St. Philip’s Fast begins (Advent)

Philip’s Fast (Pylypivka), the pre-Christmas fast which begins this week on Nov. 15th – the day after the feast of St. Philip – is a 40 days period of spiritual preparation for the celebration of the Nativity/Theophany cycle of the church year. It was once a period of strict fasting, which has now been abrogated in favor of voluntary fasting and works of penance.