In the order of fasts in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church, Fasting is abstinence from all things a body needs, abstain food and water for a limited time until the period of fasting is over (fasting time).  And have to fast from any animal products like Eggs, milk, cheese and meat. from any kind of food. (Fetha Negest 15, Matthew 6:16). In general, Christian has to abstain from anything which the body desires.

The Main objectives of fasting are to make the desire of the body to obey the will of the soul, to seek forgiveness of guilt and to increase the reward of the soul. The Apostles who were commanded to serve the church received guidance from the Holy Spirit while they were praying and fasting. (Acts 13:2). Priests and Deacons who served as preachers of the gospel were inspired and ordained while fasting and praying. (Acts 13:3; 14:23)

Fasting is not only abstinence from food. It will be a true fast if the eye is kept from seeing, the mouth from speaking and the ear from hearing evil things. (Matthew 5:21-30; Saint. Yared-Diguwa). The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church has its own laws and orders of fasting. Accordingly, there are seven fasting periods. The Great Fast (Lent), Wednesday and Fridays, Nineveh, Gehad (the eves of Christmas and Epiphany), The fast of the prophets or advent.  Since we have in the time of the fast of the Apostles, we have tried to explain Apostolic fasting as follows.

The Apostolic Fasting is known as June fasting among believers because the apostles fasted in the month of June. It is the fast that the apostles fasted after they received the Holy Spirit before they were engaged in evangelism. Fasting is known as June fasting among believers because the apostles fasted in the month of June. It is also one of the seven revelations. It is the fast that the apostles fasted after they received the Holy Spirit before they were engaged in evangelism.

The apostles loved Jesus Christ so much that when He left them, they were sad and focused and looked at the sky for a long time. The Apostles observed this fast after they received the Holy Spirit and before they set out to proclaim the Gospel. The Church has laid down a rule for the faithful to observe this fast starting from the day immediately after White Sunday. Because of the fact that the fast of the Apostles comes after fifty days from Easter, it sometimes goes beyond forty days and sometimes falls short of thirty days.

The fast of Apostolic lasts until July 12 (Hamele 5) with the observance of the Feast day of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. The Fast of the Apostles has carried out during on June month. The Apostles observed this fast after they received the Holy Spirit and before they set out to proclaim the Gospel. The Church has laid down a rule for the faithful to observe this fast starting from the day immediately after White Sunday. The Apostles’ Fast, also called the ‘Fast of the Holy Apostles,’ the Fast of Peter and Paul, or sometimes Saint Peter’s Fast, is a fast observed by Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox. The fast begins on the second Monday after Pentecost (the day after All Saints’ Sunday) and continues until the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul on June 29, according to the Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar.

Immediately after receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Apostles began fasting with prayer as part of their preparation for their departure from Jerusalem to spread the message of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. They also wanted to praise God for the grace of the Holy Spirit they received and all the good things that God had done for them.

When we participate in the Fast of the Apostles, we the faithful, will remember the lives of the Holy Apostles, and we are taught to imitate them. God gave us His Spirit so that we are never alone along the path of salvation. With fasting we need to pray more, attend church services more and be extra generous to others.

Might the work of His Holy Apostles be with us all, Amen!