Overview of Symbols You Find on a Liturgical Calendar:
Many Orthodox calendars use the following designators. This is what they mean.
Strict fast (speak to the priest for his guidance on how you are to fast)-
All dairy products, in addition to fish, wine, and oil -
Fish, wine, and oil -
Wine and oil -
No Symbol means the day is fast free. i.e., no restrictions.
"The true fast is to abstain from sin." -- St. John Chrysostom
For most of us converts, fasting simply wasn't a part of our Christian experience. But in the Orthodox tradition, fasting has always been a central part of the spiritual life. It is something the Church has always done.
- Jesus Himself fasted and taught His disciples to fast.
- We fast in order to gain self-control and conquer the corrupted passions of the flesh.
- Fasting teaches us how to say "no" to ourselves and refrain from sinning.
- Some types of evil cannot be overcome without fasting.
Lenten cooking can present a challenge. Where do you even begin? There are lots of resources at your disposal. First of all, we're a community. We have several very good cooks in the church who've been Orthodox a long time. A good place to start is by asking them to share a recipe or two. All of them have a list of favorite Go To Lenten recipes. It's an easy way to start compiling a list of the "the best."
In addition, here's a short list of good Lenten Cookbooks, each with lots of really tasty recipes.