Lenten Regulations on Fasting and Abstinence in the Diocese of Helsinki 2024
Ash Wednesday: February 14
Good Friday: March 29
- Abstinence
Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and all Fridays (excluding Feast Days) are obligatory days of abstinence (abstaining from eating meat) for Catholics, aged 14 and above. Abstinence on Fridays (but not on Good Friday) can be replaced by e.g. abstaining from some other food or drink, abstaining from alcohol, tobacco, or another form of enjoyment, by works or charity, by attending Holy Mass, adoration, Stations of the Cross, etc., by paying special attention to prayer shared within the family. - Fasting
Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting. When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal. Other meals may each consist of a bit more than half or a regular meal. The norms of fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 60. - Penance
The faithful also have an obligation to do penance during Lent, as well as on all Fridays of the year. During these times, the Church exhorts in a special way the faithful to pray, to abstain, and to perform acts of charity. Each person can find a suitable form of penance, possibly including something from the list above. One recommended form of penance is to abstain from something, and through the Church donating on Palm Sunday the money thus saved to those lacking the necessities of life.
January 13, 2024
Update: Feb. 14, 2024 (*
+ Raimo
Bishop of Helsinki
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*) Update Feb. 14 was done in order to be clear that the law of abstinence cannot be replaced to some other form on Ash Wednesday or Good Friday.
