With respect to the Greek church, we have to observe that fasting was and is kept with much greater severity, the non-observance of it being the least venial of sins. The days here extend over almost three quarters of the year. The principal ones are the Wednesday and Friday—with a few exceptions—throughout the whole year; the great Easter F. lasting 48 days; that of Christmas, 39 days; that in honor of the Virgin, 14 days; and that of the Apostles, beginning on Monday after Trinity, and extending to the 29th of June. Besides those smaller fasts of preparation, which correspond to the vigils of the Roman church, they have many more occasional fasts, which we, however, must omit here.
The church of England considers fasting a praiseworthy, but by no means obliga tory custom. According to Hook's Church Dictionary, the distinction between the Protestant and the Roman Catholic view of fasting consists in this, that the Roman catholic regards the use of fasting as an imperative means of grace, the Protestant only as a useful exercise preparatory for the means of grace. In proof how much the church of England has left the question of fasting to the conscience and discretion of her members, it may be observed that she has neither defined the mode or degree of fasting, nor anywhere given a positive command to fast. It has been remarked that no bishop of the church of England has in an episcopal charge laid down fasting as a positive requirement. The days named by the English church as seasons of fasting or abstinence, are the forty days of Lent (q.v.), including Ash Wednesday and Good Friday; the Ember (q.v.) days; the three Rogation (q. v.) days, and all the Fridays in the year (except Christmas-day), and the eves or vigils of certain festivals.
The Scottish almanacs contain lists of the of all the principal places in Scotland. These are generally one in each year, appointed by the kirk-session of the established church of the parish, or by concurrence of kirk-sessions in towns, but generally by use and wont fixed as to their date. The fast-day is always some day of the week preceding the Communion Sunday, or Sunday set apart in the Presbyterian churches for the dispensation of the Lord's supper. It is usually appointed as a day for "fasting, humiliation, and prayer." Business is generally suspended, shops shut as on a Sunday, and churches opened for public worship. By an act 'of parliament passed not many years since, factories are prohibited from carrying on work on the parish fast-day, but in consequence of the ecclesiastical divisions in Scotland, it has become more common than it once was for agricultural and other kinds of work to be carried on. The fast-day of a large town is always a busy day on the railways, many
taking advantage of it for excursions, and making it a day of amusement; too many, also, a day of dissipation and revelry. That it is right to keep up the fast-day in these circumstances is doubted by many who themselves conform to its religious observance, although of that observance fasting does not now generally form a part. Many, how ever, doubt if it ever was a good institution; alleging that it is inconsistent with the fre quent celebration of the Lord's supper, which they deem right and desirable, and to which there is a growing tendency. The Scottish reformers, as appears from the First Book of Discipline, contemplated the ordinary celebration of the Lord's supper at least once a month; and the fast-day, as it now exists in Scotland, derives its origin from a later period.
A few words remain to be said-of the Mohammedan fasts. Islam, as an offspring of Judaism and Christianity, adopted this custom, with many others, from both churches. During the whole month of Ramadan, in which the prophet brought the Koran from heaven, eating, drinking, smoking, smelling perfumes, etc., are strictly forbidden from daybreak till sunset; for the intervening nights, however, all these restrictions are removed. There are, besides, many voluntary fasts, expiatory like the 10th of Mohar ram, corresponding to the Jewish day of atonement, or for the averting of the Divine wrath in sudden calamities, or as an indemnification for the omission of certain pious acts, as the pilgrimage, etc. See JEWS, Mon.k.umEmcgtsm, Moxxs.
Besides the Bible, Schulchan Aruch, Koran, and the fathers generally, we refer to the following authorities on this subject: Bingham, Orig., vol. ix. 1, 21; Fabricius, Bibliogr. Antiquaria, c. 11; J. A. Muratori, De Quatuor Temporum Jejuniis, etc.; J. Dallceus, De Jejuniis et Quadragesima, 1654; Schone's Geschichtsforschungen, Th. 1; Briefe fiber d. Gottesd. d. morgenl. Kirehe, von Dr. E. v. Muralt (Leip. 1838); Siegel, Altchristl. Alterthiimer; Dassel, .De Jure Tempor. Quadrages., 1617; Walch, De Jejunio Quadragesinzali (Jenne, 1727); Homborg, De Quadragesima, Treterum Christianoruns et ritaus in ea, quondam usitatis dins. qua etzam de recentior. Papist., Grac., Russ., Syrian., Georgian., Afaronit., Jacobit., etc., disseritur (Helmst., 1677).