Friday Fast

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The Friday Fast is a Roman Catholic practice of abstaining from meat in Fridays in Ordinary Time. Abstinence is colloquially referred to as "fasting" although it does not necessary involve a reduction in the quantity of food.

The Friday fast is done in commemoration of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Good Friday. After the Second Vatican Council it has not been widely followed by Roman Catholics apart from Good Friday itself.

Specific regulations are passed by individual episcopates. In the US in 1966 the USCCB passed Norms II and IV that bound all persons from age fourteen to be bound to abstinence from meat on Fridays of Lent, and through the year. In September 1983, Canons 1252 and 1253 expressed this same rule, and added that Bishops may permit substitution of other penitential practices on Fridays outside of Lent only, but that some form of penance shall be observed on Friday in commemoration of the day of the week of the Lord's Crucifixion.^[1]

Abstinence is not optional for Catholics on Fridays during Lent. Abstinence on all Fridays is still the preferred practice among many Catholics.

The practice of fasting on Fridays, specifically on Good Friday, has probably been derived from the Jewish tradition of fasting before Passover.^[2] The day preceding Passover, Jews fasted without eating until nightfall and then broke their fast with the celebration of the Passover meal. Early Christians extended this fast before Easter through the time in which Jews rejoiced over their Passover meal. Therefore, the fast continued until cockcrow (around 3 A.M.) the next morning. Although some churches later fasted on Saturdays, most early Christians did not fast on the Jewish Shabbat as a sign of respect, and therefore fasted only on Good Friday, which also held significance as the day of Jesus’ death.