The Apostles’ Fast is the least-known of the four fasting seasons — partly because it is the most variable in length, and partly because it falls in summer when fasting is least expected. Yet it is one of the oldest fasts in the Church’s calendar.
When is the Apostles’ Fast?
The fast begins on the Monday after All Saints Sunday, which is the Sunday after Pentecost (the eighth Sunday of Pascha). It ends on June 29, the feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul.
Because Pascha’s date varies by up to 35 days, the Apostles’ Fast ranges from about 8 to 42 days in length. In years when Pascha falls late, the fast barely begins before the feast arrives. In early Pascha years, the fast can stretch to nearly six weeks.
What can you eat during the Apostles’ Fast?
The general rule (Antiochian and OCA):
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday — Strict or wine-and-oil fast (no meat, dairy, or fish)
- Tuesday, Thursday — Wine and oil permitted (no meat, dairy, or fish)
- Saturday, Sunday — Fish, wine, and oil permitted
Why do we fast for the Apostles?
The Apostles’ Fast is a preparation for the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul — but more broadly it honours all the Apostles, commemorated on the first day after the fast ends.
The Church fasts with the Apostles as a memorial of their own fasting and prayer before and during their missionary journeys. Acts records how the early church at Antioch fasted before sending Paul and Barnabas on their first journey (Acts 13:2–3).
The feast itself: June 29
The fast ends with the feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. Fish, wine, and oil are permitted on this feast even if it falls on a Wednesday or Friday. In some traditions the full fast is lifted.
The length of the Apostles’ Fast in your year is shown in the calendar on this site. Feast or Fast will tell you exactly where you are in it each day.