Question first appeared on June 25, 2006
Please explain the Apostle’s Fast and why does it differ in length year to year, sometimes not happening at all?

Periods of fasting usually precede feast days.  In many instances only the day before the feast day is a day of fasting. 

The Orthodox liturgical year has four major periods of fasting preceding four feasts.   Holy Pascha (Easter) has the longest fasting period of 55 days beginning with Dairy Week, then through the forty days of Great Lent and ending with Holy Week.  The Nativity of Christ (Christmas) is preceded by the forty day fast of Advent and the Dormition of the Virgin Mary has a fourteen day fast.

The Apostle’s fast begins on the Monday following the Sunday of All Saints and lasts until the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul on June 29.  The Sunday of All Saints (the Sunday following the Feast of Pentecost) is dependent on when Holy Pascha (Easter) falls.  The earliest Sunday for Pascha is April 4 and the latest is May 5.  If Pascha falls on April 4, the Apostle’s fast would begin on May 31 and last 29 days.  If Pascha falls on May 5, the Apostle’s fast would not occur because the Monday following the Sunday of All Saints would be June 31, two days after the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul.

©Very Rev. Fr. Olof Scott, Sunday Bulletin, June 25, 2006
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