The following laws are quoted, with few changes only for clarity, from either the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches (CCEO), the Particular Law of the Ukrainain Greek-Catholic Church, or the 1999 Pastoral Guide of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the United States of America (i.e., Particular Canons for the United States) (USA):
Holy Days of Obligation
Canon 114 of the Particular Law of the UGCC, as adopted by our St. Nicholas Eparchy:
- § 1. The faithful are obligated to celebrate on the day of Great and Holy Pascha and all Sundays of the ecclesiastical year, on the patronal feast of their own parish [St. Luke the Evangelist, October 18th], on the feast of the Holy and Glorious and All-Praiseworthy Apostles Peter and Paul [June 29th] , and the Twelve [Great] Feasts, which are:
- The Nativity of our Most-Holy Sovereign Lady and Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary [September 8th];
- The Universal Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross [September 14th];
- The Entrance into the Temple of our Most-Holy Sovereign Lady and Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary [November 21st];
- The Nativity of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ [December 25th];
- The Theophany of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ [January 6th];
- The Meeting [in the Temple by Symeon] of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ [February 2nd];
- The Annunciation to our Most-Holy Sovereign Lady and Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary [March 25th];
- The Entrance of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday) [one week before Pascha];
- The Ascension of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ [40 days after Pascha, always a Thursday];
- The Descent of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost) [50 days after Pascha, always a Sunday];
- The Holy Transfiguration of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ [August 6th];
- The Dormition of our Most-Holy Sovereign Lady and Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary [August 15th]
§ 2. On these days the faithful are obligated to participate in the Divine Liturgy* and refrain from arduous physical labor.
Article 460 of the Pastoral Guide of the UGCC in the USA states: “The celebration of the Canonical Hours, especially Matins and Vespers must be introduced where they have fallen into disuse in parishes, especially since the decision of the Holy See now allows these canonical services to satisfy the Sunday and Holydays obligation of the faithful by their participation in them.”
Fasting and Abstinence
Fasting: from Canon 115 of the Particular Law of the UGCC
§ 1. The penitential practice of fasting, repentance, and abstinence, the purpose of which is to make amends for sins committed and to attain greater perfection for the sake of personal sanctification, is the oldest tradition of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.
§ 2. All the faithful are obligated to fast in these periods of the ecclesiastical year: The Great Fast [from the Monday after Cheesefare Sunday to the Saturday of Lazarus] and Great and Holy Week [from Great Monday to Great and Holy Saturday inclusive]; The Apostles’ Fast (from the Monday after All Saints to June 28, inclusive); The Dormition Fast (from the feast of the Procession of the Precious and Life-giving Cross and the Maccabee Martyrs, Salome their mother, and the elder Eleazar [August 1] until the eve [Aug 14] of the Dormition of the most holy Theotokos, inclusive); The Nativity Fast, or “St. Philip’s Fast”, from the day after the feast of the Holy Apostle Philip until the eve of the Nativity of Christ [inclusive].
- On the first day of the Great Fast and on Great and Holy Friday it is a strict fast, that is one is to abstain from consuming meat and dairy products and eggs, and all dishes that contain these products.
- During the first week of the Great Fast and all the days of Holy Week one is to abstan from meat products and dishes.
- On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of the other weeks of the Great Fast, one is to abstain from consuming meat products and dishes; on Tuesday and Thursday all types of food are permitted.
- In the other fasts of the ecclesiastical year the faithful are obligated to abstain from consuming meat products and dishes on Wednesday and Friday. On Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday all types of food are permitted.
§ 3. All the faithful are obligated to fast on these days: The eve of Theophany [January 5, except when it falls on Saturday or Sunday]; The Beheading of St. John the Baptist [August 29]; The Exaltation of the Holy Cross [September 14].
§ 4. On all Fridays of the year, except occasions of privileged [fast-free] weeks, the patronal feast or the 12 great fasts, one should abstain from meat products and dishes.
§ 5. On all days of fasting and during fast-free periods, the faithful are obliged to refrain from organising and participating in loud parties, weddings, dances, entertainments, and other similar events.
§ 6. Concerning the dispensation from fasting, one must observe the following:
- The privileged weeks in the UGCC are: From the Nativity of the Lord [December 25] to the eve of Theophany, [January 4th], inclusive; From the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee to the Sunday of the Prodigal Son; From [the Sunday of] Pascha to the Sunday of St. Thomas; From the Sunday of the Descent of the Holy Spirit [Pentecost] to the Sunday of All Saints.
- There is no fast on Satuday, Sunday, and on the days of celebrating New Years (31.12 – 01.01)
- The following are exempt from any obligation to fast: children under 14 years of age and persons over 60 years of age; the seriously ill; pregnant women; mothers after childbirth and those who are breastfeeding; those who travel (if the travel time exceeds eight hours); those who do manual labour; those who eat from the table of others; the poor who live on alms;
§ 7. Outside the bounderies of the terretory of the major-archepicopal Church, the local customs regarding these things should be observed.
Yearly Requirements:
Reception of Holy Communion:
Every Catholic is obliged to receive Holy Communion at least once a year during the Paschal Season. Paschal Time extends from and is inclusive of the period of the Triodion and the Pentecostarion. Therefore, if one is conscious of mortal sin, one is bound to make a valid confession in order to fulfill this obligation. (USA)
The faithful of the Ukrainian Church are encouraged to receive Paschal Communion in their own Church if they can do so without serious inconvenience. (USA)
Religious Education of Children:
Parents have a serious moral obligation to oversee that their children receive adequate religious instruction offered by the canonical Ukrainian Catholic parish despite the school which their children attend (public or private, even if it be of another Catholic Church sui iuris, i.e. Roman Catholic) or “home school” which the children attend. (USA)
