Holy Week began with Palm Sunday, the most important liturgical time for Christians, during which fasting and abstinence must be practiced, that is, not eating meat, among other habits. What meaning do these habits have? Can you eat other meats these days?
Holy Week: what is abstinence?
Abstinence consists of the Catholic faithful depriving themselves of eating meat. This practice is a penance.
Traditionally, during the days of Holy Week meat is not eaten
According to the Code of Canon Law: “all the faithful, each in his own way, are bound by divine law to penance“, in order that they “deny themselves”.
Canon 1249 states that “So that everyone joins in some common practice of penance, some penitential days have been set, in which the faithful dedicate themselves in a special way to prayer, perform works of piety and charity.”
Easter: what days you can not eat red meat
The abstinence or wakefulness (as it is commonly known in Mexico) is indicated for people between the ages of 14 and 59.
Although the best known is the practice of not eating meat during Lent and Easter, in reality, abstinence would have to be practiced every Friday of the year.
Canon 1251 states that: “Every Friday, unless they coincide with a solemnity, abstinence from meat or other food determined by the Episcopal Conference must be kept; fasting and abstinence will be kept on Ash Wednesday and Friday Holy”.
In the days of Holy Week meat is not usually eaten
That is to say, during Holy Week it is only forced not to eat meat on Friday.
Can you eat chicken at Easter?
The fact of not eating meat stems from the fact that previously it was considered very expensive and succulent eating red meat.
The deprivation of meat was a form of abstinence and fasting.
For that reason, Catholics choose to consume fish or shellfish.
The true meaning of not eating meat
The Catholic Church points out that abstinence can be from meat or from another food that has been determined by the Episcopal Conference.
Fish is one of the meats that can traditionally be consumed these days
Currently, abstinence can be practiced with foods that you like a lot, such as sweets, desserts, fried foods, fast food, among others.
The reason why not if like meat vigil is due to the fact that Catholics honor the penance of Jesus, who spent 40 days in the desert fasting.
During Lent, Catholics perform fasting and abstinence from eating meat; prayer, mortification and charity are also invited. By mortification is meant making sacrifices, even small ones, for God, as a gesture of humility. An example of mortification would be refraining from using cell phones or tablets for a couple of hours.
fasting and abstinence
Fasting and abstinence are two different things. Fasting consists of replacing the strong meal of the day for bread and water.
Fasting consists of replacing the main meal of the day with bread and water.
Catholics between the ages of 18 and 59 are required to practice it on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
What is celebrated on Holy Thursday?
Holy Thursday celebrates the day Jesus instituted the Eucharist during the Last Supper; established the Ministerial Priesthood by telling the apostles, “do this in remembrance of me”; he washed his disciples’ feet to teach them the commandment of love and service.
From Faith explains How Holy Thursday is celebrated for the Catholic Church.
Chrism mass. In which the priests renew their promises made on the day of their ordination. In addition, the consecration of the Holy Oils is carried out.
last supper mass. The Church celebrates the Institution of the Eucharist or the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, thus introducing itself to the Paschal Triduum: Passion, Death and Resurrection (Friday, Saturday and Easter Sunday).
foot washing. During the last supper, Jesus washed his disciples’ feet. This fact is remembered by the Church.
