brew the resulting apple syrup with diluted potato starch. Kissel from dried apricots is prepared in the same way, but more sugar is used.

Rhubarb jelly

250 g rhubarb, half a glass of sugar, 2 tablespoons of potato starch.

Peel the rhubarb petioles from coarse fibers, rinse in cold water and cut into small pieces. Boil water with sugar and simmer the rhubarb in it until soft (5-7 minutes), then strain. Pour diluted potato starch into the strained broth and, stirring, let it boil again. You can tint it with the juice of any berries.

BAKERY

Lenten Russian custard pancakes

4 cups flour, 4 cups water, 20 g dry yeast, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, vegetable oil for frying.

In the evening, pour half the flour into the pan, pour in 2.5 cups of boiling water and immediately mix thoroughly to form a thick lump of dough. Cool the dough, pour in dry yeast diluted in 1.5 cups of warm water, mix thoroughly, cover with a napkin and leave in a warm place until morning. The next day, add the rest of the flour to the dough, add salt and sweeten, mix thoroughly, and beat the dough with a wooden spatula. The choux pastry for pancakes should turn out a little thicker than regular pancake batter, therefore, depending on the quality of the flour, you should add a little more flour to the dough, or, conversely, add a little water. Leave the dough to rise for 2-3 hours, then, without stirring any more, pour a small ladle into a hot frying pan greased with vegetable oil and bake the pancakes.

The apostles Peter and Paul were called to serve Jesus Christ and the Church in different ways, but according to legend, both ended their lives as martyrs - the apostle Peter was crucified upside down on the cross, and Paul was beheaded with a sword. Therefore, Peter's Fast is also called Apostolic Fast.

The beginning of the Petrine Fast does not have a fixed date - it always begins on Monday a week after the feast of the Holy Trinity (Pentecost) - in 2018 it falls on June 4.

And the date of Trinity depends on the day of Easter, so the beginning of Peter's Lent falls on different dates and lasts from 8 to 42 days.

The essence and meaning of the post

Peter's Fast was established in apostolic times and dates back to the very first times of the Orthodox Church. It used to be called the fast of Pentecost. The Petrine or Apostolic fast became after the construction of churches to the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Constantinople and Rome.

Peter's Fast, like any of the four multi-day fasts a year, calls for self-improvement, victory over sins and passions, and prepares Christians with fasting and prayer for the celebration of the day of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul.

© photo: Sputnik / Sergey Pyatakov

The clergy believe that spiritual life without fasting is impossible - this is an ascetic truth, for which it is paid with blood. But Peter's Fast is not only a memory of past persecutions from external enemies.

According to the Gospel, the main enemy is not the one who kills the body, but the one who is rooted inside the soul. History remembers cases when baptized people they forgot about love for God and neighbor and returned to previous sins, and fasting reminds of such danger, church ministers note.

For a Christian, hunger and refusal of food in themselves are not good, since the need for food is natural for humans. Fasting serves to educate the will, which is important for morality, since by fasting a person learns to subordinate his bodily needs to the spirit.

During the days of fasting, the church encourages people to think about humility and martyrdom, as well as to evaluate the spiritual feat of each of the apostles. Martyrdom in Orthodoxy is one of the key phenomena. It is to go to torment and humbly accept it that is the highest spiritual feat.

© photo: Sputnik / Yuri Kaver

Petrov's Fast is also given in order to make up for lost time in Lent. This is a way out for those who, due to illness, travel, or other reasons, were unable to observe Lent before Easter.

What you can and cannot eat during Peter's Fast

Peter's Fast, unlike the Great Fast, is not so strict. It begins on Monday, the 57th day after Easter (a week after Trinity). In 2018, it falls on June 4, and the last day of fasting is July 11. Accordingly, in 2018 it lasts 38 days.

During this period, you also cannot eat meat, dairy products, eggs, but fish is allowed on some days of the week. The basis of the Lenten table is vegetables, herbs and dishes prepared from them, as well as cereals, fruits, berries and dried fruits.

During this fast, the consumption of hot food without oil is prescribed on Monday, fish is allowed on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, and dry eating (bread, water, salt, raw fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, nuts, honey) is allowed on Wednesdays and Fridays. And on weekends, a little wine is allowed.

The Day of Remembrance of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, which is celebrated on July 12, is not included in fasting. However, if it falls on Wednesday or Friday, then it is fast, but of a low degree of severity - food with oil, fish and wine are allowed.

Saint Seraphim of Sarov said that “true fasting does not consist in exhaustion of the flesh alone, but also in giving that part of the bread that you yourself would like to eat to the hungry (hungry, thirsty)… Fasting does not consist only in eating rarely, but in eating little; and not in eating once, but in not eating much.”

How to fast

Petrov's fast is considered the easiest fast for the entire calendar year. But even when starting this, not the most strict, fast, you need to consult with your confessor and your doctor if you have any chronic diseases.

In general, laymen are not required to fast as strictly as monks, for whom the Charter provides for more stringent rules. During fasting, foods should also be excluded from the menu. instant cooking, that is, fast food, confectionery and baked goods.

At the same time, it should be remembered that fasting is a spiritual cleansing and only in second place is abstinence from food. It should not promote weight loss, but strengthening in a person spiritual origin. Therefore, it is very important to pray, confess and receive communion during Lent.

But, if for some reason a layman cannot follow all the rules of fasting, he can limit himself to other, non-gastronomic things. For example, do not watch TV or use social networks in the Internet.

Traditions and customs

By church canons, the sacrament of marriage - the wedding does not take place during church holidays, posts and individual temple holidays. Accordingly, weddings during Peter's Fast and on Peter's Day are not permitted.

To live long and happy family life, it is recommended to wait out Petrov's fast. You should also postpone conceiving children until after the fast. According to folk customs, the wedding was not held on Petrov Fast for other reasons.

Peter's Fast is held in the summer, during the peak season of field work, so there has been a centuries-old tradition of not holding weddings at this time. Modern rural youth also adhere to this tradition.

Even more ancient tradition claims that the souls of the dead visit the Earth at this time, and cheerful celebrations are disrespectful to their memory.

Signs for Petrov's fast

During fasting, you should not cut your hair - your hair will be sparse. During Lent they do not sew or do handicrafts - their hands will be weak. Whoever lends money during Peter's Fast will not get out of debt for three years.

A marriage entered into during Lent is short-lived, there will be no harmony in the family, and it will soon fall apart. If during Peter's Fast, at the end of the moon, you touch a dry branch with a wart, saying: just as during Lent the meat on the platter is empty, so that the wart is thin, then the wart will dry up and fall off. If the commemoration coincides with fasting, then according to the rules the commemoration must also be fasting. But there is nothing terrible in the fact that there was quick food on the table on such a day. If during fasting, during a feast, someone persuades a fasting person to eat meat, ridiculing him or the fast, then he will die hard and for a long time.

Peter's Fast is not a time for fortune-telling, rituals, or fulfillment magical rituals. This way you can bring disaster on yourself and your loved ones, left without support higher powers. It is better to devote time to prayers and sincerely ask Heaven for what you want.

If on the first day post is underway rain, the harvest will be excellent. Three rains in one day - the year promises to be rich in joyful events.

The material was prepared based on open sources

7 days after the feast of Trinity (Pentecost), the Apostolic or Petrine Fast begins, in memory of the two most revered apostles Peter and Paul.

The establishment of Peter's fast - previously called the fast of Pentecost - dates back to the very first times of the Orthodox Church. It was especially established when in Constantinople and Rome St. equal to Constantine the Great (d. 337; commemorated May 21) erected churches in honor of Sts. the supreme apostles Peter and Paul. The consecration of the Constantinople temple took place on the day of remembrance of the apostles, June 29 (old style; i.e. July 12, new), and since then this day has become especially solemn in both the East and the West. This is the day the fast ends. Its initial border is flexible: it depends on the day of Easter celebration; therefore, the length of fasting varies from 6 weeks to a week and one day.

People called Petrovka’s fast simply “Petrovka” or “Petrovka-hunger strike”: at the beginning of summer there was little left of the last harvest, and the new one was still far away. But why is the post still Petrovsky? Why the Apostles is clear: the apostles always prepared themselves for service by fasting and prayer (remember how, when the disciples asked why they could not cast out demons, the Lord explained to them that this kind comes only through prayer and fasting (see Mark 9:29)), and therefore the Church calls us to this summer post following the example of those who, having received the Holy Spirit on the day of the Holy Trinity (Pentecost), “in labor and in exhaustion, often in vigils, in hunger and thirst, often in fasting” (2 Cor. 11, 27) prepared for worldwide preaching Gospels. And calling the post “Peter and Paul” is simply inconvenient - it’s too cumbersome; It just so happens that when we call the names of the apostles, we pronounce the name of Peter first.

Petrov's fast in 2017 begins on Monday, June 12. What makes it special? What is the duration of this, one of the four main fasts in the Orthodox Church? What to limit yourself to, and what is allowed to eat? Nadezhda SKVARNIK, Master of Theology at Charles State University in Prague, talks about this.

Why is the post called Petrov?

In fact, this is a popular name; in church language it is called differently - Apostolic. Its end falls on the feast of the two holy supreme Christian apostles - Peter and Paul, hence the name, which over time was shortened to simply “Peter's Fast”.

Why these two apostles?

In fact, the apostles christian church there were more - 12 direct disciples of Christ, and another 70 “selected”.

But it was the apostles Peter and Paul who differed from each other like heaven and earth. Their life paths were so different that it seems incredible how they could have met at all.

The Apostle Peter is a simple Galilean fisherman, the closest disciple and associate of Christ, hot-tempered and at some point renounced him, repented and believed so much that his faith became the rock on which the Christian Church was founded.

Apostle Paul (called Saul before his conversion), a Jewish Pharisee, with good education- he belonged to the intellectual elite. The turning point In his life, Christ appeared to him on the road to Damascus, where a convinced Pharisee was heading to persecute Christians. And he radically changed his whole life there.

The lives of both apostles were cut short in Rome: Peter was crucified on a cross upside down, Paul’s head was cut off with a sword.

This fast is considered non-strict: laymen are instructed to abstain from dairy and meat foods, but they can eat fish on all days except Wednesday and Friday.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday (June 12, June 14, June 16, June 19, June 21, June 23, June 26, June 28, June 30, July 3, July 5, July 7, July 10):

dry eating – boiled food and vegetable oil should not be added to the diet. If you are on a dry diet, you are allowed to eat bread, salt, fresh fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, nuts and honey. In order not to harm your health, it is recommended to drink plenty of water;

You can eat once a day after 15:00.

Tuesday, Thursday (June 13, June 15, June 20, June 22, June 27, June 29, July 4, July 6, July 11):

you can eat boiled dishes, but without oil;

You can eat twice a day.

hot food with vegetable oil. You can also cook fish;

You can eat twice a day.

Noticed a typo or error? Select the text and press Ctrl+Enter to tell us about it.

Every year, a week after the Feast of Pentecost, Peter's Fast begins. From what date it begins depends on the day of Easter and the following Pentecost after 50 days. Its end always coincides with the day of remembrance of the holy apostles Peter and Paul, in whose honor it was established - July 12. Thus, the beginning of Peter's Fast changes, but the end does not. For this reason, its duration can be from 8 to 42 days. People often call this post Petrovka.

and Pavel

These greatest servants of God, called the supreme apostles for their merits, in their earthly life were completely opposite people, not only in terms of belonging to different social strata of society, but also in their development and mental make-up. Moreover, if one of them - Peter - was a disciple of Christ in the days of his earthly life, then the other - Paul - was never privileged to personally contemplate the Savior and became involved in serving him after the Ascension.

It is known about Apostle Peter, the elder brother of Apostle Andrew the First-Called, that he was a simple fisherman, poor and illiterate. He never learned anything other than his craft, and all his life’s worries came down to his daily bread, which he earned through hard work. Peter immediately believed in Christ with all his soul and followed him all the days of his earthly ministry. He was an ordinary weak man and, out of cowardice, denied the Teacher three times, but his deepest repentance allowed him to become the stone on which the building of the Church of Christ was erected.

Unlike Peter, he had a noble origin, was a well-read, educated man, and at the beginning of his life, an implacable persecutor of Christians. When the Lord filled his heart with true faith, he directed all the heat of his soul and the power of his mind to preach his teaching. With the same fervor with which he had previously persecuted the disciples of Christ, having believed, he became their mentor and support. Peter's Fast was established in memory of these two people, personifying selfless faith and cold intelligence, multiplied by strength and energy - the qualities that make up a true missionary.

Establishment of Peter's post

The veneration of these great servants of God began in the first centuries of Christianity. At the same time, the Church established the Peter's Fast. It became especially widespread after temples were erected in their honor in Rome and Constantinople. It was the day of the consecration of the Constantinople Temple - July 12 - that was chosen to celebrate the memory of these supreme apostles.

In Russia, this holiday and the Peter the Great Fast that preceded it appeared in ancient times. In common people he was often called “Petrovi”, and sometimes even “Petrovka-hunger strikers”. There is no disrespect for religion here, it’s just that in those days when Peter’s Fast began, the reserves of last year’s harvest were coming to an end, and there was still a very long time left before the new one - hence the famine and the bitterly ironic name.

Explanation of the name

Sometimes people who are not churchgoers, but show an interest in Orthodox values, have a question related to the title of this post. Their bewilderment is caused by the fact that the Fast of Peter, established on the eve of the holiday dedicated to the two greatest pillars of the church, bears the name of only one of them. Doesn't this indicate the dominant role of the Apostle Peter? Of course not, they are absolutely equal in their deeds and merits, and the name of the post was established solely because of its euphony.

Establishment of God's New Covenant

We should also dwell in more detail on this important question: why does the day when Peter’s Fast begins follow the Feast of Pentecost? The answer to this can be found in the works of the holy fathers of the church. They indicate that what happened on the fiftieth day after the exodus of our Savior Jesus Christ from the tomb is the fulfillment of the New Testament of God with people.

This new Zion Law, inscribed in the hearts of people, replaced the old one - the Sinai Law, the commandments of which were carved on stone tablets. On this day, the grace of the Holy Spirit was sent down to strengthen the children of the Holy Church in their battle of Christ. It was for the purification of soul and body before carrying out such an important mission that Peter’s Fast was established. On the days of the Feast of Pentecost itself, it would be inappropriate, since this is the period of the Savior’s stay with his disciples.

And some more important information for everyone. The question asked by everyone who intends to hold Petrovsky for the first time these days? It should be immediately noted that it is not as strict as Lent. Only eating meat and dairy foods is not blessed. Fish dishes are allowed on all days except Wednesday and Friday. Moreover, on Saturdays, Sundays and on temple holidays the consumption of wine is not prohibited.

It is also important to take into account such a detail that if the calendar of the Petrine Fast in a certain year was developed in such a way that its end - the feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul - falls on Wednesday or Friday, then this day is also part of the fast, although with some relaxations. In all other cases, there is no fasting on the holiday.

Work on yourself

But not only food restrictions include Peter’s fast. It’s not difficult to find out what you can eat and what you can’t. It is important to deeply understand that fasting is, first of all, work on the state own soul, in which the rejection of ordinary worldly entertainment is only an auxiliary means. This rule fully corresponds to each of the posts established Orthodox Church, but Petrovsky has his own characteristics in this regard.

Obedience to the Gospel

The fact is that fasting was established in honor of the feast of the holy apostles - the heralds of the resurrection of Christ, who opened the doors of the Kingdom of God to all who believed in him. It is in serving the word of God that the main task of the apostleship is defined. Over time, this obedience was entrusted to the hierarchs of the church - bishops and priests. They became the successors of the apostles and continue their great work. However, this does not mean at all that the laity have the right to avoid it.

Bringing the word of God to people is work worthy of reward at any time of the year, especially during the period of fasting, which is the eve of the feast of the supreme apostles. Every Orthodox Christian these days I could try my hand at this noble field. There is a very wide scope of activity here.

Apostleship internal and external

Everyone must direct this apostolic service primarily to himself. There is even such a term - “internal apostolate.” It means work, the purpose of which is to convey the good news to one’s own consciousness. Success in this endeavor will enable a person to internally accept everything that the Holy Church teaches him. He will gain the ability to sincerely perceive God's Church like a mother, and prayer will become for him true communication with God.

He who has succeeded in internal apostolate will also be capable of working in the field of external apostolate, that is, preaching Christian truths among his neighbors. This, undoubtedly, is the duty of everyone Orthodox man, because we are responsible before God for everyone who surrounds us and for everything that happens around us. Here it is very important not to succumb to the temptation that comes from the enemy of the human race and sometimes tries to convince us that our weak forces will never be enough to complete such a task. The main thing is to believe in God, and he, if it is his will, will send down strength.

As for those food and other restrictions mentioned above, they help us during Lent to renounce the bustle of earthly life and devote ourselves entirely to holy work. Everyone these days should become an apostle to one degree or another and precede their service with fasting and prayer. Yes, we are frail, weak and often simply ignorant, but so were the apostles. Their strength lay in faith, and they acquired everything else through the invasion of the Holy Spirit and the grace of God poured out on everyone who is ready to receive it.