THE TRADITIONAL 40-DAY ST. MARTIN FAST
12 NOV - 20 DEC
The traditional St. Martin 40-days Fast leads into the 24-day Advent Fast and connects to the obligatory 4-days Advent abstinence which commence on Dec. 20 until Dec. 24.
We do also have the December Ember days to adjust to.
11/11 at 11:11 is Armistice Day
&
11/11 is the St. Martin of Tours Feast Day.
Nov 12 normally starts the 40-day St. Martin Fast,
which then is on the Feast Day of Pope St. Martin I.
If the feast day is on a Sunday, you start on the Monday.
You may start the 40-Days St. Martin Fast on November 13.
"However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."
(Matt 17:21)
Here is our suggestion of how to structure your Fasting period.
Our Lady on May 13, 1917 asked the children in Fatima:
"Are you willing to offer yourselves to God
and bear all the sufferings He will send you,
as an act of reparation for the conversion of sinners?"
"Yes we are willing.”
“Then you will have to suffer much, but the grace of God will be your comfort."
So, here is a honest question: Are you ready to offer yourselves to God?
The 40-days St. Martin Fast which is also called Quadragesima Sancti Martini (40 days of St Martin), appeared to us, by coincidence, in 2019, during the infamous Amazon Synod.
It is, apparently, an old tradition of 40 days of fasting before giving thanks for the birth of Christ on Christmas day.
We thought it would be a good way to offer something for what was going on with the pachamummies, the idolatry, and weird and disgusting images shown during the Amazon synod. It was the first time for us, and the first time we really went deep into the concept of fasting.
Today, it is something we look forward too! It is part of our aim to fast four times a year (St. Martin, Lent, the Apostles/St. John the Baptist birthday fast and Assumption/St. Michael fast). We are far from experts and we can only offer our experience and suggestions of what we have learnt and developed during these years.
It commence the day after the feast day of Martinmas.
Searching for some historic background about the 40-day St. Martin fast is quite interesting. What then was tricky to find any information about it, there are loads of hits when searching for it in 2019.
Today, this has changed.
This practice, apparently, can be found in scriptures from the 4th century, most likely - it was observed even before then. According to the research, it appears to be lesser strict fast as the lent fast, but we again, this is way back. It coincided with the end of autumn and the beginning of winter and this is a period after all harvesting, slaughter, and hunting season is taken care of. November was also the slaughtering season for geese.
What we knew in October 2019 and what we knew in November 2019, are miles apart.
Shortly after the Amazon synod, the virus came out and caused an enormous stress on people and society. This continued with harsh politicians stepping into the play and the western world was supposed to be in a lockdown scenario.
On the Feast day of St. Andrew in 2022, one key was added our works : by a missing bible sentence; "However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting." (Matt 17:21).
The information was from a podcast from LifeSiteNews about a missing bible sentence or rather a removed sentence, or the word 'fasting' from modern Bibles.
Having worked professionally with research of data for 20 years, and searched for information worldwide; this was more of a gift finding information about the "missing sentence", as it is in line with our work of finding perfection. It was clear that the sentence was missing but also that one of our key-online sources turned out to have tempered with certain information, which again triggered us in our extensive research.
Matt 17:21 had been removed from the online 1917 Bible. It was also removed (if ever existed) in one of our ancient "go-to" online bibles. It existed in some new online-versions and some of the older. The sentence existed in Vulgate, so case closed.
Our go-to online bible from 1917, did a mistake, as the cross reference, Mark 9:29, had been tampered with between the 1917 and the 2000 version too. And, some footnotes stated that Matt 17:21 was a "copy" of Mark 9:29 and had been added at a later period and therefore removed.
But, it existed in the Vulgate Bible.
case closed...
The Rosary is the strongest weapon we have against evil,
and it turns out that Jesus told his disciples, when they failed, that
"this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting"
... so how do we do the 40-day St. Martin Fast?
ADVENT
The first 24 days of December is the liturgical season known as of Advent, which also is the beginning of our liturgical year. It is a little Lent to prepare us for the coming of the Lord.
We are not yet in the Christmas season.
Advent is a penitential season which we participate in through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
There is an Advent Fast, also called 20-days St. Andrew Fast which commence on Nov. 30th. There is an Advent tradition in the practice of fasting, but it seems that our western world today are more focused on the many Christmas parties all through December.
The Commander Cross Rosary crew do the traditional 40-days St. Martin (of Tours) Fast.
Both the fasting periods lead up to the December Ember days with its abstinence. Until 1966, every Friday was a day of mandatory fasting and abstinence from meat.
Not all of us have the chance to go full into the fasting period for various reasons but do the best they can to carry the intention. Sometimes you have to compromize. The fast is not a sugar detox and if you have illnesses, you need to speak to your doctor of what to do and how to do it.
- The 40-day St. Martin Fast commenced after the Feast days of the St. Martin of Tours (Nov. 11) and Pope St. Martin I. (Nov. 12) and we hope you have found a good discipline.
- How you decided to do your fasting is up to you. There are different approaches depending on your ability and level. Some wants to be "hard core" and some have never done it.
- We believe we have come up with a good level to introduce you of how we do it. This is our way that we like, it is a learning experience and what we have learnt during these three attempts, (2023 is our fourth go). It is a marathon run and not a 100 m sprint in learning the way of fasting if you are new to it.
One important aspect and discussion is for us the virtue: Moderation.
We have come to realize that the virtue Moderation is fighting many of the deadly sins during the 40-days fasting. It becomes Moderation vs Excessive (excessive eating, drinking, shopping, or laziness). Just take the small and simple fast of not eating or drinking anything one hour fast before receiving Holy Communion. This was apparently, before 1964, a fast that began at midnight before Mass, but since then was reduced to an hour before Mass.
Advent is the waiting for our newborn King.
The Catechesis states under the section of the Precepts of the Church CCC #2043 ...:
"The fifth precept (“You shall observe the prescribed days of fasting and abstinence.") ensures the times of ascesis and penance which prepare us for the liturgical feasts; they help us acquire mastery over our instincts and freedom of heart.
The faithful also have the duty of providing for the material needs of the Church, each according to his abilities."
CHRISTMAS EVE
Christmas is celebrated with a triduum of Holy Masses and each Mass is distinct and highlights a different aspect of the Christmas story.
- The Midnight Mass is the Angels' Mass, as the darkness of midnight reflects on our spiritual darkness as the world awaited the birth of the promised Messiah.
- The Mass at dawn is the Shepherd's Mass as the sun begins to rise over the darkness of the land. The newborn child Jesus, the Light of the World, dispelled the darkness of sin and death at His birth.
- The Christmas Day Mass is the Three-Kings Mass is celebrated in the fullness of daylight, signifying that the promised Son of God has now been revealed to the whole world.