ACI Prensa Staff, Mar 5, 2025 /
15:40 pm
The Catholic Church has a series of practices and traditions that mark the liturgical calendar and guide the spiritual life of its faithful. Among these are fasting and abstinence during Lent, the 40-day period of preparation for Easter.
To help Catholics live this special liturgical time and deepen their knowledge of the faith, the following are the answers to the most frequently asked questions about fasting and abstinence.
What do fasting and abstinence mean?
According to the Code of Canon Law, fasting and abstinence are penitential practices that all Catholics are obliged to perform “by divine law” on certain days of the year in order to “deny themselves.”
According to the apostolic constitution Paenitemini, abstinence forbids the use of meat, “but not of eggs, the products of milk, or condiments made of animal fat.”
The law of fasting allows “only one full meal a day but does not prohibit taking some food in the morning and evening, observing — as far as quantity and quality are concerned — approved local custom.”
However, Canon 1253 of the Code of Canon Law states: “The conference of bishops can determine more precisely the observance of fast and abstinence as well as substitute other forms of penance, especially works of charity and exercises of piety, in whole or in part, for abstinence and fast.”
What is the origin of the practice of fasting and abstinence?
These practices have deep roots in history and theology. Fasting dates back to biblical times, where figures such as Moses (Exodus 34:28), Elijah (1 Kings 19:8), and Jesus himself (Mark 1:13) practiced fasting. In early Christianity, fasting was a common way of expressing repentance and seeking closeness to God.
Abstinence from meat has its roots in the Church’s tradition of sacrificing something as an act of penance, just as St. Paul called for disciplining and subduing one’s body (1 Corinthians 9:27) for the greater good.
Why do Catholics practice fasting and abstinence?
Canon 1249 of the Code of Canon Law states that the Catholic Church has set certain days in the year for all Catholics to perform penitential practices together, such as prayer, works of piety and charity, and, above all, practicing fasting and abstinence.
In this regard, the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains in No. 2043 that abstaining from meat and fasting on the days established by the Church “ensures the times of ascesis and penance which prepare us for the liturgical feasts and help us acquire mastery over our instincts and freedom of heart.”
Which days are obligatory for fasting and abstinence?
The Code of Canon Law states in Canon 1251 that “abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the episcopal conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.”
At what age are fasting and abstinence obligatory?
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The Code of Canon Law establishes in Canon 1252 that fasting is obligatory from the “age of majority” (age 18 in the United States) through the age of 59. Abstinence from meat is obligatory from the age of 14.
Who is exempt from fasting and abstaining from meat during Lent?
Minors and the elderly aged 60 or older are exempt from fasting, and those under 14 may eat meat. However, Canon 1252 of the Code of Canon Law suggests that pastors and parents help children who are not obliged to fast and abstain to form themselves in the “true meaning of penance.” Also exempt are the sick, women who are pregnant or nursing, and manual laborers engaged in physically demanding work.
What is the purpose of fasting and abstinence?
While both practices help us grow in the spirit of penitence and conversion to which Jesus calls us, the Catechism of the Catholic Church recalls in No. 1430 that this call focuses on “the conversion of the heart, interior conversion” without which external works “remain sterile and false.”
In this regard, the Opus Dei website notes that “in the New Testament, Jesus brings to light the profound motive for fasting, condemning the attitude of the Pharisees, who scrupulously observed the prescriptions of the law, but whose hearts were far from God. True fasting, as the divine Master repeats elsewhere, is rather to do the will of the Heavenly Father, who ‘sees in secret, and will reward you’ (Mt 6:18).”
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
Cynthia Pérez is a Peruvian Correspondent for ACI Prensa. With a Bachelor in Communication majoring in Communication of Development at Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (PUCP), she is passionate about social projects, especially related with rights of persons with disabilities, public health and sustainability.
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