Philip's Fast begins soon

BEMA (an excellent blog, but not updated nearly enough!) has some information on the upcoming fast complete with recipes and reminders on the days before the Nativity of Our Lord.

When You Fast: Nativity Fast Traditions for Byzantine Catholics

The Byzantine Catholic Church invites all to participate more fully in the central mysteries of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through her calendar of feasts and fasts.

The feast of the Nativity of Our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ (Christmas, December 25) is one of the great feasts of the Church year, celebrating the coming or advent of the Messiah (which in Hebrew means “He who is anointed by the Spirit” or in Greek, Christos), Jesus Christ. Christ was born into the world through the Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary to offer us the wondrous gifts of salvation and theosis, our transformation into the likeness of God by sharing in His holiness through the energies of His grace.

Through the mystery we celebrate in the Nativity, we too are invited to become the children of God, sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father. But this transformation does not occur overnight. Rather, it requires a rediscovery of the essential disciplines of a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Philips Fast Recipies

To assist you in fasting during this period of preparation for the Feast of the Nativity, we have prepared this list of dinner ideas. Each meal is linked to a recipe page at an outside website. (In some cases, it may be necessary to scroll down the recipe page to find the recipe listed for the day.)