The week before the beginning of Great Lent, Easter, is popularly known as White or Cheese Week. For one week, between March 11 and 17, people who intend to observe the Easter fast give up meat and will consume milk, cheese and eggs.
What foods are allowed in White Week – Photo Archive
The Easter fast is the strictest fast of the year, and the white week prepares the believers for this period. For one week, between March 11 and 17, people who intend to observe the Easter fast give up meat and will consume milk, cheese and eggs. In addition, they can also eat fish meat all week. Of course, plant-based foods are allowed throughout this period.
A priest explained why such a week of preparation of the faithful is needed.
“It is a week of preparation for the seven-week fasting period, it is to make the transition to Easter Lent easier, not to make the transition too sudden. Next Sunday will be the Cheese, Egg and Fish Lent. This post is the strictest: it is released on March 25, the Annunciation and Palm Sundayon April 28, then fish is eaten“, said the priest.
During the seven weeks of fasting before Easter, celebrated this year on May 5, no meat, eggs, dairy or fish is consumed. However, fasting does not only mean food restriction, but also prayer and good deeds. Easter Lent begins on March 18 and ends on May 4.
The White Week, so named because of the color of the permitted foods, helps to strengthen the body, but also the spirit of believers. They can also say prayers this week to get into the spirit of the biggest Orthodox holiday. Besides, we shouldn't forget the good deeds, because fasting is mostly about being better.
“It is clear that the whole post we have to be better, to help each other, to be more generous, more tolerant, more loving, to show our love. When you do a good to a man, you do a good to God, that's the preparation period, that's what the preparation period is about, but also the whole fast, in general“, added the priest consulted by “Adevărul”.
This is also the last week of parties. Because, in Orthodox theology, fasting also means “removal of passions“, according to Basilica.ro. According to the Christian-Orthodox calendar, there are no more weddings from March 11 to May 12.
“Taking care of the body, the Church accustoms the faithful to the practice of fasting (by abstaining from the consumption of meat), allowing them, however, to strengthen themselves for the 40 days in which they will toil, with milk products , eggs and fish. The whiteness of these foods symbolizes the bright garment of the fast we are about to begin.”mentions Doxologia.ro.
Also during White Week, Wednesdays and Fridays are liturgical, that is, the Holy Liturgy is not performed.
However, fasting limited to food only means a medical cure, so good deeds, meditation and prayers are indispensable.
“Fasting does not mean luxury, it means abstinence, giving up the things that bring you pleasure“, the priest stated previously.
Moreover, this week can also be interpreted as a kind of return to Heaven.
“We are urged to leave the pieces of flesh, hoping to gain the condition of Adam before he was cast out, when he could see God. The very name “white” suggests to us the state of purity to which we must reach during fasting, which is meant to be our return to the paradisiacal state lost through sin.”reports Doxologia.
