In the Christian tradition, fasting is a time of spiritual purification, prayer, good deeds, and inner growth. It is not only a restriction in food, but also an opportunity for deeper spiritual rethinking. With the transition to the new Julian calendar, the dates of church holidays have shifted by 13 days, which also applies to fasts. Here is a detailed fasting calendar for 2025, in particular, how the dates for various fasts have changed.
Lent is the longest and most severe fast of the year, lasting 48 days. It begins 7 weeks before Easter and ends on the day of the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ. Since Easter is a transitional holiday, the dates of Lent change each year, but for the new and old styles they coincide.
In 2025, Lent will begin on March 3 and end on April 19, which will be a special time for prayer and spiritual purification before the holiday of Easter.
The Petrine Fast follows Easter and lasts from Trinity to the feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. Since the dates of Trinity change each year, the fast also changes. In 2025, Trinity will be celebrated on June 8, so the Petrine Fast will begin on June 16 and last until June 28. It is a period of spiritual concentration before the feast of Peter and Paul.
In 2024, due to a late Easter, the OCU canceled the Petrine fast, as there was no necessary time left on the calendar for it.
The Assumption Fast lasts two weeks on the eve of the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It begins on August 1 and lasts until August 14. This is the time when believers prepare for the great feast of the Assumption, which is celebrated on August 15. According to the old style, the Assumption Fast will begin on August 14 and last until August 27.
Christmas Lent is the last Great Lent of the year, lasting 40 days. For those who celebrate Christmas on December 25, Lent will last from November 15 to December 24. According to the Old Style, this Lent begins on November 28 and lasts until January 6.
One-day fasts
In the Orthodox tradition, there is also the practice of one-day fasts, of which there are three per year:
- Fasting on Epiphany Eve is January 5 according to the new style and January 18 according to the old style.
- Fasting on the day of the Beheading of John the Baptist - August 29 according to the new style and September 11 according to the old style.
- Fasting for the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is September 14 according to the new style and September 27 according to the old style.
Fasting in Orthodoxy is not only a restriction in food, but also a time of spiritual purification and growth. The 2025 fasting calendar contains changes, in particular due to the transition to the new Julian calendar, and gives believers new opportunities for a deep experience of spiritual practices.
