Questions for Italians about Fasting??

Question

Do italians fast during this month (december)? And if you do, why do you fast during this month?


I'm latin and catholic also but we fast in March I think for like a month and a half.







Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

I'm not Italian, but I am Catholic, and most Catholic customs are shared all over the world.

The two major celebrations of the Catholic Church are Easter Sunday (which occurs in the Spring), and Christmas (December 25). Before each of these holidays Catholics have traditionally observed a season of fasting and penance. The season before Easter is called Lent, and that's why you fast in March - "a month and a half" is exactly right. Lent lasts for 40 days, and when it is over, we celebrate the joyful season of Easter.

It is similar with Christmas. In old Europe, the Catholic people religiously abstained from (didn't eat) meat, butter, eggs, or cheese for the period of Advent, which began in the end of November, ran through December, right up until Christmas Eve, December 24. Following the welcoming of the newborn Savior at Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, the family would then return home and sit down to a fabulous feast with all the goodies they had gone without for weeks.

I hope this answers your question. A blessed Advent to you.

P.S. the Advent fast before Christmas is no longer required by the Catholic Church, but many Catholics still observe Advent in special ways. The Lenten fast at Easter time is still observed, but only on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

Answer 2

Whatever the Catholic traditions are (correctly reported by the user above), no, Italians (at least Italians in Italy) do not fast, not in December and not during Carnival (the word Carnevale derives from "carne levare", avoiding to eat meat).
Very religious people may do (very few are, in Italy), but that has nothing to do with being Italian.

Answer 3

I'm Orthodox and of Italian decent I know the west is known for ignoring the fasts- but advent is meant to be a fast.
The point to fasting is to put aside worldly things and focus more on God.
Traditionally this has meant giving up foods- both as a source of discipline and it was also seen as a way to eat cheap so you could give more to charity and a tool for discipline. In the east we fast on wensday and Friday and after pentecost and right after the feast you in the west call the asumption of Mary and we call the dormition of Mary

Answer 4

i'm italian

only 30% italians practice catholicism going to church (main part of them are aged people), italy is a layc country, where religion don't have many importance on social life, and it's very stupid think that italians could fast during christmas feast, or in other period of year!

clarification: Latin is a language, not an ethnicity

Answer 5

im no longer an italian, yet desire i will proportion my concepts approximately December in Catholic Liturgical Calendar. stating which you're catholic, i think of you're consistent with threat asking with regard to the introduction season wherein all catholics are additionally inspired to prepare the comparable way as executed in March (LENTEN season) to desire, to furnish alms and to quickly. In coaching for the arriving of Jesus (Nativity) Catholics are inspired additionally to desire extra, to be extra charitable and to quickly (to quickly potential additionally to proportion our nutrients and materials) in this introduction season. (or Christmas season). The COMMERCIALIZATION consistent with threat of Christmas would from time to time BLUR those holy practices of praying extra, fasting and giving alms. desire this permits. take care.

Answer 6

No we don't fast during december. We don't fast at all

Answer 7

...do i have to be italian?