The Law of Fasting

To n. 1573 bis. THE LAW OF FASTING From the Decree of the Holy Office FREQUENTES PLURIBUS, 5 Sept. 1906.

1. The present law is valid for Italy and the adjacent Islands, for Sicily, for Sardinia, and also for the island of Malta.

2. Wherefore for the same regions there remain revoked any local indults, concessions, privileges to the contrary, even of the Bull of the Crusade as regards the indult of abstinence, and customs even immemorial.

3. The general law of the Church is that which now is in force in place of the general law previously in force in Italy. Wherefore there are still to be observed the fasts and abstinences which in some places were observed from a peculiar vow, as at Rome the fast on the vigil of the Purification and in Sicily the fast on the vigil of the Immaculate Conception. Likewise there are still to be observed by Religious the fasts and abstinences which are prescribed from their own Rules. For the Decree of the Holy Office regards only the fasts and abstinences to be observed in Italy from the general law of the Church, to which Religious consequently also are held. The Law Of Abstinence Alone

4. This is the abstinence to be observed from flesh-meats and from meat broth. Wherefore eggs, dairy products, and all condiments are permitted in any meal.

5. The mixing of flesh-meats and fish in the same eating is not prohibited to those dispensed or excused from abstinence. For it is prohibited only on days of fasting.

6. But the aforesaid law of abstinence obliges on all and each Friday through the year, without obligation of fasting. Wherefore on Saturday there is no longer an obligation of abstinence. The Law Of Fasting Alone

7. The law of fasting is the law of one meal per day, which nevertheless does not exclude the evening collation and the morning morsel.

8. Flesh-meats and meat broth are permitted in the one eating for those who are held to observing the fast. Consequently eggs, dairy products, and all condiments are permitted in the same eating. In the little supper, for the same fasting persons, flesh-meats and meat broth are prohibited; eggs and dairy products are prohibited; but all condiments are permitted, from the fat of any animal, and also from butter and margarine.

9. But he who, for any cause whatever, is not obliged to fasting can eat flesh-meats, eggs, and dairy products several times in the day. For when there is no obligation of fasting, no distinction of meals is made as regards the free use of eggs, dairy products, and condiments, art. 4, unless it is expressly provided otherwise, as in art. 2, where besides fasting or one eating, the law of stricter abstinence is also simply prescribed to be observed. Cf. Invit. of the Sacred Cardinal Vicar of the City of His Holiness for the year 1908.

10. For all, both those fasting and those not fasting, during Lent, Sundays not excluded, and on all other fasting days, the mixing of flesh-meats and fish in the same eating is prohibited, though not also broth from meat and condiments from fish.

11. This law of fasting alone obliges on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, even of Greater Week, during Lent, except Ash Wednesday, Wednesday of the Ember Days, and the vigils of St. Joseph and of the Annunciation, when this falls in Lent and each feast is to be observed by precept. Cf. n. 13. The Law Of Fasting And Milder Abstinence

12. This law, besides the one eating to be observed by those fasting, prohibits flesh-meat and meat broth, however expressed; not other foods coming from flesh, milk, cheese, butter, eggs. But both in the principal meal and in the little meal otherwise permitted, though not in the morning morsel, it is lawful to use condiments from any fat, butter, margarine, and similar condiments; and therefore it is not lawful to take milk or cheese in the evening little meal. From any fat, and therefore also from fat which is collected from meat broth and is floating on its upper surface. Wherefore those fasting cannot use eggs and dairy products in the little supper.

Those not fasting can use these whenever they eat during the day. Cf. Invit. of the Sacred Cardinal Vicar of the City of His Holiness, year 1908.

13. This law obliges on Ash Wednesday; on Fridays and Saturdays of Lent and Advent; on Wednesdays and Fridays and also Saturdays of the Ember Days; on the Vigils of St. Joseph, Spouse of the B. V. M., and of the Annunciation of the same B. V. M., where these feasts are recalled under precept, and, as regards the Vigil of the Annunciation, provided that it falls within Lent. Wherefore, since these feasts now are no longer of precept, the law of abstinence, by force of these feasts, is no longer had, unless from a peculiar vow or peculiar statute of a Religious Order abstinence still has to be observed somewhere. S. C. C., 25 Feb. 1912, Acta Apost. Sed., v. 4, p. 142. - It obliges besides on the Vigils of Pentecost, of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and of All Saints. The Law Of Fasting And Stricter Abstinence

14. By this law, besides fasting or one eating, abstinence also is to be observed from flesh-meats, and from all those things which draw their origin from flesh: namely milk, butter, cheese, eggs, and condiments from any animal fat.

15. Wherefore, besides flesh-meats, dairy products and condiments from fat are prohibited both in the principal meal and in the evening little meal.

16. This law obliges only on four days, namely 1. on the Friday of the Ember Days in Lent; 2. on Friday of Greater Week; 3. on the vigil of the Assumption of the B. V. Mary; 4. on the vigil of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

17. Therefore on these days even those who do not fast are held to observe the aforesaid abstinence. For besides fasting, on these days, the law of abstinence from flesh-meats is also to be observed, and from all other things which draw origin from flesh and from condiments from any animal fat. Faculty Granted To Bishops

18. The Ordinaries of places have the habitual faculty of anticipating fasting and abstinence, or even of dispensing concerning them for the whole diocese or for some determinate places, yet from most grave causes and excepting the time of Lent or Advent, when fasting or abstinence occurs to be observed in the following cases.

On some feast day from among the more solemn ones in the Church; on the feast of the Titular or principal Patron of some place or diocese; in some extraordinary religious solemnity, such as a centenary, pious pilgrimage, etc.; in public annual fairs which are celebrated with an unusual concourse of people.

19. Excepting the time of Lent and Advent. Wherefore they can anticipate and dispense abstinence on Fridays outside Lent and Advent, and the fasts of the Ember Days of summer and autumn, and of the vigils of Pentecost, of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, of the Assumption of the B. V. Mary, of All Saints, and of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

20. Anticipation can well be done by reason of the very occurrence of the aforesaid feast, solemnity, and fairs; but dispensation is to be granted only from a most grave cause, if, for example, it is foreseen that even if fasting or abstinence were anticipated, they would not be observed, and there would be very many sins. Vigils Of Suppressed Feasts

21. On the vigils of feasts very recently suppressed by the Motu Proprio of the Holy Father, fasting and abstinence are to be observed as before. For by the aforesaid Motu Proprio dispensation was made from fasting and abstinence only for the days of double feasts of precept, besides Sundays preserved, and for the feasts of Patron Saints, when these are celebrated solemnly and with a great concourse of peoples or of the people. Nevertheless this leaves unchanged what was asserted in n. 13, on account of the clause which is had in the Decree of the Holy Office: where these feasts are recalled under precept. Where these feasts are recalled under precept, and, as regards the Vigil of the Annunciation, provided that it falls within Lent. Wherefore, the precept of observing the feast now having been abolished, abstinence on the vigil of each feast is no longer to be observed, unless from a peculiar vow or peculiar statute of a Religious Order it is to be observed somewhere. And indeed, by the Decree of the S. C. C. of 18 Sept. 1911, by which it was declared that the vigils of feasts suppressed by the Motu Proprio of 2 July 1911 must be observed, the Decree of the Holy Office of 5 Sept. 1906, issued for Italy, was not derogated as regards the vigils of St. Joseph and of the Annunciation of the B. M. V. S. C. C., 25 Feb. 1912.

From the Constitution Vacante Sede of Pius X, 25 Dec. 1904, concerning the Apostolic See vacant and concerning the election of the Roman Pontiff.