Kristie: (noticing Maria, my Russian classmate, tugging up her jeans) Are you losing weight?
Maria: Yeah, it’s because, what is it called…Lent. I may need to buy some new clothes.
Kristie: Oh yeah, so what did you give up?
Maria: (looks confused) Well pretty much everything.
Kristie: Everything! I thought you would say candy or soda. (Finally realizes that Maria is Russian Orthodox, and so very likely has different Lent practices.) So what is Lent like in the Russian Orthodox Church? I only know that Roman Catholics can’t eat meat during Lent.
Maria: Yes, no meat, no eggs, no cheese, no milk…
Kristie: (eyebrows raised) Wow!
Maria: ….and on Monday, Wednesday and Friday we can only eat vegetables or fruit that aren’t cooked, on Tuesday and Thursday we can have cooked vegetables, but they can’t be cooked in oil, then on Saturday and Sunday we can eat like a normal vegetarian. This goes on for…49 days.
Kristie: (thankful she isn’t Russian Orthodox) You can only eat raw fruit and vegetables three days a week for seven weeks?! No wonder you’re losing weight. (remembering that the Russian Orthodox Church also has a different calendar) So how much longer do you have?
Maria: This is the second week.
Kriste: Yeah, you may need to buy some new clothes.
Recent Comments