Erasmus+ Cliche Inventory for monastic diet _ fasting in Orthodoxy

1. Inventory for the practice of Monastic Diet - Fasting - in Orthodox Religion
1. Name of the ICH
Monastic Diet(Fasting) iscalledvoluntaryorinadvertentabstinence fromfood(otherwisestarvation).Mostlythistermisusedby
manypeople tovoluntarilyabstainfromcertainfoods,especiallyforreligiousreasons.
The word fastingiscomplex andcomesfrom the negative ancientsyllabus“ni”(inancientgreek: νη) andthe verb“eat”(inancient
greek:εσθίω). Nistis - the firstwordthat was created - meansone whodoesnot escape,whodoesnoteat.From thiswordcame the
fastingverbandthe abstract essentialfast,whichinitiallymeantthe complete abstinence fromfoodandbeverages,namely
starvationandatrophy.
Recipesandfoodpermittedtoeatduringfasting,are called "daffodils"(ingreek:σαρακοστιανά)
2. People
(individuals,communities,agents,
transmitters, institutions,states)
EveryGreekwhois Orthodox,oreveryotherpeople whoisOrthodox.
3. Language involved Greek
4.Location(s) Cityof Levadia, communityof Levadia,Monasteryof Viotia,village:Aliartos.

2. 5. Characteristicsof the
expression/tradition
Fastingonits own - despite what'shappeningfromtime totime - isnot a virtue,buta meansof gettingit.The basic principle isthat
the fast-growingpersonstrengthenshiswill,demandshimselfandsubordinateshisbodytothe spirit.
Meaningof fastinghas to donot onlywith whatyoueat,but alsowith howmuch youeat. The little andmoderate foodisalso
fasting. We must alsosay that fastingisnot justto stay awayfrom some foods,butalsoto guard ourselvesagainstdeviations.
Value isnotonlyfastingfoodbutalsopassions. True fastingiscombinedwiththe aversionof exuberance,hatred,slander,bluster.
Later, withincreasingthe lengthof time andthe progressive formationof fasting,fastingmeant notonlytotal abstinence fromsolid
and liquidfoodsbutalsopartial,thatis,fromcertainfoods,aswell asother,specificfoods.Sowe have adistinctionin fastingand
flavoredorshelf food.
Orthodox Churchdefinesthe followingperiodstopractice fasting:
• 40 days before Easter
• Fastingof SaintApostoloi (Fromthe Sundayof Name dayof SaintPantes)
• From 1-15 AugustforHolyMother’sAssumption
• In the 29th
of August(1 day)
• In the 14th
of September(1day)
• 40 days before Christmas
• One day before Epiphany
• EveryWednesdayandFriday
What kind of foodwe do not eat duringfastingperiods?
• meat
• eggs
• milkandmilkyproducts
• animal products
• Fish- excludingmolluscsandshellfish,aswell aspreparationsfromfisheggs:taramas,roe deerand caviar
• Oil - excludingthe fruitsof the olive,ie the olives,whichalthoughtheyproduce the oil,are stillconsumedduringfasting,if
fastingisnot strict
• wine andvariousspirits

3. 6.Associatedtangible elements(if
any)
Duringfastingperiods, people make newrecipes,withthe kindof foodtheyare allowedtoeat.
Fastingisalsoaccompaniedwithprayers,ceremonieswithinchurch.
7. Availabilityofassociated
tangible elements Monastic recipes.
8. Performedat what occasion(s)? Duringfastingperiods.
9. KeyTransmitters
Performedby whom
(age/gender/name)?
Priestsof the church
Hieromonks
10. How transmitted? Throughthe sacredbooksof the church
Βooksof several editors thatwrite recipiesandmonasticrecipes,booksof monasteries.
11. Viability,or level of
endangerment;
Nowadays,monasticdietbecomesmore andmore popular.It isbeenpracticednotonlyfrompeople theybelieve inJesus,but from
manypeople,because abstainingfromkindsof foodsmentionedbefore,has beneficialeffectsonhealth andqualityof life.
12.Threats (ifany); -
13. Safeguarding- local and
international strategiesused
Many monasticrecipesare discrete proofs of the national cultural heritage thatneedstobe conservedandsaved astheyare.
14. Relevantlocal organisations
(NGOsand others) (ifany);
Otherreligionshave alsofastingpractices.

4. 15. Reference to
literature/discography,
audiovisual material/
internet?
Church History, Language
Internet
16. Communityexplicitlyagreeing
to listingin UNESCO?
-
17. Connectionto the past/
present/future
Fastinghas alwaysbeenone of the mostimportantelementsof the Orthodox Religion.Itisconsideredthe mostancientinstitutionof
the Church. Christhimself made thispractice for40 dayswhen,afterHisbaptism,He remainedinthe desert.SodidMosesbefore
goingto Mount Sinai toget the Law. So didthe ProphetElijah,whenhe shutthe skyanddidnot boil forthree yearsandsix months,
and all the saints.
18. Type of research
(interview, field research, focus
group interview)
Interview
19. Information collectedby? Studentsof A class,departmentsA3& A4, of 1st
High School (Lyceum) of Levadia