Orthodox Fasting Rules
What may be eaten on each kind of fast day, and when the fasts fall.
Short answer: on a strict Eastern Orthodox fast day you abstain from meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine and olive oil. Some fast days relax the rule to allow wine and oil, or fish. Most Wednesdays and Fridays are fast days, along with four longer seasons: Great Lent, the Apostles' Fast, the Dormition Fast and the Nativity Fast.
The levels of fasting
| Level | Allowed | Not allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Strict fast | Vegetables, grains, legumes, fruit, shellfish | Meat, dairy, eggs, fish, wine, oil |
| Wine & oil | Above, plus wine and olive oil | Meat, dairy, eggs, fish |
| Fish allowed | Above, plus fish | Meat, dairy, eggs |
| Cheesefare week | Dairy, eggs, fish | Meat |
| Fast-free | Everything | — |
When the fasts fall
- Great Lent and Holy Week — from Clean Monday to Holy Saturday, the strictest season.
- Apostles' Fast — from the Monday after All Saints Sunday to June 28; its length depends on the date of Pascha.
- Dormition Fast — August 1–14.
- Nativity Fast — November 15 – December 24.
- One-day fasts — the eve of Theophany (January 5), the Beheading of St. John the Baptist (August 29) and the Exaltation of the Cross (September 14).
Dates above are given on the New (Revised Julian) Calendar. On the Old Calendar fixed fasts fall 13 days later on the civil calendar — see Old Calendar vs New Calendar.
Fast-free weeks
No fasting is kept, even on Wednesday and Friday, during Bright Week after Pascha, the week after Pentecost, the period from the Nativity of Christ to the eve of Theophany, the week after the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee, and Cheesefare week (meat only is excluded).
For the rule on a specific day, open fasting today or any day in the 2027 fasting calendar.
Frequently asked questions
What can Orthodox Christians eat on a strict fast day?
On a strict fast day the traditional rule excludes meat, dairy, eggs, fish with backbones, wine and olive oil. Vegetables, grains, legumes, fruit, bread and shellfish are permitted.
Is shellfish allowed during Orthodox fasts?
Yes. By long-standing custom, shellfish and other invertebrates such as shrimp, octopus and squid are permitted on fast days, including during Great Lent.
Why do Orthodox Christians fast on Wednesdays and Fridays?
Wednesday recalls the betrayal of Christ and Friday His Crucifixion. Most Wednesdays and Fridays of the year are fast days, except during fast-free weeks.
Are the fasting rules the same for everyone?
No. The typikon gives the full rule; pastors adjust it for health, age, pregnancy, work and other circumstances. Coptic and Ethiopian Orthodox fasts follow a separate tradition and are not covered here.
Sources
- Orthodox Church in America — Feasts & Saints
- Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America — Chapel calendar
- orthocal.info — Julian/Revised Julian calendar data
Local practice varies by jurisdiction and parish. Follow the guidance of your priest or spiritual father.