Friday Abstinence is the Catholic dietary custom of abstaining from meat on Fridays and at certain other times of the liturgical year, one of the traditional disciplines of fasting and abstinence observed by the Catholic Church. In this practice, abstinence means refraining from something that is not inherently wrong, such as meat, which is distinct from the related discipline of fasting, which addresses the overall amount of food eaten rather than the kind of food eaten.
Facts
Origin Period, From (Year)Marks the Teaching of the Twelve Apostles (the Didache), the earliest source directing Christians to a Friday fast; the source dates it only to the first century A.D. generally, so the year 100 stands for that century rather than a specific pinned year. Origin RegionEarly Christian communities of the Mediterranean world; preserved today across the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and Methodist traditions 1 Sources
1. Friday fast (Wikipedia)
WikipediaLead paragraph, first sentence, on the traditions carrying the practice
which is found most frequently in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and Methodist traditions
Lead section, second paragraph, on the Didache's dating
The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, written in the first century A.D., directed Christians to fast on both Wednesdays (the fourth day of the week) and Fridays (the sixth day of the week).
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