The period of time before the celebration of Holy Week of the Christian Church was designated as a time of fasting in imitation of the fasting of the Lord Jesus Christ before He began His official mission. This period of time has been designated for the Christian as one of utmost dedication to the principles of Christian life and for repentance, forgiveness and absolution of sins. This period is known as the Great Lent (Tessarakoste, Quadragesimal, forty days). It is the time when the pious Christian humbly prepares himself for the commemoration of Christ’s Resurrection with more zeal in prayers, alms-giving and fastings from sins and foods. During the Great Lent special services and prayers are observed by the individual Christian and the corporate Church.

For the commemoration of the fasting of Jesus Christ, the Christian is directed to abstain from certain foods. Canon 69 of the Apostles determined this period of fasting officially